Firms from across the North West have wasted no time recently in making a host of key hires, as lockdowns ease and business confidence returns.
Businesses based in Liverpool, Manchester and further afield and in sectors from media to property to finance have announced a flurry of appointments.
If you've got a new or recent appointment or promotion you'd like featured in our next roundup, please email tom.houghton@reachplc.com.
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Here, BusinessLive runs through the 33 North West appointments from the last few weeks that you shouldn't have missed:
Hannah Anderson
Kyma Media has hired Hannah Anderson as its director of social and creative.
Listed in Vogue’s 25 Most Influential Women 2018, Ms Anderson joins Manchester firm Kyma as the agency sets sights on future growth following a raft of appointments to its Manchester team.
In her new role she will be responsible for growing Kyma’s media brand portfolio, delivering best-in-class content and innovation on the platforms whilst elevating the Kyma business within the media landscape.
She said: “I am very much looking forward to joining Kyma at such an exciting point in their journey.
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“I've been super impressed with the growth of Kairos Group in recent years and I can't wait to be a part of the next chapter.
“The team has achieved some amazing things recently and, coming in with a core focus on audience building and ad-revenue generation, I hope to add to those achievements. The team seems super impressive and I can't wait to connect with them all and learn more.”
Melanie Lewis
The Shakespeare North Trust has announced the appointment of Melanie Lewis as chief executive of The Shakespeare North Playhouse.
Ms Lewis is currently an executive director with National Museums Liverpool (NML), and will be the first permanent chief executive of the flagship cultural venue, which will open to the public next year.
As anticipation builds for completion and opening of The Playhouse, the trust called it a "significant appointment" and one which will be crucial to the venue’s long-term success.
She said: "I am extremely excited to be taking up this new role. I feel privileged to have the opportunity to lead the regions newest and most exciting cultural attraction. To be involved with such a ground-breaking project at such a crucial time is incredible.
“Throughout my career I have been fortunate to work in iconic venues and on a wide array of projects and initiatives. My passion lies with shaping and enriching the whole visitor experience and bringing lifelong learning to the people we serve, be that in our local community, our city, from across the 海角视频 and around the world. This is something I am keen to continue at The Playhouse.”
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Gezz Van Zwanenberg
Gezz Van Zwanenberg has been appointed as the new COO of the health and social care division at recruitment firm HCRG, where he will play an "instrumental role" in helping the team meet ambitious growth targets.
Mr Van Zwanenberg served as a squadron leader in the RAF, and as a consultant nurse in critical care, and was awarded the Ambulance Service Institute President's award for Critical Care Air Support to patient care during Operations in Afghanistan while leading the CCAST teams.
He has also been recognised for leading multiple large successful projects, and said: “I am delighted to join the HCRG family. I am excited to start this new role and I am really looking forward to adding value, energy and influencing colleagues, teams and patients.”
Becky Bowness
Accountants, business and financial advisers Armstrong Watson have announced that Becky Bowness has been promoted to tax partner - just two years after joining the firm.
Mr Bowness was appointed as corporate tax director from Big Four accounting firm PwC in 2019 and has since played an "integral" role in the development of Armstrong Watson’s services to significant regional corporate businesses across the North East and Cumbria.
She has experience advising entrepreneurial businesses of all sizes including listed businesses and international groups across all sectors and now leads Armstrong Watson’s Corporate Tax practice.
She said: “I am thrilled to become a Partner at Armstrong Watson. My fellow Partners are truly collaborative and supportive, and this is such an exciting opportunity.
“I cannot thank the fantastic team I work with enough for all their incredible commitment, hard work and support particularly through the unreal challenges of the past 12 months."
Darran Lawless
Build-to-rent developer Placefirst has appointed Darran Lawless as property development director to drive 海角视频 growth.
Mr Lawless will lead the acquisition, development, planning and design teams, following through to the onsite project commencement.
He has over 30 years’ experience in the property sector, having joined from Peel L&P as its development director responsible for Liverpool Waters for the last three years.
He said: “I am genuinely excited about joining Placefirst to significantly expand and grow the business which is recognised as a leader and award winner of build-to-rent communities.
"As the need for affordable family rental housing is greater than ever, I look forward to working closely with local authorities, landowners and other housebuilders to accelerate construction and delivery, by offering an alternative to home ownership and sharing development risk, and acquiring existing investments and estates.”
Kate Edwards
One of the country’s leading authorities on Court of Protection has joined Simpson Millar.
Based in Manchester and appointed to join the property and affairs division, Kate Edwards brings with her more than a decade of experience during which time she has co-authored the Court of Protection Handbook and been named as a ‘rising star’ by the prestigious legal directory, Legal 500.
The firm said it's a move that further cements its commitment to building a national network of specialists acting on behalf of people who lack capacity to make decisions for themselves.
She said: “I am delighted to be joining the CoP team at Simpson Millar.
“My whole career has been dedicated to this field, which in itself is dedicated to ensuring that our clients – many of whom are extremely vulnerable - receive the outcome that best meets their needs.
“Simpson Millar’s open approach to ensuring that they can provide legal support to clients when they need it most is a perfect complement to the work that I do, and the work that I am so passionate about.
“I have a particular interest in contested applications, assisting family members to resolve problems with another family member who is deputy or attorney, and I am excited to continue this work as part of Simpson Millar’s national network of top-quality lawyers.”
Craig Holding
Prospect Homes has appointed engineer Craig Holding to play an "integral part" in the company’s expansion plans, by adding further expertise to the technical team.
Mr Holding, from Leigh, has joined the Liverpool-based company after three years with Mulbury, where he was an engineering manager. Prior to Mulbury, he has also worked at Keepmoat in a similar role.
He said: “I’ve joined the company at a really exciting time. Prospect is going in a very positive, forward-thinking direction and has plans to grow its operations over the next few years.
“I’m one of a number of new members to join the company so this fresh perspective means we’re all really passionate about taking the company to the next level. I’ll be working closely with Riverside, who Prospect Homes is part of, to develop larger scale mixed tenure opportunities as well as private sites for Prospect Homes.”
Alex Browne
Manchester based, brand and digital marketing agency Creative Spark has appointed Alex Browne as its new digital strategist and senior account manager.
The firm said the hire strengthens its offer for clients such as Junkyard Golf and Saint Gobain, and she will lead the agency’s fast growing digital marketing department.
She said: “The Creative Spark team are fantastic to work with, I am really pleased to be able to create strong digital strategies for their amazing clients, both new and existing.”
Chris Boardman
Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, has appointed former cycling and walking commissioner, Chris Boardman, in an expanded role as Greater Manchester’s first transport commissioner.
Mr Boardman has been tasked with helping to accelerate the delivery of the Bee Network – a fully integrated transport system, including the roll-out of the 海角视频’s largest cycling and walking network.
The appointment reflects the importance of establishing an integrated, affordable and accessible transport system for the city-region. Boardman will attend the newly established Bee Network delivery board, which meets weekly, to ensure that the city-region’s plans stay on track.
Mr Boardman said: “I am delighted to take on the role of transport commissioner.
"Our vision for Greater Manchester was never just about delivering quality cycling and walking routes. While they are essential ingredients in making Greater Manchester a better place to grow up, get on and grow old, they are only a part of the solution."
Fiona Ravlic
Out of home media owner OPEN Media has promoted Fiona Ravlic to chief revenue officer.
Ms Ravlic has 19 years of experience in the out of home industry and has had a "pivotal role" in the accelerated growth of OPEN Media during the pandemic.
As chief revenue officer, Ms Ravlic will continue to oversee both regional and national sales teams and work on the sales strategy to help the continuing growth of the business.
She said: “Since joining OPEN Media in October 2019 it was my vision to grow the team and profile of the brand, which despite the pandemic I have managed to do. I am thrilled to be driving the business forward and accelerating the growth of OPEN Media in London and across the regions. I am really excited for the future of OPEN Media and delighted to be such a big part of it.”
Mariam Ayeni
Manchester-based not-for-profit Age Check Certification Scheme (ACCS) has appointed Mariam Ayeni as head of policy and regulation.
Joining from Facebook where she led the platform’s risk and quality assurance audits as part of its incident response team, Ms Ayeni has extensive experience supporting law enforcement agencies in responding to emergencies while safeguarding younger users from harmful content.
Prior to her time at Facebook, she held posts at PayPal, Bank of America and Houses of the Oireachtas, working across various compliance and policy enforcement roles.
She said: “As a mum myself, I’m passionate about safeguarding children from potentially dangerous goods and content. I’m extremely excited to join the team at ACCS and to bring all of my previous experience together to make a real impact.
“With the Age Appropriate Design Code’s transition period coming to an end in September, and a lot happening currently around the Online Safety Bill, it’s the perfect time to join and be a part of the crucial journey in protecting children from global harm.
"My primary focus is going to be in driving forward policy, performing rigorous testing to ensure measures that are in place are adequate and to advocate for positive change."
Craig Nugent
Forecourt service provider Suresite Group has announced the appointment of Craig Nugent as the company’s new head of sales.
Mr Nugent brings more than 30 years of international experience in sales and operational management, and joins Suresite from Certas Energy where he headed the company’s dealer sales.
He said: “This is an exciting time to join Suresite and I am delighted to be part of the ambitious plans for growth whilst continuing to deliver the highest levels of customer service."
Sue Hayes
GBB, a new bank focused on lending in the North-West has announced the appointment of Sue Hayes as its CEO.
Ms Hayes joins as chief executive officer to lead it through the regulatory process of becoming a bank, and brings a "wealth" of financial services and fintech experience, having spent more than three decades in banking.
She led the retail finance business at challenger bank Aldermore, one of the first wave of challenger banks. She also held executive positions at HBOS and ran retail and business banking at Santander before moving to Barclays.
She said: “Accessing finance still remains a challenge for many developers and it’s my ambition to make that a much easier, more straightforward process.
"However, GBB’s purpose goes beyond lending money and that’s why I joined. Our team is passionate about supporting property developers in areas that have been forgotten about. We want to drive and support the movement to level up the North, get Britain building again, creating more homes and spaces, and drive economic prosperity for all.
“I am delighted to join an incredibly passionate, talented and committed team who are all united by our purpose and I’m very much looking forward to the exciting journey ahead.”
Two hires for Mulbury
Mulbury has bolstered its city centre development expertise with the appointment of two new development managers.
The company has appointed Jamie Sutton as development manager, while Adam Turner joins as assistant development manager.
Mr Sutton, who lives in Knutsford, will help to deliver the recently approved Oldham Road and Bendix Street apartment developments in Manchester’s New Cross district which between them will deliver over 300 apartments.
Mr Turner will manage a third New Cross development, the 73 apartments planned for the former Goulden Street police, fire and ambulance station, now named Peelers Yard.
Nick Legget, development director at Mulbury and head of the company’s Mulbury City division, said: “Jamie and Adam have a wealth of knowledge and experience delivering high-value and high-quality schemes. Their appointments really bolster our city centre capacity and capabilities.
“They’ll be instrumental in helping Mulbury deliver its strong pipeline of key city centre developments, including almost 400 new homes in the heart of New Cross.”
Two hires at Total Processing
Manchester-headquartered payments fintech Total Processing has made two additions to its senior leadership team, with Rob Pailin joining as CEO and Sunil Peenikal appointed CTO.
Bringing over 15 years of financial services and fintech experience, Mr Pailin, former Assetz Capital and RBS Corporate managing director, will be spearheading the fintech’s ambitious growth plans as it looks to expand to new markets, bolster its headcount and continuously innovate its product for customers.
Mr Peenikal joins with over 20 years' experience at some of the world’s leading tech companies, including IBM, Hewlett-Packard and Fulcrum Digital. He will lead the development of Total Processing’s payments processing technology, ensuring it continues to evolve and scale, while maintaining the bespoke nature of its services.
Three hires at Powell Williams
Chester’s Powell Williams has made three senior appointments across the business.
Alex Gould has been appointed partner in the London office, while the Chester team has welcomed associate partner and senior principal designer John Rutter, and senior surveyor Matthew Bielby.
Powell Williams has reported activity increase over the last 12 months, with a significant volume of dilapidations and project management work seeing the team assisting both tenants and landlords in responding to the changing conditions created by the pandemic.
Founding partner Andy Williams said: “We have focused on being adaptive to the challenges wrought by Covid, on effective communication, quality and delivery of services, which have served to create new opportunities and build on long-term client relationships.
“Recruitment within our sector is fiercely competitive and it is therefore all the more satisfying to attract such high quality candidates as Alex, John and Matthew, skilled and motivated individuals who are enthused by the work we are doing here.”
Two Stories makes four appointments
Lancaster brand consultancy and design studio Two Stories has announced four new appointments, following a succession of client wins.
Eleven new clients, across a host of sectors, have appointed the team, contributing to a 70% increase in business for the consultancy over the past six months.
The studio has added two designers, Emily Fell and Lauren Rankine, developer Ryan White, and Stacey Waugh as head of brand communications to the team, to deliver brand strategy, brand communications, brand identity design, print and digital design, website development and design, for Two Stories’ new and existing clients.
Three new hires for Boost&Co
Independent asset manager BOOST&Co has tripled the size of its Manchester office.
Ryan Sorby, head of the north and Scotland at BOOST&Co, who has led the alternative lender’s Manchester office since it opened in the city centre in 2018, has appointed three new principals to join his team.
Oliver Reece joins from Tosca Debt Capital, while Seth Vaughan has moved from Lloyds Bank. Adam Fearnley, based in Leeds, has also joined the team, having previously worked for both NatWest and RSM.
Mr Sorby said: "We’ve enjoyed a lot of success through employing people who are local and visible, and who understand the cultural nuances within our city and region.
"Having people on the ground across the north west pays huge dividends in terms of the quality of the deals you can be involved with and the insight that you can get.
"We’re investing more and more in the north: these are areas where we’ve done high-quality deals over the past 18 months, and the calibre of the advisory base in the region is fantastic, too.
"The northern powerhouse is gaining a lot of traction in the media and also with the government, which will lead to increased focus, funding and support."
Faye Valentine
Pixel Kicks, the Manchester-based full-service digital agency, has appointed Faye Valentine as its newest senior social media executive.
Ms Valentine joins Pixel Kicks from Archie’s - the Manchester takeaway-diner chain - where she ran its social media channels and PR. She worked there for two years, and during that time she masterminded a complete overhaul of the brand’s social accounts.
In her new role, she will be devising, planning and executing the social media strategies for Pixel Kicks’ roster of clients across the main social platforms.
Her focus will be on creating high quality, eye-catching content matching individual brands’ images and tones with the aim of delivering brand awareness, community growth, traffic and revenue. She will also be developing influencer marketing strategies.
She said: "Pixel Kicks had been on my radar for a while as I had seen, and been impressed by, their web development and digital marketing work.
"When I found out there was a career opportunity for a social media executive, I felt like I could be a natural fit. I’m now looking forward to helping the company grow and adding real value."
Christos Kottis
Christos Kottis has joined the Department of International Trade (DIT) North West as an export manager for Greater Manchester.
Mr Kottis will be part of the DIT North West team at the Growth Company, a strategic partner to DIT which delivers international trade services to companies across the North West.
With 25 years of experience working for SMEs as well as larger businesses, Kottis’s international trade expertise has been gained across various industry sectors.
Mr Kottis said: "I am delighted to be part of this exciting project with DIT North West and the Growth Company.
"Working closely with the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA), the GM LEP and other strategic partners, we are putting together an ambitious Export Plan to complement the new Greater Manchester International Strategy beyond 2021, taking advantage of our strategic enablers like decarbonisation, digital connectivity and city-region diplomacy."
Heather Lindley-Clapp
Manchester-based independent planning consultancies Nexus Planning has promoted Heather Lindley-Clapp to director.
She first joined Nexus Planning’s Manchester team in 2019 and was previously an associate director.
In her role as director, she will be part of the senior management team as well as developing the planning consultancy’s retail and commercial advisory services.
She will also take a leading role in the day-to-day management of Nexus Planning’s Manchester office, alongside fellow Manchester directors, Murray Graham and Richard Shepherd, and executive director, Peter Tooher.
She said: "I’m thrilled to be taking on a Director role in our Manchester office. I’ve been incredibly impressed with how well the team has performed this past year, even managing to grow through a number of new and existing projects, despite the obvious challenges.
"I’m looking forward to continuing to support Nexus Manchester’s growth by assuming more of a leadership role in the mentorship and career progression of our junior members.
"Together with Nexus Manchester’s senior team, I will be nurturing existing clients and helping them grow their portfolio, as well as continuing to help to grow the retail and commercial sector (both public and private) – an area I’m particularly passionate about."
An appointment and two promotions at FRP
Specialist business advisory firm FRP has strengthened its corporate finance offering in Manchester with a new senior appointment and a number of promotions.
Daniel Brecker joins from Grant Thornton as an associate director, having spent more than 10 years’ operating in the sector.
In his new role at FRP, he will leverage his deal making experience to help further establish FRP’s corporate finance practice in Manchester as it continues to create value for its increasing network of clients across the North West.
His appointment coincides with the announcement of the promotion of Michael Bloom to associate director and the recent recruitment of Amy Murphy from BDO.
Heath Snyder, corporate finance partner at FRP, said: "Over the last year we’ve seen increased demand from clients looking for hands-on corporate finance advice to drive forward their growth ambitions, and as the economy begins to come out of lockdown this demand will only increase.
"To ensure we can meet this need it’s vital that we invest in our teams and continue to support clients with our knowledge and expertise.
"Daniel is a fantastic addition to our team - the experience and regional knowledge that he brings means we’re well-placed to carry on supporting our clients across the North West while catering to increasing levels of demand. It’s also great to be able to recognise the performance of the wider team after what’s been an unusual 12 months."