Household names such as the Co-op, Northern and Auto Trader have all announced top hires and promotions over the last week.
Law firms, a baby-tech company as well as a business co-founded by a Dragons' Den star have all made major moves.
Below, we round up the latest hires and promotions that we feel you should not miss.
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If you have a new or recent appointment or promotion that you would like featured in our next round up, please e-mail jon.robinson@reachplc.com.
Flight Story
A former Google executive who recently warned that AI will view humanity as "scum" and create "killing machines" has been hired by Dragons' Den star Steven Bartlett.
Mo Gawdat has been named as chief AI officer at Flight Story. The tech guru has formally been chief business officer at Google X.
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Mr Gawdat spent more than a decade at Google X and has also previously worked for Microsoft, British American Tobacco and IBM.
Auto Trader
Auto Trader has announced that Matt Davies is to succeed Ed Williams as chairman in September.
Mr Davies has previously been chief executive of Pets at Home, Halford and Tesco. He is currently chairman of Greggs and formally held that role at N Brown, Hobbycraft and Travel Counsellors.
Ipsum Group
The boss of Manchester Airports Group has been named as the new chairman of a Lancashire-based group.
Charlie Cornish has taken on the role at Ipsum Group in Chorley which was acquired earlier this year by private equity firm IK Partners.
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Mr Cornish has been the chief executive of the group behind Manchester, Stansted and East Midlands airports since 2010.
Alexander Knight & Co
Alexander Knight & Co has added to its team of accountants in Hale.
Michael Sala joins as an accounts manager from Haines Watts and Cameron Ellams joins the accounts and audit team from Beever & Struthers. Abi Thomson enters the accountancy profession from a teaching background.
Founder Murray Patt said: "We’re pleased to grow our team here in Hale with the arrival of two experienced accountants who join us from other practices to develop their career.
"It's also a pleasure to welcome Abi into the accountancy profession and we are looking forward to helping her formalise her knowledge and experience in the sector."
Turley
Planning and development consultancy Turley has announced a new head of planning North based in Manchester.
A new leadership team for the company’s northern planning service has been established, led by Andrew Bickerdike who will work alongside existing directors Anna Relph and Mark Worcester, and denior director David Diggle.
Mr Bickerdike has held the role of director for the last six years and works across a range of sectors in the north, including advising on major build to rent and purpose built student accommodation schemes in Manchester, Trafford and Liverpool, and has led a variety of local plan promotion work for Peel, Story Homes and Barratt David Wilson.
Praetura Ventures
Praetura Ventures, the Manchester-headquartered venture capital investor, has made three new appointments.
Siobhan Almond, Mark Horncastle and Penny Attridge have all joined Praetura’s operational partner programme.
Siobhan Almond is a senior law professional who spent over ten years at JD Sports.
A pharmacist by training, Mark Horncastle was previously a partner and the 海角视频 head of healthcare at the multi-sector management consultancy PA Consulting.
Penny Attridge was formerly the investment director for Liverpool-based investor Spark Impact.
Barnes
Rochdale-based logistics firm Barnes has appointed Paul Carey as its new chief financial officer.
Formerly global finance director at Peter Sage Group, Mr Carey has over 20 years' of financial experience.
He has spent almost a decade operating at CFO and CEO level, having also held senior positions at both Mitigo Group and Pastest, prior to his role at Peter Sage Group.
Brown Turner Ross
Liverpool and Southport-based law firm Brown Turner Ross has made three new appointments.
Lucas Gardiner has joined the team as a civil litigation solicitor from Keoghs LLP, having worked in the corporate risk team since 2020.
Holly Bingham takes up the role as family paralegal having joined from Simpson Millar where she was a conveyancing assistant.
Louise Harrison joins the housing disrepair team as a fee earner increasing the team to four.
The Co-op
The Co-op has announced the appointment of a new chief procurement officer.
Imran Rasul will take responsibility for leading the whole procurement team from Claire Costello – who moved into the chief people and inclusion officer role at the Co-op last year, while continuing to oversee procurement.
He will support across the whole of Co-op Group - including retail, life services (legal services, insurance and funeralcare businesses) Nisa and ventures.
Shoosmiths
A new partner has joined Shoosmiths' real estate practice.
In Manchester, the law firm has recruited residential development specialist, Peter Marsden.
Mr Marsden joins as real estate partner, bringing experience working as an in-house lawyer at PLC housebuilder, Taylor Wimpey, and Harrow Estates – part of Redrow.
Aibytech
Manchester-based baby-tech firm Aibytech has appointed Phil Parsons as its chairman and CEO.
Mr Parsons was previously European and Middle East President at Dyson.
He said: "Aibytech is at a critical moment in its journey, as we aim to finish the first phase of our product development. Having worked in the technology sector and multiple markets for 15 years, I am looking forward to using that knowledge to help build the commercial and operational functions we need for rapid and sustainable growth."
Kuits
Manchester commercial law firm Kuits has added to its construction and engineering team with the appointment of Martin Collingwood as a senior lawyer.
Mr Collingwood has specialised in construction and engineering since qualifying and has held roles both in private practice and in house as a legal advisor to major international building and civil engineering and property development groups.
Partner and head of construction and engineering Matt Grellier said: "Martin brings a wealth of experience to our team and his expertise and reputation in this sector are outstanding. After another successful year, this appointment is important to our continued growth strategy."
Northern
Craig Harrop has been appointed interim regional director for Northern in the North West.
He takes over from Chris Jackson who is heading to TransPennine Express as interim managing director.
Mr Harrop was previously the head of trains and stations for Northern across Lancashire, Merseyside and Cumbria.
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