Law firm Hay & Kilner has strengthened its specialist family law team with the appointment of experienced solicitor Fiona Ryans.
Ms Ryans has joined the Newcastle-headquartered practice as a senior associate and has a wide range of experience across all aspects of family breakdown, particularly on financial matters and child arrangements. She is a member of Resolution, a nationwide community of family-law professionals who work with clients to resolve issues in a constructive way, and also acts as an assessor for the organisation’s Specialist Accreditation process.
As a trained collaborative practitioner Ms Ryans can work with the other party’s solicitor to resolve issues out of court. She is also one of just a handful of family lawyers in the North East to have undertaken the Resolution Together training, enabling her to advise both separating parties - so two clients can instruct her jointly to assist them both.
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Ms Ryans said: "Hay & Kilner is a firm I have long admired and has a strong reputation as a forward-thinking firm that puts high standards of client service and a commitment to the community at the heart of its way of working. The team has an excellent reputation and deals with a wide range of matters for families in the North East and beyond for clients from a wide variety of backgrounds and circumstances. Everyone has been really helpful and supportive since I joined and I’m really enjoying my new role."
Creative agency Manifest has appointed prominent North East consultant Sarah Waddington as a non-executive director.
Ms Waddington, a director at Wadds Inc, will chair the regional leadership team of managing partners to facilitate global collaboration and was selected for her record in advising management teams on sustainable growth and agency proposition. Alongside her role at Wadds Inc, she is the founder of #FutureProof, a community committed to reasserting communications as a strategic management function, and co-founder of Socially Mobile, a not-for-profit PR training school helping under-represented groups increase their earning potential.
Her career accolades include being past president of the CIPR, a PRCA Fellow, a member of the Northern Power Women’s Power List, and receiving a CBE in 2021 for contribution to PR and the voluntary sectors.
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Ms Waddington said: "I’ve followed Manifest on its journey for many years — emerging as one of the leading independent creative shops over the past decade. Their ambition and creativity is a real catalyst for exceptional work, and I’m very proud to play a part in the next chapter of the business as they continue to scale and diversify."
WilliamsAli Corporate Finance has added one of the best-known names in the region’s corporate finance sector to its team.
Lucy Elliott joins WilliamsAli as associate director to reinforce its continuing reputation as a leading provider of specialist dealmaking expertise in the region’s M&A landscape. As one of the region’s most highly regarded corporate finance specialists, Ms Elliott has nearly 20 years of experience in providing lead advisory work across a broad range of sectors.
She moves to the firm at a time of strong progress, which was founded by Abu Ali and Phil Williams in 2019, and continues its commitment to senior-level recruitment. Ms Elliott's arrival is the third significant hire for the boutique firm in only a few months, following the recent appointments of associate director Mo Miah and Paul Kaiser as chairman.
Ms Elliott said: “It is a massive decision to join another firm after 19 years at Azets and a big move to make, but WilliamsAli is a perfect fit for me. It has a very strong reputation in the marketplace with great clients, and the team are friendly, relatable and excellent at what they do. I am looking forward to working in a small boutique with great people around me who I can work closely with.
"Their focus on client relationships is very important to me - I am still in touch with many clients I have acted for previously, which is testament to my commitment to delivering the attention and care clients deserve during deals that are often momentous occasions in their careers and lives."
Two Newcastle Falcons Rugby Club stars - Alex Tait and Will Welch - have joined financial advice firm Professional Wealth Management (PWM).
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Both players will be Newcastle-based advisors with the firm, which has delivered work experience and supported the duo as they achieved professional qualifications. Stephen Dickinson, director of PWM, said: “As single club players, Alex and Will are well known to the Newcastle community for their commitment, success and consistent delivery on and off the field. I’ve been impressed by their leadership skills and positive attitudes, both key attributes to helping build and drive a business forward.”
Mr Welch became the Falcons’ youngest ever captain when he took over the reins at the age of just 22 and spent 15 years playing for his hometown club. He said: "In professional sports a strong financial plan and second career are often overlooked. I hope that our experience will help inform fellow rugby players, professional sportsmen and women and support many more PWM clients with financial planning and advice."
Mr Tait, 35, a former Barnard Castle school pupil, was a full-time professional with Newcastle Falcons for 16 years. He played 271 times for the Falcons with a tally of 40 tries. He said: “You learn quickly in the world of rugby that things don’t always go according to plan no matter how much you have prepared. I’m determined to help my clients manage any changes in their financial plans to make sure that they get the results they need.”
North East town planning specialist Hedley Planning has made two appointments as it expands its operations beyond the region.
Mollie Cubbin, studying for a Masters in planning at Newcastle University, has joined the firm as a year placement planner. The move will see her helping the senior team in preparing planning applications and supporting planning statements for the firm’s growing portfolio of regional and national residential and commercial clients.
Meanwhile, Sunny Howd has been appointed as a graduate town planner working across a number of commercial planning projects and renewable wind turbine schemes across the 海角视频. Hedley Planning Services says it has strengthened its team to meet strong regional and national demand for planning services from housebuilders, commercial property developers and the renewable energy sector.
Managing director Sean Hedley said the firm plans to recruit further as the business continues to grow over the next 12 months. He added: “Our strength lies in our people, so I’m delighted to welcome Mollie and Sunny to the team. They are talented people with values that align closely with our business, so I look forward to working closely with them as they build their careers with us.”
Asbestos Audit has announced the appointment of Brandon Williams as trainee surveyor.
Mr Williams, 26, from Washington, was a CAD technician at the company for two years before taking up his new role. The Peterlee-based firm says the appointment shows its commitment to training and retaining its staff.
Asbestos Audit operates across the 海角视频, providing 海角视频AS accredited asbestos surveys, inspections, removal and testing. The company also has a rapidly growing demolition division, that includes salvage and soft strip out.
Mr Williams said: “I joined the company two years ago as a CAD technician and I am really pleased to now progress as a trainee surveyor and work under the supervision of Ryan Moorhead, technical and quality manager. As well as learning the theory, I am picking up great experience working on live projects, shadowing a member of the team and learning how surveys are conducted. I have also assisted clients with asbestos-related issues.
"I am also learning from the management team, who take clients through every step of the survey process, ensuring they are compliant with the current Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012. I want to develop my knowledge and expertise and to progress from a trainee to a qualified surveyor as quickly as I can."