Law firm Hill Dickinson has expanded its Newcastle office with the appointment of a new corporate team, led by partner Tom Pollard.
The new team includes legal director Liam Stubbs and senior associate Nicole Axon, who together with Mr Pollard worked as part of a team at Ward Hadaway. Mr Pollard brings more than 17 years of experience advising clients on a range of corporate work, in particular domestic and cross-border transactions.
The team has extensive experience advising a wide range of clients from large listed companies, private equity funds and family offices to owner managed businesses, high-net-worth private investors and management teams across a broad range of sectors including renewables and natural resources, family offices and landed estates, human capital, TMT, leisure and hospitality, motor, industrials, engineering and manufacturing.
The new hires take Hill Dickinson's Newcastle office headcount to 19, with further growth planned.
Mr Pollard said: "Having lived in the North East for over 20 years, I’m thrilled to be leading the North East regional corporate team at a Ƶ top 50 firm that’s not only deeply rooted in key locations across the Ƶ but is also a significant player with a strong international presence. There is huge potential for Hill Dickinson in the North East corporate market, so I’m looking forward to working alongside the firm’s highly regarded national corporate team and contributing to the growth of our corporate offering in the region, as well as supporting the growth of a full-service offering in Newcastle, in close collaboration with the wider Newcastle office."
Newly launched Newcastle performance marketing agency The Digital Lighthouse, has recruited business development specialist Scott Holland.
Mr Holland has been brought in to assist the 12 month-old agency with strategic expansion, following a number of high profile client wins including chartered wealth managers, Fairstone; skin care specialists Nursem and estate agents solutions provider, iamproperty.
The Digital Lighthouse, founded by 28 year-old Tom Chandler, has recruited six new team members in its first year and is on target to double that number across 2025 and into next year, having already secured its own permanent base on Newcastle’s Quayside.
Scott Holland Consulting, also based in the North East, is a specialist growth and business development consultancy, led and founded by seasoned business growth expert, Scott Holland. He developed specialisms in a range of industries in a North East career within IT and digital marketing organisations, before launching his own consultancy in 2023. He now works with clients including Sunderland HQ’d WTTB (formerly Where the Trade Buys), ION Industries and Peacocks Medical Group.
Mr Chandler said: "Scott’s an individual I’ve known and respected for some time, and I’m thrilled he’s now representing The Digital Lighthouse as we seek to continue our growth and add more clients keen to better understand the possibilities in performance marketing. It’s been a fantastic start, and our proposition of easy-to-understand paid marketing strategies across search and social platforms is being well received."
Mr Holland added: “The Digital Lighthouse is one of the fastest-growing and most talked about new specialist digital marketing agencies across the North. I’m thrilled to be working with Tom, Leigh and the rest of the team on opening up new, relevant growth opportunities for them. Their proposition is refreshingly simple, Tom’s enthusiasm for his craft is mirrored in his team, and I know they’ll go from strength to strength in years to come.”
Maintenance and decarbonisation contractor Novus Property Solutions has appointed social housing specialist Jason Smithies as head of operations for the North East and Scotland.
Mr Smithies brings more than two decades of experience in the sector to the role, having started his career as a tenant liaison officer 22 years ago. Since then, Mr Smithies has held a number of operational positions including project director and head of operations, leading large teams to deliver high value client projects including Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund (SHDF) retrofit work.
In his role at Novus, Mr Smithies will be responsible for all planned works and repairs and maintenance contracts within the Scotland and North East region, including operational and commercial performance, health and safety, client and resident satisfaction, business development, and social value.
He said: “I am delighted to join Novus as head of operations for Scotland and the North East at what is a very exciting time for the business. I’m looking forward to continuing to grow Novus’ position across the sector and the region, ensuring it becomes one of the most trusted providers of our services in the sector. I find Novus’ outlook refreshing and the positive changes and growth over the past year has made the business the ideal fit for my skills and personality, and I’m committed to developing my teams to ensure they not only provide the best service to our clients, but are also confident and happy in their careers.”
Steve Gayter, executive director at Novus Property Solutions, added: “We’re pleased to welcome Jason to Novus, and we’re confident that his impressive skills and experience in the social housing and decarbonisation sector will play an invaluable role as we continue our impressive growth trajectory. Jason joining Novus comes at an exciting time for the business, as we remain committed to building on the legacy of Mr John Seddon who recently retired after dedicating 73 years to securing the future of our family business for future generations."
County Durham radiation detection specialist Kromek has appointed Claire Burgess as director, chief financial officer and company secretary of the group, and Michael Stephenson as commercial and strategy director for its Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) division.
Ms Burgess will take over from Paul Farquhar, who is retiring, and will join Kromek on May 12 - allowing for a handover period. Most recently Ms Burgess was financial director of Advanced Electric Machines Group Ltd, a designer and manufacturer of magnet-free electric powertrain technologies. At JB Processing and TBGS Holdings she was CFO, and was responsible for establishing and building its US subsidiaries.
She is a qualified Fellow Chartered Accountant and started her career as an auditor at Ernst & Young before joining KPMG as a corporate finance executive.
Rakesh Sharma, chairman of Kromek, said: “On behalf of the board, I would like to thank Paul for his contribution to Kromek. The business is in a fundamentally stronger position than when he joined, and we wish him all the best for his retirement. I would also like to welcome Claire to Kromek and to the Board. Her experience with growing technology and engineering-based companies with international operations is well-suited to the Kromek of today. We look forward to benefiting from her expertise as we continue to execute on our strategy.”
Meanwhile Mr Stephenson joins the Sedgefield-based technology firm following a 12-year career with global giant Johnson & Johnson, where he held a number of senior marketing, sales and product management roles. His experience includes developing commercial strategies, building high performance teams, and helping drive sales across international markets.
Before his corporate career, Mr Stephenson was a professional rugby player and made 118 appearances in the premiership. He began his sporting career at Newcastle Falcons before moving to Bath Rugby in 2005, where he played for five years before retiring from the game in 2013 to pursue a career in business.
Chemical research and development company High Force Research has appointed Dr Nathalie Huther as chief commercial officer.
Her appointment follows the company’s most recent management buyout (MBO), initiating a new chapter of growth and expansion. In the newly created role, Ms Huther will lead High Force Research’s commercial strategy, overseeing business development, client relations, and market expansion.
She brings more than 15 years' experience of commercial leadership in the chemical and pharma/biotech service sectors and is said to have a strong track record of driving revenue growth and forging strategic partnerships.
Ms Huther said: "I am delighted to join High Force Research at such a pivotal time. The company’s reputation for scientific expertise and customer-centric solutions is exceptional. I look forward to building on this foundation, strengthening existing partnerships, and identifying new opportunities for growth."
Tristan Sillars, CEO at High Force Research, said: "Nathalie’s expertise will be invaluable as we focus on expanding our commercial reach and delivering even greater value to our clients. The recent MBO has positioned us for growth, and Nathalie will play a key role in driving that forward.”
