The latest movers and shakers from across the East Midlands:
Capella Professional
Newly established Nottingham recruitment firm Capella Professional has announced the appointment of its first business manager.
Ben Ryder, 31, from Derby, is heading up the new operation, which specialises in office-based professional services recruitment from its headquarters at the Cubo office building, in Nottingham city centre.
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An early business casualty of the pandemic, Mr Ryder was made redundant from his then newly gained role as a healthcare and IT recruitment specialist.
After several months of unemployment, the dad-of-one was watching his savings run out and wondering where his next payslip would come from.
He said: “I wasn’t worried at first, as I was really confident in my abilities.
“But as time went on and money started running out, I’d have considered almost anything, as I had mouths to feed.
“Then, out of the blue, I saw Capella was looking for a business manager, and it seemed ideal.
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“I guess we all deserve a bit of luck every now and again. Two interviews later, and my life has turned around again. It’s a fantastic opportunity.”
He said his only concern about the new role in Nottingham was that he is an ardent Derby County fan and so would sometimes have to choose his words carefully.
Grahame Gardner
Leicester workwear provider Grahame Gardner has welcomed 24-year-old Sophie Kinchin as a product development coordinator.
Sophie, who comes into a new role for the London Road company, has a background in fashion design.
She started her own brand before developing socks and hosiery for a supplier to high street stores and then moved into childrenswear and womenswear for a Midlands fashion brand.
She said: “I am so pleased to be starting my new role here at Grahame Gardner at what is a really exciting time for the company.
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“It’s a whole new product area for me to get stuck into but I’m enjoying it and thrilled to be able to bring my knowledge of design but also clothing manufacture into the role.
“I am responsible for ensuring that Grahame Gardner is putting together new and exciting ranges for our customers, that we are always refreshing the ranges and finding new products that we think our customers will love.
“Design and innovation is so important to me and I’m working very closely with colleagues across the company to ensure a smooth transition from concept to market. It’s a great, creative role that means we are constantly innovating.
Founded in 1906, family run Grahame Gardner has grown to become a leading 海角视频 uniform specialist, catering for sectors including healthcare, veterinary, hospitality and spa wear.
Littlefish
Managed IT and cyber security services provider Littlefish has expanded its senior team with three new hires.
Keith Price has joined the Nottingham company as cyber services director, while Adam Trott and Rowan Troy join as customer service director and senior cyber security consultant.
Mr Price joins from Deloitte, where he served as the cyber security services director for EMEA, building technical and cultural cyber programmes across 27 countries.
Prior to that, he led a cyber advisory consulting practice at darkMatter, and worked extensively across cyber security operations for the US Department of Defence and Defence Intelligence Agency.
Adam Trott brings with him a wealth of experience, having worked for Sopra Steria for many years where he was responsible for overseeing major contracts for companies such as Boots, Tesco, EasyJet, and McDonalds.
Rowan Troy is an experienced cyber security consultant, who led business operations for 15 years, responsible for all technology from infrastructure to cyber.
Most recently Rowan worked at Six Degrees, where he held roles as head of pre-sales and then as a principal IA consultant.
Littlefish has created the roles to help support more than 75,000 service users around the world, including 15,000 users who were transitioned during the first national lockdown in March 2020.
In total, more than 230 new members of staff have joined Littlefish since September 2019, including 220 following a series of business wins.
The new positions created at the company’s Nottingham HQ and Sheffield service centre include service desk engineers, cybersecurity experts and those in charge of project delivery.
Chief executive Steve Robinson said: “We are very happy to be starting 2021 by welcoming some exceptionally talented and knowledgeable people onto our senior team.
“The challenges presented by the ongoing pandemic and the evolution of the sector in general means that cyber security has become a top priority for all businesses.”
Westerby Investment Management
A Leicester-based wealth advice company has appointed three new members of staff in key roles.
Independent financial advisers Westerby Investment Management has made the appointments to meet a growing need for impartial independent financial advice in the Leicestershire region and beyond.
Glenn Stredder and Mike Callaghan have joined the firm as senior financial consultants and Carol Keeling has joined as office manager.
Glenn Stredder’s role involves helping clients achieve financial goals by understanding their situation now, as well as the desired outcome.
He has previously worked as an independent financial adviser with Berkley Burke and Medical Insurance Agency following roles advising high net worth and corporate clients at Barclay’s Bank and TSB Bank.
Mike Callaghan also joins from Berkley Burke, where he spent over 18 years as a general practitioner with a specialism in retirement planning, including pension strategies, inheritance tax planning and investment management.
Carol Keeling’s role is to provide key administrative leadership, working with Westerby Investment Management’s team of paraplanning and administrative staff.
She also joins the team from Berkley Burke, where she was administration manager for 16 years across the Leicester and London offices.
Group managing director Steve Harvey: “Although the pandemic has presented challenges to all businesses and individuals, we are still seeing high demand from clients old and new.”
Established in 1987, Westerby offers specialist financial, taxation and independent investment advice for both individual clients and businesses, in the 海角视频 and internationally.
Jigsaw24
Nottingham-based IT solutions provider Jigsaw24 has hired Rachel Daly as vendor alliances manager as part of its growth plans.
The company, which is an Avid Elite Partner, an Adobe Platinum Reseller and the 海角视频’s biggest EditShare Certified Partner, provides services and support to customers across the media and entertainment industry.
Ms Daly joins from Avid, where she was partner account manager and worked closely with the post-production community, having previously spent a decade at Microsoft.
In her new role, she will support Jigsaw24’s growth plans, including its evolving partnership with her most recent employer to deliver edit-on-demand to the post sector, and will help drive collaboration with public cloud providers to power the move to cloud workflows.
She will assume responsibility for Jigsaw24’s relationships with Avid, Adobe, EditShare, Microsoft, AWS and Blackmagic Design, while overseeing the development and management of the company’s media and broadcast vendor portfolio.
Tim Strand, head of vendor alliances at Jigsaw24, said: “The production, post-production and broadcast markets remain at the core of Jigsaw24’s go-to-market strategy, and this appointment underlines our ongoing investment in our work with these communities.”
EY
EY has appointed Martina Neary to head up its financial services business in the Midlands. Ms Neary inherits a strong and agile team and replaces Amit Thaker, who will retain a leadership position in the Midlands and returns to his tax technology and transformation role.
Ms Neary has become a CFO consulting partner at EY, advising businesses in the insurance, wealth, and asset management industries. She has more than 20 years’ experience working with some of the 海角视频’s largest financial institutions, including major 海角视频 and global insurance companies, and has significant experience delivering finance transformation projects and advising on mergers and acquisition.
Within EY’s financial services practice, Ben Morphet has also been promoted to partner, and will lead EY’s financial services assurance practice in the Midlands.
Anna Anthony, 海角视频 financial services managing partner at EY said: “I’m delighted that Martina is now leading our growing financial services practice in the Midlands.
“She is highly respected within the industry and understands the full potential of the Midlands financial services market.
“Having worked with some of the 海角视频’s largest financial institutions, Martina is well placed to guide our clients through the current challenges and opportunities. I’d also like to congratulate Ben on his promotion to partner.”
Phoenix Brickwork
Brickwork, scaffolding and drywall contractor Phoenix Brickwork is expanding its 海角视频 reach with the appointment of several new team members.
Pav Bains, Jim Chandler, Wayne Addison, Neil Weston, Raj Bains and Steve Gates are joining Phoenix, based in north Derbyshire, with more appointments pending. Previously all had worked for Bedford based Irvine-Whitlock.
Christian Watson, managing director at Phoenix, welcomed the new appointments as the business looks to boost its £15 million turnover with expansion into London and the Home Counties.
He said: “We are delighted to welcome such experience into the business with the addition of these key industry players and now have the perfect platform to handle projects in the Capital and beyond.”
Operating from its Derbyshire and Northamptonshire offices, Phoenix is well established in large parts of the North and Midlands, providing services to key leaders in the construction industry.
The new appointments will work alongside the existing team and bring their experience gained across works such as St. Pancras International and Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium, to new projects for Phoenix across Greater London and the South East.
Brady Solicitors
Nottingham-based property management law firm Brady Solicitors has recruited experienced leasehold solicitor Sajel Patel to head up its enfranchisement practice.
As head of enfranchisement based in the Regent Street offices, she will be responsible for managing Brady’s leasehold enfranchisement services and right to manage applications, and support its busy lease extension team on complex lease extension projects.
With 10 years’ specialist experience in all aspects of leasehold enfranchisement, Ms Patel joins the firm after almost seven years at Shoosmiths, where she grew and managed its enfranchisement team.
Founder and MD of Brady Solicitors Clare Brady said: “Leaseholders are becoming more aware of their rights in this area, but many have had their fingers burned with non-specialist conveyancing solicitors, and recognise they need an expert to guide them through the process.
“The property market is currently buoyant and we see enfranchisement work as a clear growth area.
EMH Group
A mum-of two who works at a Midlands housing group has achieved a coveted distinction grade in her apprenticeship, thanks to the support she received from PTP Training, part of the BCTG Group.
Angie Bennett, a health and safety administrator with the EMH Group in Coalville, Leicestershire, scored the top marks in her business administration studies.
Ms Bennett, who has two-grown up children and has been working at EMH Group for five years, said “The learning and development team here at EMH approached me to go on the apprenticeship to pioneer the course for what I’d call mature workers.
“It was quite an experience and gosh, I was in tears when I learned I had achieved a distinction – happy tears, of course.
“I was hoping I’d pass as I put so much time and effort into it, but to get a distinction was something I really didn’t expect.
“I couldn’t have done it without PTP Training and Sue Shallcross, who really did go above and beyond as a tutor, supporting me through some very difficult times during the apprenticeship.”
“It wasn’t an easy course but was definitely worthwhile, and it was lovely to have positive news from what had been a truly horrible year because of the pandemic.”
Most EMH staff are working from home because of Covid-19, but this had not stopped the group from recruiting new apprentices in project management and customer service.