Independent food packaging and PPE manufacturer PFF Group has strengthened its technology team with two new appointments.
Carl Gaffney joins as head of group IT, based at PFF’s Washington site.
He will be supported by Andrew Thompson, who joins as senior systems engineer. Both will support PFF Group across its manufacturing sites at Washington and Keighley, West Yorkshire.
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PFF Group is one of the 海角视频’s largest independent food packaging manufacturers, providing innovative recyclable plastic packaging solutions to supermarkets, multi-national food manufacturers, food service and fresh produce companies. During the Coronavirus pandemic PFF is using its expertise to produce PPE.
Carl will initially shadow PFF’s current head of group IT Stephen Tomlinson, who retires later this year after 15 years with the company.
Mr Tomlinson said: “As I prepare to leave the business after almost 15 years, it is a real pleasure to work with two very capable and talented colleagues as they forge a new pathway into the future for information and systems technology at PFF Group. I’m delighted to welcome them to the team.”
A new team has been appointed at Sunderland based housing association Gentoo Group dedicated to act as the voice of its tenants.
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The newly created Tenant Voice Team, which comprises of eight existing Gentoo colleagues from across different business areas, has been put in place to deal directly with complaints and feedback, and to work with tenant groups and community and voluntary organisations.
Through the Group’s Tenant and Community Voice Groups, which are made up of involved tenants and residents from across the city, the team are consulting and listening to the opinion of tenants on a host of topics.
Nigel Wilson, chief executive officer at Gentoo Group, said: “Our Tenant Voice Team was created to centralise the great work that was already happening across Gentoo, to improve the overall experience for our tenants and to ensure the voice of our tenants is right at the heart of our decision making at all levels of the organisation.
“In its infancy, the team has done a fantastic job in streamlining our processes and procedures and tenants are already experiencing the positive effects as a result of this.
“We’re looking forward to engaging with even more tenants through Your Gentoo Voice and allowing them to have an influence on the decisions Gentoo make that matters most to tenants.”
Consumer law firm Simpson Millar has opened a new Billingham office and appointed personal injury heavyweight Steven Horsley.
Joining as the new head of military, Mr Horsley brings with him more than 20 years’ experience in high-value, complex injury cases, including acting on behalf of individuals who have suffered as a result of medical negligence.
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He has moves from Hartlepool-based Smith and Graham Solicitors where he spent more than a decade leading the firm’s personal injury and clinical negligence department.
With a particular passion for providing support to serving and former members of the armed forces, he joins Simpson Millar with immediate effect and will lead the new Billingham-based team which will be based at Belasis Hall Technology Park.
Ian Cohen, director of injury at Simpson Millar said: “I am delighted to be welcoming Steven as Head of Military in the Injury Practice Area. His wealth of experience in the field reflects our dedication to continue recruiting the best people for our clients.
“Our team only continues to grow in strength, and I am confident that Steven will contribute to its success. We remain focused on our ‘open’ ethos, and our collective aim of being the people-centred legal solution provider.”
Law firm Womble Bond Dickinson (WBD) has strengthened its private wealth team in Newcastle with the recruitment of Alison Bragg who joins from Nicholson Portnell in Hexham.
Ms Bradd is an experienced private client lawyer with expertise in tax and estate planning. She advises business owners, farmers and landowners, high net worth individuals and trustees.
She is also the former Chair of the North East and Cumbria branch of STEP (the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners), which is the global professional association for practitioners specialising in family inheritance and succession planning.
She said: “WBD’s Private Wealth team has an impressive client portfolio, and unrivalled expertise in the region. I look forward to working with the team and I’m thrilled about this next stage of my career.”
Will Bonas, a partner in WBD’s private wealth team in Newcastle, added: “We’re delighted to welcome Alison into the firm and to our long-established Private Wealth team. The breadth and depth of expertise which she brings on complex tax, succession and estate planning issues will strengthen our offering to clients here in the North East and more widely across the 海角视频.”
EY has appointed three associate partners in the North East and Yorkshire from within the busines, reinforcing the firm’s commitment to nurture talent.
David Baggaley, Tim Vance, and Jon Scott have all been promoted to associate partner.
David Baggaley is an associate partner within Tax, focussing on business tax services. He joined EY in 2007 after graduating from the University of Newcastle and now leads the private tax team in the North East and Yorkshire, focussed on looking after privately back companies as well as individuals and their assets.
Jon Scott also works in tax, focussing on international tax and transaction services, having joined EY in 2019, with a wealth of experience across platform, solutions & intelligence (PSI).
Tim Vance has been promoted to associate partner in EY-Parthenon’s turnaround and restructuring strategy team. He joined EY in 2006 and has over 15 years’ experience advising management teams and financial institutions.
Mike Scoular, office managing partner for EY in Newcastle, said: “Our continued significant investment in senior talent reflects not only EY’s ambition in the North East and Yorkshire but also our confidence in the long-term outlook for the regional economy.
“Congratulations to our four new Associate Partners who have all worked exceptionally hard to achieve this career milestone. Their expertise and leadership will strengthen our footprint in the region.”
Accounting, tax and business advisory firm Azets has made three new appointments within its payroll team.
Chanelle joins as a regional operational payroll manager, based in the firm’s Wynyard office.
Meanwhile, Samantha Marley has been promoted to North East payroll manager and Ella Wilson has been promoted to assistant payroll manager - and both joined Azets as apprentices.
Ms Webb has almost 25 years’ experience in payroll which covers a wide range of industries from farming and retail to schools. Based in the North East, she will also cover Azets’ offices in the North West and Scotland.
Azets provides payroll services for 13,000 clients covering all sectors with payrolls ranging in size from single director only payrolls to 1000 plus employees.
Stephen Abbots, director of payroll services at Azets said: “We are thrilled to welcome Chanelle to Azets. She is a highly experienced advisor and will help develop our expanding payroll team. I’d also like to congratulate Samantha and Ella on their well deserved promotions.”
“Payroll is one of the most crucial elements of running a business, but it can also be one of the trickiest. Outsourcing payroll saves businesses time and money whilst ensuring they stay safe and compliant. Processing payroll in-house can be a costly, time consuming and onerous task. We’re seeing an uptick in demand for our outsourced payroll, partly due to businesses focusing on navigating their way through the pandemic, as it saves them time which can be better focused elsewhere.”
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