People on the move: Shoosmiths; Weightmans; Frazer John Recruitment; Sweco UK; GVA; Sedulo

Real estate lawyer Ruth Clare at national law firm Shoosmiths’ Manchester office has been unveiled as one of six people promoted to partner.

The company has also welcomed Ben Dredge (corporate) and Suzanne Taylor (commercial)

Shoosmiths’ chief executive, Claire Rowe, said: “Promotions serve as an opportunity for us to recognise the experience and commitment our people bring to the firm.

“Promotions at a senior level are earned by building relationships with our clients and taking on additional responsibilities and both are integral to the firm’s success.

“We always look forward to this time of year, where we can reward our lawyers for the contributions they make.

“This latest round of promotions demonstrates the strength and depth of the people at Shoosmiths and our ongoing commitment to ensuring we have the best people to deliver the client results.”

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Law firm Weightmans has promoted five of its staff to partner at its offices in Liverpool and Manchester.
They are among nine associates who have become partners in the biggest round of fixed-share member promotions in five years.

The North West promotions are: Dewi Ap Thomas (regulatory, Liverpool); James Hough (public bodies/healthcare, Liverpool); Keith Jones (insurance/disease, Liverpool); James Knowles (private client WTTP, Manchester) and Alex Marler (insurance/speciality, Liverpool).

Weightmans’ managing partner John Schorah said: “It is always a great privilege to recognise the contribution, dedication and talent of our people.

“Our new Partners possess strong leadership skills and unwavering commitments to clients, and these promotions are very well deserved.

“The legal industry is changing and the law firms of the future will need to be prepared to deliver advice and support in new and different ways.

“By reviewing our structure and investing in our people and their skills, we will ensure that we are more than ready to provide the services our clients require in these changing times.”

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Manchester recruitment firm Frazer John Recruitment has celebrated its sixth anniversary by promoting four members of its 35-strong team.

Having placed more than 300 candidates in new careers in the last 12 months (a 43% uplift on 2016), the recruitment firm is also on track to deliver a turnover in line with its 2017 forecast, exceeding the £10m target at its June year-end.

With aspirations to propel growth further and formally open its London base, Anna Chenery, John Mackey, Oliver Matthews and Nathan Jones have been promoted, positioning the business for its next phase of evolution.

As part of the quadruple promotion Anna Chenery has been appointed as senior partner client services, John Mackey as managing partner for the Manchester office, Oliver Matthews as finance director and Nathan Jones as billing partner.

Founder John Dyson has paid tribute to the endeavours of his Manchester-based team and the role they are playing in propelling the organisation’s growth aspirations.

He said: “Last year we announced our plans to expand beyond Manchester and that ambition is now bearing fruit. A number of London-based colleagues are now progressing our growth outside of the North, and our next step is to open our second UK office, operating from the capital.

“Central to that ambition is the strength and expertise of our leadership team, and we are delighted to have been able to recognise the work of Anna, John, Oliver and Nathan, and see these core positions filled by internal candidates.

“With true dedication to the aspirations and culture of our business, each has worked tirelessly to support candidates find new careers and advance the Frazer John Recruitment brand. We have a great team and we are incredibly excited for the future both in Manchester and London.”

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Engineering, environmental and design consultancy Sweco UK has bolstered its Manchester landscape architecture team with the appointment of a visualisation consultant.

The addition allows Sweco to develop a new service to its offering focused on the production of verified ‘photomontage’ images.
Will Fox, who will be based in Sweco’s St Peter’s Square office, has 16 years’ consultancy experience.

He joins Sweco after working for clients including National Grid, Barratt Homes, RWE, Western Power Distribution, Scottish Power, Network Rail, and Manchester Metropolitan University.

Phillip Black, technical director, said: “Will’s appointment to the landscape architecture team in Manchester will further strengthen our growing landscape planning and landscape design business and enhance our offering with a brand new service.

“Photomontage images accurately illustrate the finished appearance of developments and visualisation is a logical fit with landscape architecture. Will’s appointment is a strategic move to support the growth of the team’s work in the region.”

Fox said: “I am delighted to be joining Sweco’s landscape team and to be part of the company’s ambitious plans for growth. It is exciting to be joining a business with the technical excellence and drive Sweco has to diversify clients and projects throughout the UK.

“I was attracted to Sweco due to its growth ambitions and was keen to be part of a multi-disciplinary organisation. I enjoy a challenge and like to think I can make a difference.”

In the UK, Sweco employs 800 people and has particular expertise in the fields of environment, energy, transportation, asset management, sustainable buildings and water.

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Real estate adviser GVA has announced Chris Walker as a director of its restructuring and recovery team in its Manchester office.

Walker – a registered valuer and Fixed Charge Receiver – has been at GVA for 14 years and his role is focused on providing strategic valuation, asset management and disposal advice to lenders, insolvency practitioners and borrowers on properties in all sectors throughout the North West region.

Chris Cheap, regional senior director at GVA, said: “The strength of our business lies with our people and it is crucial that we continue to support and invest in them in order to meet our growth aspirations. I am delighted to announce Chris’s promotion and highlight the range of talent that is developed at GVA.”

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Manchester-based accountant Sedulo has bolstered its team in the corporate finance department with the appointment of Stuart Dutton who will be working alongside partner Benn Longshaw.

Dutton joined the company in Spring 2017, having spent 13 years with a leading accountancy firm in Cheshire, Howard Worth, where he worked his way up from a trainee, qualifying as an chartered accountant in his role as audit manager and progressing to being partner after establishing the corporate finance department.

Dutton brings vast experience of advising on deals in predominantly the SME market, across numerous sectors and areas of expertise.

Dutton has been involved in many private equity fundraising, driving company sales and acquisitions, including mergers and MBOs.

Managing Partner, Paul Cheetham, said: “This is a great appointment for Sedulo Corporate Finance.  It was always our intention to grow this area of our team and the volume and size of deals we are working on has exceeded our expectations.

“In many ways this is the final piece of our management team based in Manchester and it now allows us to focus on our next phase which is opening in Liverpool and Leeds.”

Stuart Dutton added: “I am extremely delighted to be a part of this journey with Sedulo and working in the heart of Manchester at such an exciting time is great.

“I’m looking forward to using my many years of experience to work with and to build the number and value of new and existing clients Sedulo attracts.”