People: Senior hire for Mazars; Addleshaw Goddard welcomes two lawyers; and more

Johnathan Massey has been recruited by accounting and advisory firm Mazars as head of business development in the North West.

Massey has more than 15 years’ experience in business development and origination roles in private equity, with a focus on building relationships with entrepreneurs and growth businesses.

He was most recently business development director with Manchester-based Palatine Private Equity, having previously held similar roles at Spirit Capital and Aberdeen Murray Johnstone.

Prior to working in private equity he was head of business information for executive search and intelligence firm Armstrong Craven.

Based out of the Mazars office in Manchester, he will work with the partners across all service lines as they continue to build the business and market presence in the North West.

Neil Barton, audit partner at Mazars in Manchester, said: “We are delighted to welcome Johnathan, we have ambitious clients and intend to mirror their intentions with our own organic and acquisitive growth plans. This latest appointment is part of our continued strategy to invest in our team and in new areas of opportunity.”

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Addleshaw Goddard has bolstered its health and safety and environment teams with two hires.

Darren Dunn joins AG’s Health & Safety team as a managing associate, having amassed significant experience whilst a prosecution lawyer at the HSE.

Dunn, who has undertaken a number of high profile roles within charities and governments in Pakistan and Africa, has specialist experience of advising and bringing proceedings against a variety of major corporations.

Meanwhile, Joanne Holbrook joins the firm’s environment team as a managing associate from Fieldfisher. She brings with her extensive experience, having advised a range of heavily regulated industries, including energy, technology and manufacturing.

Holbrook advises on a broad spectrum of matters, such as: environmental liabilities in real estate and corporate transactions, regulatory compliance, energy projects and formal investigations and prosecutions by environmental regulators.

Legal directors Michelle Headrige and Erin Shoesmith said: “We are delighted to be joined by Darren and Joanne, who both demonstrate exceptional expertise in their respective fields. The demand from clients for strategic environmental and health & safety advice both on regulatory matters in the face of large scale incidents and prosecutions and during transactions, remains unabated, and we are continuing to steadily grow as a firm in both areas. We welcome Darren and Joanne who will only strengthen our unrivalled reputation as a firm.”

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Suites Hotel & Spa has welcomed a new operations manager to its expanding team.

The Knowsley-based venue has appointed Neil Sinnott, who brings with him 15 years’ experience in the hospitality industry having worked with brands including Marriott Liverpool, Thornton Hall & Spa and The Shankly Hotel Liverpool.

Overseeing all aspects of the venue, Sinnott will be responsible for the day-to-day operations and strategic direction of 98 suites, Handley’s Brasserie, Leisure Club, The Spa and the hotel’s meeting and events offering.

He said: “My main focus and objectives will be to move this great venue forward and ensure that it continues to deliver fantastic experiences across all of its aspects; whether that be accommodation, dining, leisure or events.”

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Macclesfield-based consumer credit comparison site MoneyGuru has appointed a channel director to lead its expansion after a successful launch period.

Having launched in August last year the site has enjoyed a successful first year and is now the fastest growing comparison site in the market.

The site, which launched in August last year, has signalled its intention to “disrupt the big four in the comparison market” by appointing expert Deborah Vickers who has helped some of the biggest names in the market with optimisation and product development.

Vickers brings 13 years of experience in technology and IT to the role, many of these within the financial services sector.

She started her career at MoneySupermarket.com as a service desk manager before working her way up to IT delivery manager during her eight year tenure.

Following this she went on to work for travel giant lastminute.com as optimisation manager, as well as developing her portfolio in online product development roles at Phones4u and DixonsCarphone, solidifying her comparison experience as data, analytics and optimisation manager at Zuto.

Most recently Vickers was head of product at Unshackled.com where she led the product development from the idea stage to where the business stands today.

Deborah’s role at MoneyGuru will be to lead the growth of the brand and expand the product offering. She will be tasked with bringing more providers onto the site and then rolling these offerings out to customers.