People on the move: WHN; Clearwater International Gray Scanlan Hill; Roomzzz

Lancashire law firm Woodcocks Haworth and Nuttall Solicitors has recruited specialist solicitor Taibah Khan to head up an innovative new education service that helps schools convert to academies.

Khan will lead WHN’s dedicated education advisory team that enables schools to benefit from the firm’s expertise in key areas such as compliance, governance, commercial, employment, and property law.

Her specialist knowledge will enable her to advise on compliance and governance for a range of organisations, including schools looking to become multi-academy trusts (MATs).

David McCann, senior partner at WHN Solicitors, said: “We took a strategic decision to set up this new specialist service in response to the rising number of schools seeking to convert to MATs.

“We are thrilled that Taibah has joined us and are confident she will lead the team with dynamism, enthusiasm and professionalism. These qualities are essential to our new service, which is designed to help people in the education sector by providing expert guidance in complex and technically challenging areas of law.”

Khan joined WHN from a Preston law firm where she worked as a corporate and commercial solicitor, specialising in areas including MAT conversions and transfers.

Previously she worked as a non-practising solicitor at renewable energy developer Green Switch Solutions, which enabled her to gain valuable commercial experience.

Khan said: “Working with the friendly, professional team at WHN is tremendously fulfilling and I’m both excited and inspired by the challenge of developing our new service for schools looking to convert to MATs.”

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Head of debt advisory Mark Taylor has joined the UK board at Clearwater International, based mainly in its Manchester office.

Taylor has been with the business since 2012 when he joined as partner and became international head of debt advisory.

Prior to this he worked for Ernst & Young, NatWest/RBS and Banco Santander, with more than 20 years’ experience within corporate banking. Mark was listed in Mergermarket’s top 15 financial advisors both in 2016 and 2017.

Taylor will be joining Clearwater International’s chief executive Michael Reeves, UK managing partner Phil Burns and partner Marcus Archer on the board. In addition to the continued expansion of the debt advisory service, Taylor’s role will include investing in the further development of the Partners and Directors across the UK business.

Taylor said: “I’m delighted to be joining the UK board. We now have an established debt advisory team and given the continued movement within the debt markets, both within the UK and internationally, we are continuing to invest.”

Reeves added: “Mark has done a great job in developing our Debt Advisory team and services. Debt is fundamental in our business growth strategy. We look forward to his contributing to the Board discussions and using his skillset to help develop the wider business. Congratulations Mark.”

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Manchester-based independent building surveying practice Gray Scanlan Hill has appointed three staff to its business in recent months.

A steady rise in business from both new and existing clients has prompted the decision to recruit further to continue to offer niche expertise.

Guy Freeman joins from Byrom Clark Roberts as a senior associate director. Michael Johnson arrived at the end of 2017 from Imagole Group and Abbie Sizer also joins Gray Scanlan Hill from Citypress, to provide secretarial, administrative and project support to the team as well to bring fresh perspective on copywriting, marketing and branding.

Gray Scanlan Hill acts for property companies, investors, developers and corporate occupier clients including, amongst others, ceg, Peel, Pretty Little Thing, Newsquest, Property Alliance Group, The Oddfellows, Henry Boot Developments and Beech Holdings.

Darren Hughes, director at Gray Scanlan Hill said: “This is an exciting time for Gray Scanlan Hill and we are delighted to have found some outstanding talent, capable of offering the quality of service we insist on providing to our clients. These are fantastic appointments which add a blend of further time-served experience and invention to the business and will broaden our expertise.”

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Aparthotel brand, Roomzzz, has appointed Robert Alley as chief operations officer (COO), to assist with the company’s ambitious growth plans.

Although he will be based in Leeds he will be spending much of his time at the recently-opened Roomzzz Manchester Corn Exchange.

Alley has more than 25 years’ experience in the hospitality industry. He has previously worked with both new and developing brands, including some of the biggest hotel groups in the world. These include Hilton, IHG and, most recently, the development of Hallmark Hotels group as they established the brand in the UK.

Alley said: “Roomzzz is such an exciting brand, one that everyone in the group and our customers feel really strongly about. Roomzzz provides stylish apartments with lots of space.”

The Roomzzz Manchester Corn Exchange which opened last month marked the eighth aparthotel in the Roomzzz portfolio, which has grown to include aparthotels across the North of England in Leeds, Chester, Nottingham, Manchester and Newcastle.