People on the move: Infinity; ATG Access; Vincents Solicitors; Aztec; Liverpool BID Company

Investment group Infinity has recruited a director to spearhead further growth across its business operations.

Paul Wogan has joined Infinity, which is based in Salford Quays, as group business development director.

Infinity manages a variety of investment funds, specialising in private equity and property. It currently has £881m under management and advice.

It is also authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority as an alternative investment fund manager which allows it to provide an ‘umbrella’ service to other funds requiring regulatory services.

Other business activities in Infinity’s portfolio include Beyond Residential, a property sales and lettings agency, and The Buzz Rooms, a bespoke viewing facility for researchers conducting focus groups.

Wogan, 46, has extensive sales and marketing experience, having held senior roles in the UK and Canada in industries including research and media.

Infinity is led by partners Daniel Finestein, Sarah Butler and Phil Vickers.

Finestein said: “We recognise the need within Infinity to have someone entirely focused on business development and marketing.

“Paul brings hunger, enthusiasm and new ideas to the group, and his broad business experience fits well with our model.

“We are confident he will be able to successfully utilise his specialist skills across our existing businesses and new ones which we are planning to launch.

“For 2018 the focus for Infinity is on growing our umbrella service, which we feel is a very attractive offering in the market.”

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Haydock, Merseyside-based ATG Access, the innovator of road blocker, bollard and vehicle barrier systems, has appointed two key hires, including a new sales co-ordinator, as part of its ambitious growth plans to expand into international markets.

Faye Edwards joins ATG Access with more than 20 years of experience in sales and customer service management, having previously spent nine years at landscaping manufacturer, Marshalls, managing key internal sales and customer service teams.

The company has also recruited a new digital marketing assistant to help grow the ATG brand nationally and internationally.

Edward Roberts will be responsible for generating in-bound leads and increasing conversion rates and unique website visitor numbers nationally and internationally. He has also been tasked with expanding ATG’s online shop to become the ‘go-to’ for telescopic bollard products across the global security industry.

ATG Access chief executive Glenn Cooper said: “Over the next few years, we plan to develop our products and services significantly so that we can continue to meet the specific needs and requirements of global markets.

“The appointments of both Faye and Edward will be extremely valuable in helping us to achieve these goals.”

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The commercial department at Preston-based Vincents Solicitors is in expansion mode with four new starters, one internal promotion, and a director on the lookout for talent.

A significant growth in the team’s workload has resulted in the recruitment drive and follows the arrival of new department head Ross Wellman six months ago.

Wellman, together with managing partner Phillip Gilmore, have introduced a raft of new commercial property clients including those in the energy sector, student accommodation, hotels and carparks, with instructions involving everything from acquisitions and disposals, funding and land options, sale and leaseback arrangements, and commercial ground rents.

Four commercial assistants have been recruited to provide legal executive support for these cases.

They include Olivia Gates, a recent law graduate from the LSE in London; Tabassum Saudi, a law graduate who joins from the commercial team at Baines Wilson; and Jack Andreae, formerly of Birchall Blackburn Law.

The resurgence in buy-to-let residential investment is also fuelling the eight-strong department’s growth. Vincents is the recommended solicitor for purchasers at a number of new schemes in Manchester and Leeds for several high-end apartment developers.

Former trainee Sanya Motorwala is now a fully qualified solicitor. She has grown the development work over the last two years and will now be supported by highly experienced conveyancer Sobia Ahmed, who joins Vincents from Mayland Porter in Rossendale.

They will be aided by the department’s existing experienced commercial assistants Nicola Coan and Val Thompson.

And the expansion plan is far from complete, with additional solicitors, legal executives and administration staff still actively being sought.

Wellman said: “We’re incredibly busy with both new and existing clients. In the last six months we’ve seen an uplift of 70% when compared with the same period last year.”

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Liverpool-based fit-out and refurbishment specialist Aztec has strengthened its team with the appointment of Tony Pyper as senior contracts manager.

Pyper will work closely with Aztec’s senior management team, taking large-scale projects from prospect stage through to practical completion. An electrical engineer, he also benefits from a practical and technical engineering approach.

He brings with him extensive experience having delivered significant projects on high profile buildings throughout the UK, including a £1m Cat A and B fit-out at the Royal Liver Building, a £1.5m electrical design and Cat A and B fit-out for TalkTalk at the Soap Works in Manchester, a £1.3m conversion at Martins Bank in Altrincham and a £0.25m fit-out project at Auto Trader’s London office.

Pyper said: “I’ve been very fortunate to have worked with several award-winning planners and designers during the last 20 years, on some incredibly exciting projects – it has allowed me to develop a well-rounded approach in terms of overall concept, scheme, costs and requirement, which will serve me well in my new role with Aztec.”

Neal Maxwell, founder and managing director of Aztec, added: “Tony brings with him extensive expertise, which will be of huge value to Aztec and our clients. Our business is built on providing our clients with outstanding service and delivering results that everyone can be proud of – Tony very much shares in our values, and we look forward to having him on board.”

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Liverpool BID Company has appointed two night-time ambassadors to improve safety for its ENTE (Evening and Night Time Economy) businesses, their customers and visitors during the busy weekend evening periods.

Louise Solan, 20, and Richard Higgins, 36, both from Warrington, will support all BID leisure, hospitality and accommodation businesses across the BID areas to provide reassurance and support.

This will cover mainly restaurants, hotels and bars in and around Mathew Street, Bold Street, Church Street, Williamson Square, and Castle Street, Thursday-Saturday, 7pm-3am.

The role of the newly introduced BID ambassadors is to act as an additional link between security staff at BID businesses, the BID-funded staff member at the city watch team in Liverpool City Council’s CCTV control room, via the BID-funded Radio Link system, and Merseyside Police, to report and address anti-social behaviour, cleansing and environmental issues.

Bill Addy, chief executive of the Liverpool BID Company, said: “Our ambassadors have become the eyes and ears of the BID areas and our levy payers value the work they do. The addition of two night-time ambassadors extends this valuable service into the busier weekend evenings, providing extra support for our levy payers, and additional services to what the city council and police already provide.”