People on the move: Sheppard Robson; PwC; PWA Planning; KPMG; Realm; PHMG

Architectural practice Sheppard Robson has announced six promotions at its office in Manchester.

Natalia Maximova and Alex Smith have been promoted to associate partner, while Mark Antolak, David Baldwin, Richmal Wigglesworth and Claire Owens have moved up to the position of associate.

The Manchester office, around 100-strong, has been involved in some major projects across the North over the past 12 months, including Echo Street, a co-living scheme in Manchester’s Northern Quarter, MEPC’s Wellington Place in Leeds city centre, and the refurbishment and extension of Manchester’s young people’s art venue, Contact Theatre on Oxford Road.

Speaking about the promotions, Tony O’Brien, partner at Sheppard Robson, said: “We pride ourselves on recognising and rewarding talent within our team.

“These six individuals have proved themselves to be both highly committed to the business and possess the skillset needed to lead on our clients’ projects, which can often be complex and diverse.”

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As part of its continued commitment to increase the capability and level of specialisms within the region, PwC Manchester has announced that two new partners will be entering the partnership, Rebecca Clayton and Jonathan Studholme.

Rebecca Clayton joined PwC initially in Birmingham before moving to Manchester.

Becky now leads PwC’s regional valuations business and specialises in valuing for deals, tax and financial reporting purposes, as well as helping clients understand how to maximise value or communicate their value story to stakeholders and investors.

As a partner Becky will continue to provide valuations to companies, principally based in the North and Midlands, while leading valuations in the consumer markets and industrial products and services sectors nationally.

Jonathan Studholme, after joining PwC Manchester, took a two-year secondment to the US following which he has worked in assurance across the North West, including being the Liverpool market leader and North West private equity assurance leader.

As a partner, Jonathan will continue in these roles specialising in supporting fast growing private businesses and private equity-backed portfolio companies through their business life cycle.

Iwan Griffiths, PwC’s North West regional chairman said: “Becky and Jonathan bring a wide range of expertise to the North West practice across very different specialisms.”

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North West planning consultancy PWA Planning has appointed Preston City Council’s former deputy director of development, Alison Gough.

Alison joins the Preston-based practice after nine years with the council, a time in which she oversaw large scale planning applications, including the £50m Markets Quarter and UCLan’s £200m masterplan and public realm works.

Prior to her role at Preston, Alison had senior planning roles with Manchester City Council as group manager for the city centre, and Salford City Council, where she was planning operations manager.

Alison Gough

Paul Walton, director of PWA Planning, said: “As part of our growth we wanted to bring in another person with local authority experience, someone with knowledge of handling major urban regeneration projects. Alison was the perfect candidate for us and will be a major asset to our clients.”

Alison said: “This is a great opportunity for me to help PWA’s clients bring forward bold, yet viable and sustainable developments, particularly those in a city centre setting and the big strategic sites.

“This is an area where I can offer invaluable insight from my time working with, and advising, council planning committees.”

Alison holds a Masters in Town and Country Planning from the University of Manchester and an MBA from the University of Huddersfield. She is a full member of the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI).

PWA Planning has a 12-strong team advising clients across the UK.

Major clients include international forecourts operator EG Group, energy storage business Harmony Energy, housebuilders including Mulbury, Anwyl Homes, Altin Homes, McDermott Homes and Story Homes, as well as various NHS Trusts.

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KPMG has announced the appointment of Annette Barker as head of consulting in the North, as the business advisory firm eyes further expansion of the practice.

With more than 23 years’ experience in the profession Annette has covered a range of roles across audit, transaction services and forensic accounting.

With a specialism in advising on quantum and/or liability in a dispute situation, she also has extensive experience acting as a named expert or single joint expert.

Annette Barker

Annette plays an active role in the Northern business community, delivering presentations to audiences including litigation and corporate lawyers, corporates and deal-makers on the likes of valuations in a dispute situation, the role of an expert witness, business interruption and professional negligence claims.

Chris Hearld, KPMG’s North region chair, said: “Annette has a great reputation in the marketplace, and an excellent track record in helping clients, large and small, to make confident, well-informed choices.”

Annette added: “I am really pleased to be taking on this role. All market sectors are going through significant change right now and, while there is more uncertainty ahead, we are committed to helping clients not just to survive, but to thrive in those conditions.”

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Realm, the specialist asset manager with offices in Alderley Edge, has grown its leasing team with the appointments of Gareth Hine, William Blake and Max Delamain.

In their new roles the trio will be working across an impressive portfolio of outlet and shopping centres, which includes London Designer Outlet, Dalton Park (County Durham), Princes Quay (Hull), Resorts World (Birmingham), Lakeside Village (Doncaster) and Livingston Designer Outlet.

Gareth has been appointed as a leasing manager and arrives from Lambert Smith Hampton where he was associate director of the retail & leisure agency in Manchester.

With more than 10 years of experience Gareth has acted for a number of leading property companies and funds, and has advised on retail and leisure leasing on both shopping centres and prime high street properties throughout the UK.

Also joining as a leasing manager is William Blake, who arrives from his role as asset manager at Capital & Regional.

William will bring his 11 years of leasing and consultancy experience in retail and leisure to his role, working specifically on London Designer Outlet, one of the UK’s most successful outlet centres, located in the heart of Wembley Park adjacent to the stadium.

Max joins Realm from CHD Property where he was a commercial leasing manager responsible for the lease management of five UK factory outlet centres.

Max has seven years of retail and sales experience and brings to the role of leasing surveyor an extensive knowledge of the UK retail sector as well as a core understanding of brands across the breadth of the market.

Christine Grace, leasing director, Realm, said: “We are hugely excited to announce the expansion of our leasing team.

“The impressive experience that Gareth, William and Max have in the sector will bolster the service that we can provide and is testament to the retail aptitude that the leasing team brings to the table.

“The outlet sector continues to perform well, and we look forward to maximising success of all of the outlets we manage through the addition of these highly qualified personnel.”

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Manchester-based audio branding specialist PHMG has appointed Matthew Toynton as chief financial officer of its global operations.

Bringing more than 24 years of finance experience to the role, Toynton has held senior management roles for a number of international industry giants including Procter & Gamble, product innovators CPP Group plc and global translation and interpreting providers thebigword.

He joins from software services specialist Mobica where he had been chief financial officer since March 2016.

“PHMG has become one of the UK’s biggest growth success stories because of its ongoing commitment to quality,” said Toynton.

“Investment in world-class music composition, voice artistry and script writing talent gives clients the very best in the business – and we have a string of awards and accreditations to prove it, from ‘1000 companies to inspire Britain’ to ‘Best and Brightest Companies to Work For’.

“I’m delighted to have been given the opportunity to help deliver on the company’s strategic goals and ambitious growth targets.”

Managing director Grant Reed added: “Matthew joins us at an exciting time as we look to consolidate our position as global market leader and continue growth across the US and Australia. His extensive financial knowledge and experience will be invaluable.”

PHMG is the world’s largest audio branding agency with more than 32,000 clients in 39 countries, including Coca-Cola, Audi and Adidas.

Since its launch in 1998, the company has grown to more than 400 employees across the UK, the US, Canada and Australia, with particularly rapid growth in North America where headcount has almost tripled from 35 to 100 employees in less than two years.

Matthew Toynton

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