People on the Move: Napthens; Mulbury; Miller Homes; mmadigital; DDL Group

Specialist Rachel Atherton has joined regional law firm Napthens where she will work within the commercial team.

She joins Napthens as a senior associate solicitor from multi-national resort development company Diamond Resorts where she worked in-house to advise the business on commercial agreements and led General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) compliance for the group.

At Napthens, Rachel, a member of the International Association of Privacy Professionals, will work alongside commercial and regulatory specialists, including partner and head of the commercial team, Jon Esner, who joined the firm earlier this year following 17 years in industry.

Rachel will advise clients on a wide range of legal issues around commercial contracts and regulatory matters, including terms and conditions for the sale and purchase of goods and services, outsourcing and IT contracts and data protection.

With experience of practising overseas for a variety of national and international clients, Rachel has particular expertise in the tourism industry.

Jon Esner, head of the commercial department, said: “Our service is in demand and we continue to see that demand grow as clients look for specialist advice to support their businesses.

“Rachel is a valuable addition to the team. She brings further in-house experience to the table which is invaluable when advising clients on many of the practical issues they face on a day-to-day basis.”

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Residential developer Mulbury has added to its in-house construction capabilities following two promotions and two new appointments.

Development director David Wroe has been promoted to the new role of operations director overseeing construction, land, technical and commercial matters.

Glyn Fazackerley has been promoted to construction manager from his previous role as contracts manager.

Stuart Kirby has joined the business as contracts manager from David Wilson Homes where he was a senior site manager. Meanwhile, Craig Holding has joined Mulbury as engineering manager after more than three years at Keepmoat Homes.

Greg Mulligan, director of Mulbury, said: “Over the last three years, we’ve been able to grow our in-house construction and technical capabilities to the point where we now handle all of our affordable housing developments as the main contractor.

David Wroe

“This gives our registered provider clients reassurance that we have full control over the build process.

“David and Glyn are great ambassadors for Mulbury and their promotions are well deserved. It’s also great to welcome two experienced new members to the team in Stuart and Craig.”

David has been with Mulbury since 2014. Prior to this, he spent more than 17 years with Keepmoat Homes, including five years as regional managing director for the North West.

Glyn joined Mulbury in August 2017 after seven years with David Wilson Homes as construction senior site manager.

Mulbury is currently on site with 12 affordable housing and open market residential schemes across the North West and is in for planning on a further eight developments in the region.

Meanwhile, its Mulbury City division, which focuses on high-density, city-centre residential developments, has just completed a 135-unit scheme in Manchester’s Northern Quarter and is on site with projects in Ancoats and Castlefield.

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Miller Homes, who have been building award-winning homes for more than 80 years, has appointed Clare Noakes to the position of sales director for the North West of England.

Clare will take responsibility for the sales and marketing of Miller Homes’ developments across the North West, covering locations from Sandbach, in Cheshire, through to Blackburn in Lancashire, as well as sites in Manchester, Chorley and Warrington. Clare will be based at the company’s regional head office in Newton-le-Willows.

Clare Noakes

With more than 20 years’ experience working in the property industry, including time working as project sales and marketing manager at Miller Homes before becoming regional sales director at Lovell Homes, and working as a sales and marketing manager at Crosby Homes, Clare was responsible for a number of regional developments, most notably developments built as part of regeneration projects in Manchester city centre.

Ian Smith, managing director of Miller Homes in the North West, said: “We are delighted to welcome Clare back to Miller Homes to lead our sales across the region.

“2019 is going to be an exciting year for the business as we look to grow and increase the number of much-needed quality new homes throughout the North West.

“With Clare’s enthusiasm and expertise leading the sales team we’re looking forward to a positive year ahead.”

Clare said: “I am thrilled to return to Miller Homes.

“It is great to be working with such an aspirational brand which promotes quality of build above all else and who have a renowned commitment to providing a first-class customer journey.”

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Manchester-based technology-powered customer acquisition specialist for the legal sector, mmadigital, has made two new appointments as it continues its plans for rapid growth.

It has appointed Stephen Faulkner as finance director, who previously spent 10+ years managing the finances of high growth, private equity-backed consumer law firms and financial services businesses.

With a wealth of experience in the legal sector, Stephen will sit on the board as a director of mmadigital, helping the business achieve its 400% growth ambitions.

Jonathan Corris has also joined the business as customer acquisition specialist, following six years as head of digital with Roberts Jackson Solicitors.

Jonathan brings social media advertising, targeting high value and niche industrial disease and medical negligence claims experience to the role.

Stephen Faulkner, left, and Jonathan Corris

The firm is responsible for supplying leads into some of the UK’s top law firms and a large number of fee earners.

It currently captures 20-25% of the enquiries in various consumer legal markets through digital marketing using its own brands such as The Compensation Experts and The Medical Negligence Experts.

Due to the growing number of claim enquiries mmadigital handles every day, the Didsbury-based business is on a recruitment drive and is looking to take on more customer service agents to handle new enquiry claims.

The new appointments take the total number of new hires at mmadigital to five having also recently taken on three senior members of staff earlier in year: Lisa Clothier joined as director of operations, Timothy Felkin as head of client services, and Andy Parkinson as head of legal services.

Stephen Faulkner said: “I was delighted to be invited to join mmadigital. The firm is ambitious and has its sights firmly set on dominating the customer acquisitions market in the legal sector.”

Dez Derry, mmadigital chief executive, said: “Each of our new recruits were appointed due to their legal sector and marketing experience. They are all well placed to support our ambitious growth plans.”

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Direct marketing company, DDL Group, based in Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, and Dunoon, Scotland, has appointed a new managing director to take the business forward into the next generation of direct marketing services and solutions.

Greg Girard takes up his new position, as founding managing director, David Bingle steps down.

Greg, who has been with the business 25 years, has worked his way up from the print room in Dunoon to his current position.

Along the way, he has worked with David to improve and develop services at the company.

Greg Girard

Greg Girard said: “Programmatic direct mail and augmented reality will be key areas for us in the coming years, to ensure we can help our customers keep relevant in today’s rapidly changing market.

“By providing our clients with personalised mailing pieces, based on their customers’ interactions with their online services, we are helping them develop their relationships.”

Former managing director, David Bingle, said: “I am confident that Greg and the senior management team will continue to develop and grow DDL Group over the coming years, maintaining the same high levels of service to the customer and commitment to embracing new technology and improving our offering. I will continue to work with many of our clients, to help them meet the challenges and opportunities that arise.”