People on the Move: Oakwood Corporate Services; Property Alliance Group; ATG Access; Oglethorpe Sturton & Gillibrand; St Ann’s Hospice

From left: Lauren Cavanagh, Michael Harris, Muriel Thorne

Altrincham-based professional services advisory firm, Oakwood Corporate Services, has announced the appointment of Lauren Cavanagh as associate director.

Lauren joins Oakwood from global law firm DLA Piper where she held the position of legal director and was a member of the corporate team for 10 years.

Her areas of specialism include corporate mergers and acquisitions, investments, group re-organisations and general company law compliance.

Lauren is joining Oakwood’s senior management team, working alongside existing company directors Michael Harris and Muriel Thorne. She will be involved in all areas of the business, working across all clients.

Lauren said: “Oakwood has a great reputation and a strong track record for providing an exceptionally high quality of service to businesses of all sizes, including major multinationals, private equity-backed groups and SMEs. The firm is well known within the legal services market. It’s a fantastic opportunity for me.”

Oakwood clients include global giants General Electric (GE), Thermo Fisher Scientific and Carnival Corporation, as well as listed British firms, Countrywide, JD Sports, MoneySuperMarket and Associated British Foods.

Michael Harris, co-founder and director, said: “We’ve seen significant growth recently, acting for over 100 new companies in the last three months. This success has allowed us to invest in talent to ensure that we continue to grow.

“Lauren is a first-class corporate lawyer, with an established reputation and fantastic experience of delivering high-quality advice to a range of high-profile clients. We are delighted to welcome her to the team.”

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Property Alliance Group has appointed Tom McWilliams as development director.

He joins from Catalyst Capital where he helped to establish a Manchester presence for the investment company, focused on hotel and office development. Prior to that, he spent 11 years at JLL leading its city centre development team.

Throughout his career Tom has advised public sector bodies, developers, institutional funds, property companies and corporate occupiers on all aspects of development and funding.

Alex Russell, left, and Tom McWilliams

At Alliance he will be helping to grow the company’s £200m property portfolio across the North West and in the industrial, offices, leisure and residential sectors.

Alliance’s managing director, Alex Russell, said: “I am delighted to welcome Tom to the Alliance team at a time when we are seeking to significantly expand our business across all sectors.

“His expertise and experience will play a major role in securing further development opportunities for us over the coming months, ensuring we can bolster our portfolio by the end of this year.”

Tom added: “Alliance is a business with an impressive development and investment portfolio. The company has a clear vision and ambition to grow, so offered an opportunity that I could not turn down. I look forward to getting started.”

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ATG Access, an innovator of road blocker, bollards and vehicle barrier systems, has promoted Iain Moran to sales and marketing director.

Having worked at ATG Access for the past 18 years Iain is hugely-experienced and has helped to shape the company’s success in the UK and internationally, including in Australia and the USA.

As part as his new role Iain will lead a team of 11 to deliver ambitious growth targets, both internationally and in the UK, as the business continues to expand and develop more cutting edge products.

ATG aims to grow export sales over the next three years utilising its extensive network of international distributors.

Iain first joined ATG as an electrical engineer before moving to commercial UK sales, high security sales and then finally heading up UK sales, while also looking after transactions in America, Australia and Canada.

Iain Moran

He has helped to secure high profile security projects including The Shard, Sydney Opera House, London Olympics 2012, various Network Rail train stations and multiple airports including LAX Airport.

Iain said: “ATG Access is a brilliant place to work and I’ve enjoyed helping the business make waves in the security industry. Over the past 18 years I have gained vast knowledge and understanding of the market and how our solutions are best placed to meet customer needs, and I am excited about the challenge ahead.”

Gavin Hepburn, managing director at Haydock-based ATG Access, said: “Iain is a highly valued and fundamental member of the team, and will play a significant role in helping us to expand and meet our ambitious growth plans for the future.”

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Lancashire law firm Oglethorpe Sturton & Gillibrand has announced the appointment of a new partner.

Allan Sumner joined the firm from June 2019. He has extensive experience of local and national clients and is an acknowledged and well-respected expert in commercial property matters and dealing in property work for estates.

Senior partner David Gillibrand said: “Allan’s is the first recruitment we’ve made at partner level for some years. Our approach has been to develop our solicitors as they progress in their careers up to partner level.

“Allan is a notable exception as he brings an extraordinary wealth of experience to the team and shares our values for delivering outstanding levels of service to our clients. Allan has a lot to offer to the partnership and we are delighted to welcome him to the firm.”

Allan Sumner

After leaving Balliol College, Oxford, in 1991, Allan chose to follow a career in the law and swiftly moved through the ranks to reach partner level in just seven years.

Allan said: “I had been aware of Oglethorpe Sturton & Gillibrand for some years and always felt that I could be a good fit. There have been a lot of changes over the past 20 years in the way law firms operate, which, in my view, has often been at the expense of the client.

“Oglethorpe Sturton & Gillibrand is a traditional firm with strong values that are focused on delivering outstanding service to its clients, which is as it should be. I’m thrilled to join their impressive team.”

He added: “I’m looking forward to sharing my experience and knowledge with my colleagues to help grow and strengthen the firm’s offering and client base. My approach is to be straightforward, approachable and accessible at all times.”

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Charity St Ann’s Hospice has announced two new trustees who have joined its board of directors to help steer the organisation towards its 50th anniversary.

It has appointed chartered accountant Darren Holt as its treasurer, and Melanie Ogden, a senior clinical leader with experience at strategic, primary and secondary care levels within the NHS as a trustee.

The charity cares for thousands of people with cancer and other life-limiting illnesses every year from its three sites in Little Hulton, Heald Green, and The Neil Cliffe Centre in Wythenshawe Hospital, as well as via a range of community and outreach services. The trustees of the organisation are all volunteers.

Darren Holt

Jackie Oldham, chair of the board, said: “It’s an exciting time at St Ann’s, as we approach our 50th anniversary in 2021, and we’re thrilled that Darren and Mel have agreed to join us as trustees.

“Each member of our board brings with them a unique set of skills and experience, and it’s vital we have the right people helping us to steer our ambitious plans for the business in the coming years.

“The organisation is certainly a complex one, with 14 shops, a hospice lottery, and a range of fundraising activities running alongside the health and social care we offer to patients from across Greater Manchester and their families.

“The team at the hospice provides world-class specialist care at a time when people need it most, and as a board we’re proud to be part of such an outstanding and much-loved organisation.

Mel Ogden

“It’s great that Mel and Darren have joined us, and I’m sure they’ll play an important part in helping us ensure hospice care in Greater Manchester remains fit for purpose for many future generations to benefit from too.”

St Ann’s is a registered charity and receives around a third of its funding from the NHS, with the rest – around £20,000 a day – fundraised thanks to the generosity of the local community.

Darren Holt, said: “St Ann’s does wonderful work supporting patients and their families at what could be the worst of times, in such a way that ensures it is the best it can be. To be given the opportunity to help to sustain and hopefully extend that work is, in itself, an honour and I expect it will also be prove to be a pleasure.”

Mel Ogden, said: “I’m delighted to be joining the St Ann’s team who have a national reputation for caring.”

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