People on the Move: Vincents Solicitors; Influential; Browne Jacobson; Peaks & Plains Housing Trust; Hugh Jones Solicitors
Craig Aikman, a commercial and residential property lawyer, has been appointed a director at Vincents Solicitors.
His arrival is the latest in a string of senior appointments for the firm, which is investing heavily in creating a world-class corporate and commercial department.
Vincents says it is becoming a force on the region’s commercial legal scene, following the arrival of commercial director Ross Wellman in 2015 to head up the department which went on to achieve 80% growth in his first year.
This was followed late 2018 with the arrival of Matthew Scott as head of corporate legal services, and his assistant trainee solicitor Debora Carr, a department which then sealed more than £8m in deals in its first three months.
Due to strong growth and a heavy pipeline of new work from both new and existing clients, recruitment is ongoing at various experience levels for both corporate and commercial property experts based in its three commercial hubs, Preston, Lytham and Chorley.
Craig joins Vincents from Blackhurst Budd, where he worked for four-and-a-half years, prior to which he was at Napthens for a similar period.
Focusing on commercial property and development transactions, plot sales and acquisition, Craig’s clients include developers, housebuilders, agents and overseas investors. He has worked in Hong Kong, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur, providing legal services to buyers attending developer launch events.
Having worked in Blackpool for the past nine years and played rugby for both Preston Grasshoppers and Fylde, where he still coaches a junior team, Craig is a familiar face across the county.
In addition to his Manchester and overseas client base, Craig has a strong network throughout Lancashire and will be based at Vincents’ Preston headquarters.
Craig said: “Vincents has put together a great team with the expertise and the client base to become a real powerhouse in the region’s commercial legal sector. I was keen to get to know Ross and work alongside Matt, who I have known for more than a decade and who has an enviable reputation in corporate sales and acquisitions.
“This is an ambitious practice and I was attracted by the progression of plans for growth and investment in the commercial department. Behind the scenes there is great support and the markets the firm serves, through its network of commercial hubs makes it ideally located for me and the clients I will be working with.”
Phillip Gilmore, Vincents Solicitors managing director, said Craig’s appointment was a genuine coup for the firm: “Craig is well known throughout Lancashire as one of the region’s leading property lawyers.
“He has worked with businesses and individuals across the North West, nationally and abroad, and brings an added dimension to our commercial offering. An excellent practitioner with a reputation to match, Craig is the latest addition to a very impressive line up here at Vincents.”
::
A UK expert in consumer research has been appointed head of research at the integrated communications agency Influential.
Duncan Swan, a specialist in fast moving consumer goods and customer insight research, was most recently a director of full service market research company, Vision One.
Influential, which is based in Manchester and Liverpool, is expanding its insight team to meet demand for market research services.
Sitting alongside the agency’s existing marketing services, the insight specialisms include concept tests, strategic market surveys, consultations, brand health studies and customer satisfaction surveys, as increasing numbers of clients look for evidence-based insight to penetrate their markets more effectively.
With a career spanning 25 years, Duncan has built up strong expertise in a wide variety of research techniques and has previously worked in senior roles with SGA Research International, TNS Sofres, and Adelphi International Research where he specialised in global research projects conducted on behalf of multi-national pharmaceutical companies.
At Mott McDonald Duncan led the quantitative market research team, working on behalf of local authorities and government departments.
Sara Wilde-McKeown, managing director at Influential, said: “An insight-led approach is helping us to grow as more companies look for smarter communications to help them stand out and deploy their resources more effectively.
The insight team, from left: Duncan Swan, Karen Swan, Charlotte Spencer, Persia Shahkarami, Laura Caveney
“Duncan’s appointment will allow us to build on recent successes and offer our clients a greater understanding of their own business and its direction of travel.
“He has made significant impact for some of the biggest players in the research sector, counting a range of global brands among his clients.
“His expertise will bring Influential’s burgeoning research and intelligent insight capabilities to an even higher level. His particular expertise in exploring knowledge that delves into the psychology of consumers will allow us to run in-house programme surveys and base our insights service on the latest thinking and trends in market research and create brilliant, impactful strategies.”
With a Masters Degree in Psychology from Edinburgh University, Duncan also has expertise in tracking surveys, product testing, retail research, customer segmentation, pricing research, simulated test markets, usage and attitude surveys and brand equity monitoring.
Duncan said: “Influential has established itself as one of the most dynamic agencies in the North, developing PR, strategic marketing, advertising campaigns, digital marketing and creative brand development to bolster their clients’ brands and I’m exceptionally pleased to join the team.
“In the work that I have previously been commissioned to deliver for Influential, I have been highly impressed with both the company’s ambition and trajectory. They are committed in helping their clients take a leadership position and I am excited to be able to offer the strategic insights which will enable them to adapt to and compete in an ever-changing environment.”
Also joining Influential is Persia Shahkarami as inbound marketing manager. Persia has worked in a range of B2B and B2C marketing roles and is a specialist in content marketing and automation, producing lead generation campaigns that encompass all digital channels.
She previously worked for HR services firm AdviserPlus and fundraising technology company Givergy where she managed and marketed a start-up site generating one million site users in under a year.
Sara Wilde McKeown said: “Persia brings a valuable new skill set to the agency. We already deliver impactful campaigns for clients with compelling content, but we can now link this directly to a client’s business development process providing nurtured and valuable inbound leads.”
The 30-strong agency, headquartered in Liverpool with offices in Manchester and London, delivers PR and communications support for a range of B2B and B2C clients, including Morgan Sindall, Everton FC, U+I (Mayfield), Grant Thornton, Shoosmiths, Bruntwood, Blackpool Tower, Camelot, and retail and leisure development Liverpool One.
::
Browne Jacobson has announced Manchester-based health and public law partner Gerard Hanratty as the new head of its health sector.
Gerard is recognised by independent legal directories, Chambers & Partners and Legal 500 as one of the leading experts on public law issues, especially relating to governance, service reconfiguration, information and digital technology law, devolution and ICS development, for health organisations in the country.
He specialises in advising organisations in the health sector on their public law obligations and issues.
His work covers interpreting statute, supporting system re-organisations, advising on governance, supporting health regulatory clients’ work, providing advice on information and digital technology law matters and, when necessary, defending challenges to decisions made.
Gerard Hanratty said: “I am delighted to have the opportunity to build on the strong reputation that we already have in the market as leading health lawyers and will work hard to ensure that the sector continues to grow locally and nationally and that our service offering and client base continues to diversify.”
Gerard takes over from partner Simon Tait who has held the position since 2006. Simon will concentrate on his role as the head of the firm’s health and advisory litigation department and member of the firm’s executive board.
Gerard Hanratty
Simon said: “It has been a privilege to head up and contribute towards the development of the firm’s health sector over the last 13 years and work on some very successful projects during that time.
“Gerard is an excellent lawyer who has already, in a short space of time, played a key role in driving the sector forward. His broad and considerable expertise, the strong relations he has built with our client base and the insight he has of the challenges that face the current health and public sector landscape mean he is the perfect choice to take over this role.”
Gerard’s promotion follows a record year for the Manchester health team, after delivering 600% growth in fee income since its launch in 2013. The specialist team advises and provides training for clients on a broad range of clinical negligence, regulatory, criminal and inquest matters as well as mental capacity and mental health in, both the private and public sectors.
The team’s strong reputation for advising health and social care providers, commissioners and regulators has contributed to its significant growth. The team now acts for NHS England, Stockport NHS Foundation Trust; Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh NHS Foundation Trust; The Christie Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust; The Priory and Care UK, among others.
::
Peaks & Plains Housing Trust is recruiting for the future with a host of apprenticeship roles across the organisation.
The drive is part of the housing provider’s ambitious five-year plan to invest in new homes and enhance existing residential property across tenures, creating great places to live by regenerating local towns and supporting the communities that live there.
There are 12 new apprenticeship roles in total, ranging from maintenance and support through to finance, IT and HR. Three new levels of apprenticeship have been created as part of the drive – some roles are level 2 NVQ in income and new tenancy and customer support in partnership with CIH, others are level 3 NVQ, while a Higher Level HNC apprentice surveyor role is being offered in partnership with University of Salford.
Georgia Sanders, post-graduate apprentice now full-time HR advisor
Since 2018, the Trust has recruited 12 apprentices, of which three have secured permanent employment with Peaks & Plains.
The remaining nine are in the process of completing their qualifications before progressing to full and part-time employment.
Peaks & Plains offers ‘earn while you learn’ benefits and has introduced a one-to-one mentoring scheme in which all apprentices are paired with a member of the team to encourage collaboration across the organisation and provide soft skills training to each apprentice.
Chief executive Tim Pinder said: “As a Trust we are committed to building a better future for all – this includes the development of our own team. It is our aim to build a highly-skilled and motivated workforce as part of our five-year plan, providing tangible opportunities for those at the beginning of their career path.”
Peaks & Plains currently oversees more than 5,000 homes across East Cheshire and the High Peak.
::
Boutique law firm Hugh Jones Solicitors has announced two promotions at its Manchester-based office.
Private client specialist, Charlotte Pisuto, has been promoted from associate to senior associate, having joined the firm in 2016.
Elsewhere in the business, David Jones has been promoted from solicitor to associate in the Court of Protection team – also in his third year with Hugh Jones.
The award winning firm boasts the largest team of Court of Protection lawyers in the UK and says it has built an impressive reputation for supporting vulnerable people in a professional, friendly and cost-effective manner.
Charlotte Pisuto is known for her client-focused approach and assists with will writing and future planning, including advising on the use of trusts and the administration of estates.
Her work with clients also involves the preparation of lasting powers of attorney and applications for the appointment of a deputy to the Court of Protection. Charlotte also sits on the Law Society Private Client Committee.
From left: David Jones, Charlotte Pisuto and Hugh Jones
She said: “Being given the opportunity to head up the private client team in such an outstanding firm as Hugh Jones Solicitors is a real privilege and I look forward to the ongoing challenges and opportunities my new position will bring.”
David Jones supports clients through a broad range of issues, including property and finance, contested deputyship proceedings, deprivation of liberty matters, personal welfare and care proceedings. He also provides training and guidance on the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and The Court of Protection to social workers and local authorities across the North West.
He said: “After qualifying as a solicitor, I worked across a number of different specialisms, but it was Court of Protection work that truly struck a chord with me. I’m passionate about providing quality advice helping to support those who need it most.”
Firm chairman, Hugh Jones, said: “Both David and Charlotte have demonstrated extraordinary talent during their time at the firm. Colleagues and clients alike benefit from their knowledge, experience and hardworking nature and their promotions are well and truly deserved.”
