People: Living Ventures reshuffle; Marketing Cheshire & more

BAR and restautant operator Living Ventures has announced a new management structure which sees founder Tim Bacon move from chief executive to executive chairman.

Co-founder and former commercial director Jeremy Roberts has become chief executive, while Paul Moran’s role as managing director of Living Ventures group brands remains unchanged.

Bacon, said: “Nothing much changes, I will still be leading from the front.  Fundamentally the new structure gives me more time to think and develop the business by passing on a whole load of work from my desk to Jeremy’s and Paul’s.  Sometimes three fits better into two than two.”
 
Tim Bacon and Jeremy Roberts founded Knutsford-based Living Ventures two decades ago and the pubs to fine dining business looks set to top £100m turnover in the current financial year. It owns brands such as The Botanist,  The Oast House, Australasia and Manchester House.

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DESTINATION mnagement organisation, Marketing Cheshire, which works to market Cheshire and Warrington to investors, visitors, students and residents, has appointed leisure sector entrepreneur Clive Sykes as its new chair.

Sykes, founder and non-executive chairman of Chester-based Sykes Cottages, takes over from retired corporate lawyer Edward Pysden.

During his six years of service, Pysden has made a significant contribution in driving the company’s transition from a public sector funded organisation to a commercially facing agency providing leading marketing, events, PR and social media services to a wide range of tourism businesses across Cheshire.
 
Sykes said: “Having built and grown a tourism business in Chester and working in tourism for the whole of my career, I am extremely passionate about Cheshire and the sector. I’m looking forward to bringing my experience of growing a successful business, my marketing background and my understanding of the needs of the tourism businesses to help build on Marketing Cheshire’s success and support Cheshire’s rich and diverse visitor economy.”

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NORTH West firm Birchall Blackburn has bolstered its industrial disease expertise after making two new additions to its catastrophic and serious injury team.

Joanne Keen and Victoria Roberts join the firm’s Manchester office assenior specialist asbestos solicitors.

Joanne, 44 and 36-year-old Vicky, who have over 20 years’ experience in the industry, join the firm from Thompsons Solicitors.

Partner and department head Dianne Yates said: “There has been an increase in victims of asbestos-related illnesses requiring legal assistance for litigation, advice on benefits they may be entitled to and links to support organisations.

“Both Vicky and Joanne have a wealth of experience in this complex area of law so they are welcome additions to the team. They will help those who have been exposed to asbestos across the Manchester, Crewe, Cheshire and Staffordshire areas gain the expert advice and compensation they deserve.”

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BOLTON company Parcel2Go, the parcel delivery comparison website, has appointed Les Yates as head of marketing.

Yates will bring more than 10 years of marketing experience with him to the role, which will include taking responsibility for, among other channels, SEO, paid advertising and affiliate schemes on Parcel2Go.com’s three core websites.

He said: “This is an exciting challenge for me. My goal is to continue to shape and improve the current processes in place to help Parcel2Go.com to further cement its place as an industry leader.”

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PALATINE Private Equity – with offices in Manchester and London has announced the promotion of three members of the team following a stellar year for the firm.

Beth Houghton has been made Partner having played an instrumental role in achieving positive exits for family leisure business Playnation, as well as the sale of financial education provider Wealth at Work to Equistone in a £50m buyout. 

Palatine has also promoted James Winterbottom and Andy Strickland to the post of investment director.

Palatine typically invests between £10m and £30m in entrepreneurs and management teams across the UK.

In the last 12 months alone, the firm has completed four new transactions, realised three positive exits and closed its Fund III at a hard cap of £220m.

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MANCHESTER-based law firm Berg has appointed two new marketing specialists to its team.

Anna Melia has joined the firm as digital campaign manager whilst Natalie Asprey joins as offline marketing manager.



The appointments come in what has been an exciting year for the business which has celebrated its 35th anniversary.



Senior partner Reuben Berg said: “We are delighted to welcome two new additions to our business development and marketing team at what is an exciting time for the firm and allows us to make significant progress in our marketing objectives as a business overall.”

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LAW firm Roger Hannah & co has welcomed three new recruits to its Manchester practice.

It has installe Demetri Papaioannou as a Graduate Surveyor into the landlord and tenant and rating departments and Donna Reddin joins the facilities management department, having returned from Australia working for Laing O’Rourke and Thesis.

The company has also welcomed Stephen Capstick into the building sSurveying department.

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BUILDING consultancy Powell Williams has appointed Sue Fendt as business development and marketing manager.

The business, founded in Chester 25 years ago, acts for clients on the acquisition, renovation and disposal of property assets throughout the country.

Fendt will work across the firm’s four offices in Chester, London, Leeds and Birmingham, heading the drive for new business alongside senior partner Andrew Marshall.

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LANDSCAPE architecture practice Exterior Architecture has expanded its team in Manchester following the establishment of its studio in the city in March this year.

Shaun Lyons has been appointed as landscape architect joining the practice’s other recent recruit Sophie Parker-Loftus.
 
The company’s Manchester director Jonathan Miley said: “The appointment of Shaun represents an important next step in the development of our Manchester studio as we continue to be successful in the city and the wider region.

“Very few people realise that Exterior Architecture has worked in Manchester for more than 10 years and the establishment of our studio here is testament to our confidence and commitment to continuing that trend.”