People on the move: Forward Role Recruitment; PwC; K7 Media; Aaron & Partners Solicitors; Slater & Gordon; Moneypenny
BOLTON-based Forward Role Recruitment has welcomed Paddy Wells as its interim recruitment manager.
He will head up the team tasked with growing the businesses’ interim and contract recruitment offering.
Wells’ appointment reflects the growing demand for contract and freelance resource in an increasingly tough market to hire full time marketing and digital hires.
Steve Thompson, Forward Role managing director, said: “We are seeing more of our customers on both the agency and client side requesting interim resource, whether that be to cover project based work, seasonal demand or because permanent resource is in short supply.
“We’ve received a large number of briefs this year in the interim design, digital, UX, marketing, comms and analytics spaces. We’ve listened to what our clients are demanding and built out our capability across those areas over the last 12 months and Paddy will be a fantastic addition to our offering in that space.”
Wells joins from Michael Page, where he specialised in recruiting contract and interim marketing and digital specialists.
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PWC has appointed Emma Suchland as partner in its corporate tax practice.
Suchland, pictured, will be part of a dedicated team based in Manchester that specialises in supporting private businesses, private clients and entrepreneurs. 
Suchland’s appointment is the sixth new partner investment to the Northern tax team over the last 12 months and comes on the back of three partner promotions in the team this summer.
Gareth Henty, who leads the P&O pensions team in the North West, Simon Viner, who leads the tax M&A team across the North, and Daniel Harris, who leads the North’s reward team.
The most recent partner admissions build on PwC’s announcements earlier in the year which saw Kit Dickson and Paul Cooper join the Northern Tax team as corporate tax partners.
The partner appointments have been supported by three further director hires and six director promotions to the team over the same period.
PwC’s tax leader for the North, Martin Hodgson, said: “It is testament to the strength of our Northern practice, and our continued investment strategy to build our tax team capability that we are able to attract industry leaders whilst at the same time nurturing and developing our existing talent so we can best support our clients’ growth ambitions.”
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MANCHESTER-based Media Consultancy, K7 Media, has appointed TV industry luminary Gary Carter as a non-executive board member.
Following demand from the company’s global client base, K7 Media will develop a new service offering strategic advice to top level management, the development of which will be headed up by Carter.
Regarded as a pioneer of the reality TV genre, the former co-CEO of international operations at production giant Endemol Shine Group, and former COO of FremantleMedia Group, will bring a wealth of experience to the business from his extensive work in the industry on numerous high-profile projects, including overseeing the early roll-out of Survivor, Big Brother’and The X Factor.
Carter said: “As the content industries have globalised, the service offered by K7 Media has become indispensable.
“With its deep reservoir of content information, its international network and reputation, combined with the production backgrounds of its founder and board, the company is uniquely placed to diversify both its client-base and its business offering.”
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AARON & Partners Solicitors has announced two new appointments and made nine key promotions as the firm continues its expansion in Chester, Shrewsbury and North Wales.
Trained in North Wales and a fluent Welsh Speaker, solicitor Joshua Simpson has joined Aaron’s real estate team.
A specialist in residential property law, Simpson will assist clients with sale and purchase transactions. He also brings experience in the management of freehold and leasehold properties to the team.
“I’m excited to join one of the leading law firms in the North West”, said Simpson, who trained in North Wales and qualified earlier this year. “Working with the incredibly passionate and skilled team here at Aaron & Partners will be a great experience.”
Fellow new starter Rachel Lillie joins the wills, trusts and tax department and as an experienced solicitor with specialist expertise in dispute resolution and high net worth tax and estate planning, she will be a valuable asset to the team.
“I believe in resolving disputes without the need for court proceedings,” she said.
“However, where there is no alternative I always vigorously represent my client’s interests.
“I’m proud to join Aaron & Partners, one of the top firms in the North and I’m looking forward to making my own contribution to its reputation for excellence.”
In addition to growth, Aaron’s has also announced a flurry of promotions. In the Chester office James Wallace has been promoted to Partner and David Mann, Andrew Lees and Giles Williams have been promoted to Senior Associate. Steph Brayshay, Adam Haines and Simon Mawdsley are now Associates.
In Aaron’s Shrewsbury office Lynda Richards and Sandy Edwards have been promoted to Senior Associates.
Senior Partner Simon Edwards said: “It is important to recognise talent, whether in a new recruit or an existing team member.
“We have built a fantastic team here at Aaron’s based on our ability to identify individuals who will provide the highest calibre of advice and representation for our clients. Just as importantly, we have retained the best talents thanks to our willingness to reward those who work hard to deliver the high standards of expertise
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LAW firm Slater and Gordon is expanding its business legal services division with the addition of two lawyers to its dispute resolution team in Manchester.
Nick Gee, who joins from Knights Professional Services and Abigail Beards-Jones, who has spent the last two years training at the firm, have been brought in as the firm experiences strong demand for specialist services.
Craig McAdam, who heads up the dispute resolution team for Slater and Gordon, said a vibrant local economy, particularly within the retail, digital and hospitality sector has resulted in an increased call amongst SMEs for its legal advice.
He added: “In a dynamic and competitive business environment there is a lot of pressure on SME’s to move quickly and it is vital for companies to have access to specialist solicitors to guide them through the latest insurances, contracts and employee needs.”
Gee specialises in cases involving contracts of insurance; professional negligence claims and disputes concerning the ownership of land, while Abigail focuses on contractual disputes and claims concerning supplier agreements.
The new appointments will add to the legal services provided by the business legal services team which specialises in employment law for businesses, professional conduct Issues and regulatory defence.
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WREXHAM-based telephone answering and outsourced switchboard specialist Moneypenny has hired an M&A and strategy director as it targets new acquisition opportunities.
The business, which recently moved to a bespoke new headquarters, has appointed Mark Finlay from multi-national professional services firm EY.
Finlay has 11 years’ experience in corporate finance, including eight years at EY having spent time in the Manchester and Sydney offices, as well as three years at PwC.
In his role, he will identify, transact and integrate value enhancing acquisitions in support of the company’s strategy to diversify the services it currently provides its clients and consolidate its market leading position in the telephone answering sector both in the UK and the US.
Finlay said: “Moneypenny has ambitious plans to double the size of the business in the next three years and acquisitions will form a vital part of this strategy.
“The company already has a fantastic and long-established reputation for providing exceptional service levels for their clients and we are continually looking at ways in which we can enhance this.”
Moneypenny answers in excess of 10 million calls a year either on an overflow or fully outsourced basis for both small and large businesses.
Founded in 2000, the company currently employs more than 500 people with plans to double this within the next few years and has offices in the UK, US and New Zealand.
