People on the move: Dual-Stream; EDP; Horwich Farrelly; Mint Bridging; Principal Insurance; Peach Law

ELECTRONIC security firm Dual-Stream has strengthened its ranks with three new staff to support its growth strategy.

Stephen Reece has joined the firm as a business development manager while accountant Rebecca Whitty, pictured, has been appointed as finance manager.

Dan Pinder, also pictured, has joined the company to provide technical support to the firm’s account management team.

Reece has 18 years’ experience of sales and business development in the security sector and was previously a national account manager at VSG. He previously worked at firms including Bosch Security Systems and Chubb Fire & Security.

Whitty has joined Dual-Stream from Sterling Accountancy, based in Worsley, near Manchester while Pinder  was previously at Kings Security Systems.

The trio’s arrival takes staff numbers at Dual-Stream to 25 as it looks to continue its rapid expansion.

Dual-Stream, which is based at Hollinwood Business Centre, Oldham, provides electronic security services including CCTV, intruder and fire alarms and access control systems to clients across the UK.

It designs and installs systems, carries out servicing and maintenance and provides remote video monitoring via a new in-house facility.

Clients include retailers, manufacturers, children’s nurseries, distributors, leisure and hospitality venues, serviced office providers and private individuals.

The company, founded in 2013, grew turnover from £1m to £3.6m in the 12 months to July 31 and is targeting £5m for the current financial year.

Managing director Chris Cornelly said: “As the business grows it is necessary to strengthen our infrastructure to support this expansion.

“Stephen has an excellent track record of winning new business and his skills will help us to broaden our client base into new sectors.

“Rebecca strengthens our finance team to meet a need for more frequent management reporting, and Dan brings great technical knowledge and design skills to support our existing account management and business development teams.

“We added nine staff to our workforce in our last financial year and we are still looking to recruit over the coming months in sales, business development and support.”

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JOEL Cook has been appointed to the board at EDP, the St Helens-based health, safety and environmental consultants.

Currently head of strategy, Cook joined the company almost five years ago to help prepare the business for the management buyout that went ahead in November 2014.
 
Following this, he remained as a member of the senior management team with responsibility for strategy and organisational development.

With the appointment of Cook there are now four members on the EDP board, which also includes managing director Mark Haydock and directors Andrew Nicholson and Steve King.

Haydock said: “This appointment recognises Joel’s hard work and loyalty to the business.

He’s made a fantastic contribution at board level over the last six months and we felt now was the right time to introduce him on an official and permanent basis.
 
“We very much value Joel’s experience and expertise in the areas of strategy and organisational development, and believe he will bring a skillset and attitude that will complement the team at this level.”

Cook said:  “EDP has been a big part of my life for the last five years so it’s fantastic that I’m now in a position to help shape the business and ensure its ambitious plans come to fruition.”

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MANCHESTER-based insurance industry law firm Horwich Farrelly has a new partner, Martin McKenna, an expert in complex and high value personal injury claims in liability and motor.

McKenna joins from Keoghs and is returning to the company where he worked for as a solicitor early in his career.

He brings more than 20 years’ legal and technical experience to Horwich Farrelly where he will be primarily focused on developing the firm’s defendant capabilities.

McKenna has considerable operational experience, and seeks to further expand his understanding of the insurance industry and the fast-paced, rapidly changing environment in which insureds operate.

Rob Barrett, managing partner for Horwich Farrelly, said: “Martin is passionate about the quality of service provided to clients, and always endeavours to ensure the client remains at the heart of the claims process at all times. Martin is a natural fit for Horwich Farrelly, as he always seeks innovative solutions to any challenge, as well as having extensive industry knowledge and being a friendly and approachable colleague.”

McKenna said: “I worked at Horwich Farrelly as a solicitor early in my legal career, around 15 years ago, and am very pleased to have returned now as a partner.

“The firm has grown enormously in the time I have been gone, and particularly within the past two years, having invested heavily in raising its profile and solidifying its position as a market-leader in claims handling. This is a very exciting time for the firm as a whole and I am excited to be back on board at such a time.”

The announcement follows the recent appointments of Tony McLoughlin and Alistair Graham, and brings Horwich Farrelly’s total number of Partners to 33.

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MINT Bridging, the family run bridging lender based in Altrincham, Greater Manchester, has announced Amparo Burgos as head of marketing.
 
With more than 15 years of global marketing expertise, she has worked for and with companies in China, Europe, Canada, North America and Latin-America.
Her credentials focus on marketing and communications including international relations, trade marketing, advertising, line and channel marketing management, market research and analysis.

As the marketing director of the economic development agency in Spain, Burgos managed creative budgets of 650,000 Euros, working local authorities on developing public policies and inbound cultural destination campaigns.

This cross communicated with investor relations, heading a team of up to 15 employees in executing more than 500 annual online & offline assignments.

Managing director Andrew Lazare said: “Mint is now exceeding all monthly quota budgets and we’re rapidly recruiting strong players.

“Our company is at the stage where we know Amparo’s marketing credentials will greatly enhance our brand, nationally and overseas clients investing in properties in the UK, for Mint Bridging. Her timely arrival, international contacts and wider vision is a great asset to the company.”

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PRINCIPAL Insurance, headquartered in Sale, Greater Manchester, has continued to expand and strengthen its management team with the appointment of Brett Playdon to the newly created role of client systems manager.

Playdon joins the fast-growing specialist broking group from Transactor Global Solutions. He spent nearly nine years as programme manager with Transactor, holding responsibility for managing the insurance software providers motor broking accounts.

In his new role he will oversee operation of Principal’s client relationship management, online and aggregator quoting systems. Reporting to newly installed chief operating officer David Hiley he will work alongside head of IT Doug Lochery who manages the business’s IT networking and infrastructure.

Principal is expecting to announce further senior management appointments in the coming weeks as the business continues to enjoy rapid growth. The group is expecting to have doubled its annual premium income to £10m by the time it reaches its financial year-end on October 31.

The group is significantly strengthening its management team in anticipation of further growth. It expects to create 40 new jobs in Manchester within the next 20 months – doubling its current HQ payroll – whilst also expanding its offices in Dublin and a specialist motor broking operation in Lancaster.
 
Founded in 2011 by Dave Bowcock in 2011 Principal has expanded from its original motorcycle specialism to embrace niche car, van and motor trade insurance and has recently entered the commercial market. The business now serves nearly 30,000 policyholders.

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SARAH O’Brien is the latest addition to bespoke employment law and HR business Peach Law based in Cheadle Hulme, Greater Manchester.

The qualified employment lawyer, formerly with Riverview Law and EAD Solicitors, has worked for both private clients and businesses and with some of the UK’s largest trade unions,

She will support Peach managing director Lindsey Bell with  employment law and has experience in everything from dismissals and TUPE to redundancy and discrimination.

O’Brien said: “At Peach Law, we offer clients a holistic and flexible approach to finding successful solutions for employment law and HR issues.”