People: Trio of recruits for change management specialist; TheCityUK appoints DLA Piper boss for Birmingham

Birmingham change management specialist Curium Solutions is finishing 2017 on a high with the arrival of three new consultants.

Capping a successful year, including winning an accolade at TheBusinessDesk.com’s Masters Awards and a place in the new Innovation 50, Curium has appointed Mike Howarth, Jennifer Draper and Kathryn Hobbs to support its ongoing development.

The change consultancy has also promoted Stuart Bailey to principal consultant.

Founding director Andy Dawson said: “We are really pleased that our message of empowering potential is resonating with businesses looking to achieve sustainable change and improve their performance. This year has been our best yet, with a fantastic team helping some impressive organisations. We’re building on this and are investing for our continued growth and success.”

Principal consultant Mike Howarth joins Curium from Project One where he was a delivery director responsible for key client accounts.

Operational excellence expert Jennifer Draper is Curium’s newest business consultant. Experienced in process improvement, workflow management and project management, she worked at NFU Mutual before spending two years in Halfords’ project delivery team.

Communications and marketing consultant Kathryn Hobbs spent 11 years at international law firm Gowling WLG, leading the firm’s communications and marketing team, before setting up her own consultancy.

Part of the capability development team, Stuart Bailey heads up the design and development of Curium’s products and services.

Prior to joining Curium, he spent 19 years at one of the UK’s biggest energy companies.

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TheCityUK – the industry-led body for financial and related professional services across the UK –  has appointed its first ever City Chair for Birmingham.

Sandra Wallace, UK country managing partner for DLA Piper, will be a key figurehead for TheCityUK, championing the industry’s considerable local contribution and progressing opportunities for greater collaboration and engagement across the West Midlands.

Birmingham is the third largest financial centre in the UK in terms of jobs, with 49,800 people working in the industry, with a long tradition of financial services activity. As well as a significant concentration of activity in banking and management consulting, it is also home to around 200 law firms and boasts a wealth of management consultants, accountants and property services companies.

Miles Celic, chief executive of TheCityUK, said: “Our industry is a major employer and contributor to the economy of towns and cities right across the country, with more than two thirds of the 2.2 million people employed nationally based outside London. The appointment of TheCityUK City Chair in Birmingham will support our work to champion the industry in the region and help build partnership opportunities to ensure the industry’s success into the future.

“In Birmingham alone, financial and related professional services account for one in ten of all jobs, yet all too often the industry is seen as London-centric. It is well recognised for its strength in areas such as banking, legal services and management consulting and is already home to a number of major national and international firms. I am delighted that Sandra has accepted this position and look forward to working closely with her as she heads up this work in Birmingham.”

Wallace said: “As UK managing partner at a global law firm, with offices across the UK, including Birmingham, which is also my home town, I see first-hand the importance of the city to the UK economy and the professions. I am really pleased to become the first ever City Chair for Birmingham and to champion the city I am so proud to be a part of.”

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