People: Expansion for accountancy firm; Engineering company appoints director; and more

The Birmingham office of Haines Watts, the accountancy firm specialising in support for SMEs, has made two appointments as part of its continuing expansion.

Haines Watts has appointed Feven Tsegay as tax senior as part of an expansion of the firm’s tax team. Having graduated from Coventry University, Feven joined R Pau & Co of Coventry before joining Haines Watts.

Aaron Neath has also joined the firm’s regional audit team as audit trainee having previously been accounts assistant at SLP Accountants, Great Barr, Birmingham.

Darren Holdway, managing partner at the Birmingham office of Haines Watts, said: “These two appointments increase our capacity and our ability to meet the needs of SMEs and owner managed businesses in the region.

“Our office has grown significantly in recent years to the point where Haines Watts is now one of the largest advisors to owner managed businesses in the UK.”

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Birmingham-based engineering firm adi Group has appointed Ian Hart as business development director of adi Projects, as part of the group’s Vision 2020 growth strategy, which aims to more than double a turnover of £82m to £200m in the next four years.

A Chartered Mechanical Engineer and Fellow of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Hart brings with him a wealth of engineering, project management and business development experience, having worked in a number of sectors, including food and drink, pharmaceuticals, healthcare, chemicals and data centres.

He has made contributions to some of the UK’s market leading companies, including Veolia, Courtaulds Engineering, Laing Construction and Taylor Woodrow, and was a key figure in establishing the PM Group in Britain.

He said: “The vision and enthusiasm of Alan Lusty and the whole team is infectious, so the decision to team up with adi Projects was simple. I’m looking forward to exploring new avenues and opportunities on the firm’s behalf and exercising our full skills base to the benefit of clients.”

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Robert McGinty has been appointed as District Judge to the Midlands Circuit, to be based at the Stoke-on-Trent Combined Court.

This is the latest in a series of judicial appointments for barristers’ chambers St John’s Buildings, which is one of the UK’s largest super-sets. Last month, barrister Rachael Harrison was appointed as a Circuit Judge at Sheffield Crown Court, with Chambers also seeing David Pojur take the role of Assistant Coroner for North Wales.

Having been called to the Bar in November 1994, McGinty conducted his pupillage at 30 Park Place, Cardiff. He then moved to chambers in Preston before joining St John’s Buildings in 2001. During his time with Chambers, Robert has specialised in predominantly civil law, working mainly in personal injury, housing and costs.

In addition to sitting as a Deputy District Judge since 2015, he has held the role of First-tier Tribunal Judge in the Immigration and Asylum Chamber since 2006, as well as having been appointed a Deputy Upper Tribunal Judge (Immigration and Asylum Chamber) in 2015. He will remain as Deputy Upper Tribunal Judge alongside his new position.

McGinty said: “I am excited to be able to take on this new challenge. I look forward to bringing my 24 years’ experience at the bar to my new role”.

Chris Ronan, chief executive at St John’s Buildings, said: “Robert has been an integral part of the SJB team for the last 17 years, adding valuable knowledge and insight on high profile cases. His latest appointment is well-deserved, and we would like to wish him all the best for the future.”