Grant Thornton appoints leader for new special projects service

THE Birmingham office of accountancy and advisory firm Grant Thornton has appointed Martin Nicholson to lead a new special projects service.

Nicholson joins Grant Thornton with wide-ranging business experience, graduating as a mechanical engineer from Birmingham University and working in industry before training as a chartered accountant.

Since qualifying with PwC in 2006 he has fulfilled several key financial roles in businesses in the West Midlands including three years at Brintons Carpets in Kidderminster and two years at UTC Aerospace Systems, Wolverhampton.

Grant Thornton’s newly launched special projects team will work with companies to satisfy specific financial needs such as providing interim finance support, preparing or critiquing financial forecasts, preparing management accounts or carrying out financial appraisals.

Nicholson said: “This is very much a ‘roll our sleeves up’ practical approach where we will work closely with businesses which might have a short or medium term need which they simply can’t resource themselves.

New recruit for Friend

FRIEND, the Birmingham and London-based chartered accountants and business advisers, has appointed Charlie Tillinghast to its advisory board.
 
Tillinghast was formerly President of msnbc.com, the former joint venture between Microsoft and NBC, and has recently relocated from Seattle to the UK.  

A graduate of Brown University and Harvard Business School, Tillinghast is the CEO of Friend Media Technology Systems, whose proprietary technology provides security services for the digital content of sports organisations and broadcasters globally.  

JW Hinks welcomes back former trainee

BIRMINGHAM-based chartered accountants JW Hinks has welcomed back a former trainee as an Accounts Senior to its growing Business Services department.

Michelle Dixon, left, originally joined the firm in 1988 and qualified in 2004, before leaving in 2005 to join the Mary Stevens Hospice as Head of Finance.

She subsequently moved back into practice and joined Heathcote and Coleman before it became Chantrey Vellacott.

Following two years in the firm’s tax department she moved to take up a position as a client manager at Evesham firm Allchurch Bailey.

From there she rejoined Chantrey Vellacott on a three-month contract before securing a return to JW Hinks.

Qualified with the ACCA (Association of Chartered Certified Accountants), Ms Dixon specialises in management and year end accounts, and works with specialist client sectors including charities and not for profit organisations, small owner-managed businesses and solicitors.

Paul Jones, managing partner at JW Hinks, said: “We are pleased to welcome back Michelle who first joined us in 1988.

“Since leaving the firm in 2005, Michelle has gained valuable experience and expertise in a number of fields and will enable the Business Services department to continue to grow and provide excellent service to clients on all industry sectors.”

Burgis & Bullock strengthens corporate team

MIDLAND chartered accountants and business adviser, Burgis & Bullock has strengthened its corporate and specialist services team with the appointment of a new Senior Manager, Matt Wayte.

After originally working at Burgis & Bullock’s Nuneaton and Leamington Spa offices, Wayte joined the Leicester office of Grant Thornton, where he worked in its Audit Team.  After gaining a wide and varied spectrum of knowledge and experience from working with a variety of clients, Wayte re-joined Burgis & Bullock in January 2014.

Wayte is a qualified Chartered Certified Accountant and has particular expertise in audit and compliance as well as general business advisory work.

Sean Farnell, partner at Burgis & Bullock, said: “The partners and team across the firm’s five offices are delighted to welcome Matt back on board and we are confident that his enthusiasm and drive will quickly make him a vital part of our business.”

Wayte is pictured centre with Sean Farnell, left and former partner Andrew Taylor.