People: Changes at law firm as senior partner announces retirement; IoD welcomes North Yorkshire ambassador; and more

Law firm Weightmans has made a series of changes to its leadership team after announcing the retirement of a senior partner.

Senior partner and director of client relations Dan Cutts will retire at the end of this month. This dual role will be divided, with David Lewis elected senior partner and Kieran Jones appointed to the director of client relations role.

Lewis, currently head of Weightmans’ regulatory services unit and at the firm’s Leeds office and Jones, Weightmans’ head of insurance, will take up their new roles on May 1.

Cutts has worked for Weightmans almost two decades, having joined the firm in 1999. He became a board member in 2002 and was elected senior partner in 2013. Working alongside Weightmans’ managing partner John Schorah, in his five years as senior partner, he has overseen two acquisitions and the opening of three new offices, with the firm’s overall revenue rising from £80m to almost £100m three years later.

He became director of client relations in 2017, combining the role with his responsibilities as senior partner.

Partner Rob Williams will replace Jones as head of insurance while partner Dewi Ap-Thomas has been appointed head of regulatory.

Partner Helen Brown chosen for the role of head of the Leeds office.

John Schorah, managing partner at Weightmans, said: “Dan is a truly a part of the Weightmans DNA and has made an immeasurable contribution to the business in his time with us. I would like to thank him for his truly outstanding expertise, professionalism and sense of dedication to the firm and its success.

“He has been a massive asset to the firm over the years and will be sorely missed, but it is a pleasure to welcome David and Kieran into his two roles in the coming weeks.

“They are great ambassadors for the firm, well known in the legal industry and will provide great support and direction in the coming years as we continue to work hard to strengthen our position as one of the UK’s leading law firms.”

:::

An international trade and healthcare expert has been appointed by the IoD to support North Yorkshire businesses.

Ian Garner, a director of Practical Solutions Management and patron of ExportExchange, has joined the business leaders’ organisation as an Ambassador.

The Ambassador network consists of high-profile business leaders who represent and promote the IoD in their area.

Garner has 10 years’ experience in strategy and business development with Bupa across Australia, Europe, North America, West Africa and South East Asia, with a focus on long-term aged care and out-patient healthcare. He spent 20 years in retail management with Thomas Cook and five years in sales and relationship management roles with Travelex

He said: “I will represent the interests of the IoD in Yorkshire and promote the benefits of membership to business people across the region. I hope to share some of the experience I have accrued over more than 40 years in business.

“We are living in interesting times. The business world is in a constant state of flux and businesses need to work hard to keep their businesses stable through the turbulence. I believe businesses, large and small, continuously need to ‘stress test’ to make sure they can survive the political and economic challenges and uncertainties that may lie ahead.”

:::

The Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) has welcomed Huddersfield-based businesswoman Katrina Cliffe, as its SME Ambassador on the Yorkshire Regional Board.

Cliffe has worked in the marketing industry for almost 20 years working for a variety of businesses across multiple industries before establishing her marketing agency, KC Communications in 2014.
She has been a member of the CIM for almost ten years and has completed two CIM Diplomas in marketing communications and digital marketing.

She said: “I am delighted to have been accepted onto the Board in this new role. Supporting SMEs with the development and implementation of marketing strategies that positively impact on their business and regional growth is something I am truly passionate about.

“As an SME business owner myself, I understand the challenges faced by SMEs, and I hope to be able to use my range of contacts and the variety of professional activities I already undertake to promote the benefits of both the CIM and how marketing can play a key role in the success of a business.”