People: New CEO at credit reference firm; New partner joins Gateley; Promotion announced at accountancy practice; and more

Leeds-headquartered credit reference agency and information solutions provider TransUnion (formerly Callcredit), has announced the appointment of Satrajit “Satty” Saha as its new chief executive officer.

Outgoing CEO Mike Gordon will remain with the business as an adviser until the end of March 2019 to ensure a smooth transition of responsibilities.

Prior to joining TransUnion’s UK-based operation in August 2018, Saha was chief business officer at TransUnion CIBIL, India, where he was responsible for crafting and executing the go-to-market strategy. Saha regularly advised India’s largest financial institutions on growth and risk challenges facing the industry and worked with them on creating and executing cutting-edge solutions.

Having been part of TransUnion for more than four years, Saha is well-positioned to bring the full extent of TransUnion’s offerings to the UK market. As chief commercial officer since August 2018, Saha has been a central figure in aligning the UK business with TransUnion’s global operating model, following the acquisition of Callcredit last year.

Saha has extensive financial services sector expertise and significant international experience. During his career – with close to 20 years in leadership – he has managed large geographies, products and business lines in India and Africa for retail banks and information services companies.

Previous roles have included senior management positions with Barclays Africa, Deutsche Bank and Citibank, in areas spanning cards, payments, retail banking, risk, fraud and information services.

Saha said: “It’s a really exciting time for the business and 2019 will be a pivotal year as we bring to bear the full weight of TransUnion’s offering, introducing new products to the UK market and helping businesses and consumers to benefit from an even greater level of data and insight. I’m looking forward to building on the strong foundations we have in place, and taking the UK business forward as we embrace the opportunities ahead.”

David Neenan president of TransUnion International, added: “Satty brings with him a wealth of expertise and is already well-known within our international organisation so we’re delighted to entrust our UK-led operations to his leadership. With strong strategic thinking, execution ability, and extensive experience in managing large and diverse teams, Satty is an asset to TransUnion and we’re delighted to confirm his appointment as CEO.”

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The Leeds office of Gateley, the legal business of law-led professional services group Gateley, has announced the appointment of partner, Roger McCourt, to the Financial Disputes and Regulation Team.

McCourt joins Gateley from Dentons where he worked for five years as a partner in the Financial Markets and Commercial Disputes Group. His appointment at Gateley also marks his professional return to Leeds having previously been a partner at DLA Piper for five years.  He cites Gateley’s existing reputation and commitment to the financial services sector as the biggest factors in his decision to join the business, along with the opportunity to work with partner Rob Payne and the team across the national practise.

McCourt said: “I’m delighted to join Rob and the team at Gateley. The growth of the Leeds office has been one of the big successes recently in the local legal market.

“The opportunity to help grow the financial disputes practice, with its excellent reputation, and the company’s commitment to the financial services sector, is a very exciting one.”

Fellow partner, Rob Payne, added: “Roger has a wealth of experience in financial disputes and a host of longstanding client relationships.  His arrival marks an exciting new phase in the further development of our client offering both in Leeds and in the national Financial Disputes and Regulation practice.

“Roger’s drive and commitment to his financial services clients has been consistently recognised in his career and mirrors the Gateley culture.  I am very pleased to welcome Roger to the team and very much look forward to growing the practice with him.”

Head of Office, Andrew Johnson said: “The Leeds office continues to go from strength to strength and Roger has joined us at the start of what will be another exciting year for our growth. We are continuing to demonstrate the commitment of Gateley to the region with the calibre of our people hires together with our support as Official Supplier of the Tour de Yorkshire 2019.”

Gateley’s Leeds office opened in 2012 with just six members of staff and has since grown to employ over 95 staff members at its Minerva House location in the heart of the city. Now the third largest office within the Gateley network, the team acts for businesses across the UK with a significant number of those world-class businesses being based in Yorkshire. Gateley was also recently named Yorkshire’s most active legal adviser by deal volume in the Experian MarketIQ M&A league table for 2018.

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Accountancy practice Murray Harcourt announces the promotion of Neil Potter to a new director-level role within the audit team.

Potter has been promoted from Senior Audit Manager to Audit Director. Having joined the team in 2014 from Baker Tilly, he has played a key role in the significant development of the audit team.

Audit Partner Steve Williams comments, “Neil’s technical experience and client-focused approach has played a key role in helping the team to deliver continued growth. Creating new senior roles is paramount to ensuring the existing high levels of client service are maintained, as well as providing the right support for the junior members of the team to develop their careers. We wish Neil all the success in his new role.”

The 20 strong audit team at Murray Harcourt continues to develop and structure itself to ensure it is well positioned to support both the future growth of the business and the objectives of new and existing clients.  This is reflected in another recent promotion in the team.  Andy Bristow, who has been promoted from Financial Reporting and Training Senior Manager to Audit Departmental Senior Manager, will have a greater level of responsibility in both running and training the team.

With offices in Leeds and London, Murray Harcourt offers a full range of financial services including audit and assurance; tax compliance and planning; advisory and business services; and corporate finance.

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St John’s Buildings chambers’ barrister, Lorraine Cavanagh, has been approved for appointment as Queen’s Counsel (QC) in the latest round of Silk appointments announced by the Lord Chancellor.

Cavanagh, who was called to the Bar in 2000, is an expert in complex children cases and also practices in the Court of Protection. She regularly acts in medical treatment cases for children and adults. Further, she practices in health and welfare matters in the Court of Protection, and conducts judicial review and Human Rights claims with a focus on community care provision and child rights.

Cavanagh is among 108 successful applicants to be appointed Silk this year, 30 of whom are women. The appointments are made by Her Majesty The Queen on the advice of the Lord Chancellor, David Gauke MP, following consideration by the independent Queen’s Counsel Selection Panel.

Cavanagh will formally become a Silk when she makes her declaration before the Lord Chancellor at the ceremony on 11 March 2019.

Richard Norton, Head of Chambers at St John’s Buildings, said: “With her track record of acting in complex children law cases, Lorraine has demonstrated superb knowledge and a longstanding dedication to the profession – she is truly deserving of the appointment.

“Lorraine is the fourth member of our Family team to become Silk. Her appointment adds further gravitas to our already outstanding group of Family Law barristers.”

Sir Alex Allan, Chair of the Selection Panel, said: “I am delighted at the announcement of the new silks. I congratulate each one of them. The selection process is a rigorous and demanding one. We collect confidential assessments from judges, fellow advocates and professional clients, who give freely of their time to provide evidence about an applicant’s demonstration of the competencies. Those applicants who are not filtered out following consideration of the assessments are then interviewed by two members of the Selection Panel, following which the whole Panel discuss all the evidence on each interviewed applicant.

“We remain concerned that the number of female applicants remains comparatively low, but I am pleased that of those women who did apply, over 60% were successful. I was also pleased to note that 18 BAME applicants were appointed, a record number.

“Each year, the Panel has the difficult task of identifying the truly excellent advocates. I am confident that those appointed today truly deserve to be Queen’s Counsel.”