People: Accountancy and advisory firm appoints MD; Corporate finance team expands; Promotions at law firm’ and more

Accountancy and advisory firm Hentons is accelerating its national expansion plans with the appointment Peter Watson as managing director.

Watson led legal firm Simpson Millar between 1996 and 2017 over which time the firm grew to become a top 75 national firm with 500 employees across 13 offices.

Hentons has supported its national ambitions with recent mergers with London practice C. C. Panayi & Co LLP and investment in offices in Sheffield, York and Thirsk.

Peter Watson, managing director at Hentons, said: “Hentons has ambitious plans to become a sizeable national operator and I aim to bring my years of practical experience and contacts to ensuring the firm grows by attracting the best people and delivering first-class client service. Having led a significant number of acquisitions during my time at Simpson Millar, I also hope to be able to support the team at Hentons both with integrating the national office network and driving future growth for the business.

“With further acquisitions planned it is important to ensure we maintain the same partner-led culture that has made Hentons a success to date. We are also continuing to invest in technology to improve customer service and efficiency across the business.”

Hentons now has a team of over 100 across five offices focusing on business advisory, audit, accounts, tax planning and wealth management. The firm has invested in new technology and grown its tax operation to help support a growing client base and the changes under the government’s ‘Making Tax Digital’ (MTD) plans.

Nadeem Ahmed, the managing partner of Hentons, said: “We started a recruitment plan last year to add additional strength into our strategic growth and to bring on board a national partner to assist in the integration of our offices, partners and teams and ensure that all our offices become full Henton’s service offices. Peter brings a wealth of experience that I am sure will accelerate our growth plans.”

Hentons supports the development of its clients’ businesses with a partner-led and multi-disciplinary range of skills and consultancy services. Clients benefit from a sector-led approach that ensures fresh thinking and constructive challenges with a practical understanding of the issues they face.

:::

Robyn Thompson has joined Lupton Fawcett’s corporate finance team in York to assist with the growing number of instructions being received by the department.

Thompson will be working alongside partner, Martin Frost, and provide assistance across a variety of corporate matters, including the acquisition and disposal of companies, drafting of shareholders’ agreements and articles of association, share buy-backs, reductions of capital, incorporations and group re-organisations.

Thompson said: “When the position became available, I saw this as a fantastic opportunity to work with a high-profile law firm with an excellent reputation in the area.

“Martin is very well-known and respected in York and I am delighted to be joining his team.”

Frost said: “I am delighted to welcome Robyn to the team. We have had an incredibly busy year and completed a number of substantial corporate transactions. Robyn’s arrival brings additional strength and capacity to the department to provide an even better service to our clients. Robyn has already established herself as a valuable member of the team. She has an excellent knowledge of the law and will get on extremely well with clients old and new.”

Managing partner, Jonathan Oxley, added: “The York office is performing really well, resulting in us strengthening a number of departments. In addition to Robyn, we have recently made several other appointments across the York office, and will be creating further opportunities to cater for the increase in instructions being received across all departments.”

:::

Sheffield-based Future Life Wealth Management has appointed a new financial planning administrator.

Tracey Townsend joins Future Life from a Derby-based financial management company, where she was HR and accounts administrator.

Originally from Cape Town in South Africa, Tracey now lives in Chesterfield. She has also worked for the Institute for Actuaries and has diplomas in HR management and as a legal secretary.

Future Life managing director Jillian Thomas, said: “Tracey is a fantastic addition to the team and will help us continue to give a great service to our clients.

“Her appointment is all part of our growth plan, which has seen our turnover increase by more than 40 per cent in the last year.”

Townsend said: “I am delighted to be joining such a well-regarded company at such a great time. The future at Future Life looks really exciting.”

Future Life Wealth Management is based in Renishaw and offers a bespoke financial planning service to generators and receivers of wealth.

It has been listed in the New Model Advisor Top 100, a national list of the top financial planners, every year since 2013.

:::

Law firm Rollits has made three promotions at its Hull office. Effective this month, the promotions have seen James Peel, David White and Libby Clarkson work their way up after joining the firm as trainees.

A former president of the Hull and District Junior Lawyers Division (2009-2011), commercial and IP specialist Peel has been promoted to Partner after joining Rollits as a trainee in 2008. His promotion takes the total number of partners at the firm to 22.

Specialising in commercial work, Peel is experienced in commercial contracts, website terms and conditions, advice in relation to trademarks, copyright and other intellectual property rights, as well as data protection. He routinely advises the firm’s education sector clients on compliance with funding rules, drafts contracts for education subcontractor arrangements and negotiates contracts for providers.

Commercial and IP specialist White, also based in Hull, has been promoted to Associate after joining the firm as a trainee in 2011 and working in the commercial team since he qualified in 2013.

His work includes advising on commercial matters such as terms and conditions, commercial agency agreements, distribution agreements, contract manufacture arrangements and advising on intellectual property law. He also advises clients in relation to data protection issues.

Clarkson, a planning and development specialist, has been promoted to Associate Solicitor after joining the firm as a trainee in 2012.

A Legal Associate of the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI), Clarkson works on planning and development matters including advising on planning applications, objections and planning law, buying and selling land for development, drafting infrastructure agreements and development agreements. Libby is also part of the Education and Charities teams and advises on a variety of property and planning issues for clients in these sectors.

Ralph Gilbert, Managing Partner at Rollits, said: “I’m delighted to see James, David and Libby take their next career steps and I congratulate them all on their well-deserved promotions. They are all excellent to work with, are valued by their colleagues and our clients alike and will continue to play an important part in the success of our firm. It is promotions such as these which demonstrate our commitment to investing in our people and supporting their ambitions and development, helping us to not only retain talent in our firm, but in the region.

“We have always strived to create a place of opportunity and to recruit the right people from the start in the hope they will enjoy a long and rewarding career with us. These promotions are testament to that and it’s a great pleasure to be able to reward their efforts, not only to the firm’s ongoing growth, but their own hard work, dedication and excellence.”

With offices in Hull and York, Rollits is a commercial law firm with specialist private client capabilities. Highly regarded as a commercial practice, Rollits works with a range of businesses from major PLCs, education providers, private companies and substantial charitable organisations and institutions.

Click here to sign up to receive our new South West business news...
Close