People: Development Director taken on for engineering and services firm; New recruits at university’s conference facilities; Head of Supply Chain announced; and more

NG Bailey’s Services division has strengthened its leadership team with the appointment of William Moss as development director for the Freedom business unit.

Moss’s role will include management of the business development team, providing direction and strategy to drive growth within NG Bailey’s core markets. He will focus on key emerging technologies, including major electric vehicle charging and battery storage.

Working in the Freedom Power business, run by David Rough, Moss will also provide operational leadership to the team serving the private high voltage electrical networks area of the business, and supporting the front-line teams delivering the developing areas of technology.

Rough, Managing Director Power, said: “The potential scale of these developing areas means that new connections to the electricity distribution network may be required. As a leading Independent Connection Provider, up to 132kV, it is important we keep a focus on our customers’ end-to-end requirements and William joining us in this capacity significantly enhances our offer.”

Moss joins NG Bailey from a UK subsidiary of Vinci Energies and began his career with an apprenticeship in high voltage engineering before going on to work in power engineering and process engineering industries.

His previous experience includes roles at National Grid, Murphy Group and WSP. He has worked on major infrastructure projects in the UK and internationally in Africa, Europe and the Middle East.

Speaking about his new role, he said: “NG Bailey is already a sector leader but in a competitive market we must ensure we continue to deliver and be the ‘go-to’ company for both existing clients and new ones. I’m excited about the opportunity to lead a first-class team and look forward to driving continued growth.”

Peter Jones, Managing Director of NG Bailey’s Services division, added: “From our first meeting with William it was clear that both our vision and values were aligned. This appointment strengthens our team and will help us to continue to grow.”

In his spare time William is an experienced climber and also enjoys kayaking.

NG Bailey is a national engineering and services business, with bases across Yorkshire.

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MEETinLEEDS, the conference facilities for the University of Leeds, has confirmed two new appointments to its sales and marketing department.

The conference facilities have welcomed back Emma Broadhurst, who has re-joined the business in her role as Business Development Officer, following her previous post in Business Development at Leeds City Council’s conference bureau, ConferenceLeeds.

Her latest job will involve the delivery of a proactive sales strategy and supporting University academics in attracting large national and international association conference business to the university, strengthening its position as a world-class conference and events destination.

Broadhurst’s experience within the business, as well as her in-depth knowledge of the industry, will enable MEETinLEEDS to harness and enhance the strengths of the university. She will work alongside academic and professional service teams to showcase these strengths on a global scale.

Also reinforcing the team is 25-year-old Hannah Morris, who has joined MEETinLEEDS as Digital Marketing Executive.

Previously employed as Digital Content Officer at the Royal Armouries Museum, as well as graduating from the University of Leeds with a degree in Cultural History, Morris has a wealth of knowledge within the conferencing and events industry.

As Digital Marketing Executive, she will be involved in creating content, managing social media channels and delivering e-mail marketing communications, as well as working on design, photography and videography.

Harriet Boatwright, Sales and Marketing Manager at MEEDSinLEEDS, said: “We’re delighted to be welcoming Hannah to the team and Emma back to the team.

“Harnessing the university’s strengths, their appointments will help to further profile the stature of the university and we look forward to seeing them progress and excel individually and as part of the team.”

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Kerfoot, a Northallerton-headquartered Avril Group company and supplier of refined and specialty oils for the global food and personal care markets, has strengthened its logistics and customer service functions with a senior appointment.

Mike Adamson has joined as Head of Supply Chain and is responsible for overseeing the planning of logistics, order processing and customer service to maximise Kerfoot’s process efficiency and productivity. The role is designed to deliver structural change in the company’s approach to Sales and Operations Planning (S&OP).

Adamson will work with a number of teams to drive client service excellence and will follow the process of orders through the business in order to enhance Kerfoot’s supply chain expertise, offering customers more agility, fast response and flexibility in delivery.

Sarah Bradley, Kerfoot Chief Executive, said: “We are delighted to welcome Mike to the Kerfoot team.

His experience in supply chain management and S&OP development will be crucial in further developing our supply chain performance. He will bring a huge boost to our customers’ service, delivering an effective production plan from an operations perspective and enabling the team to fulfill requirements in the most efficient manner.”

Along with pharmaceutical, medical device and food sector experience, Adamson has worked within the microbiology industry. He moved into manufacturing and then onto supply chain, focusing on the development of a Sales and Operational Planning process, joining the Cardinal Health Lean Six Sigma black belt operational excellence program, where he learned a range of continuous improvement tools and techniques.

Adamson’s first major objective at Kerfoot includes launching a full S&OP process, with the aim of building a world-class supply chain and delivering excellence in customer service.

He said: “The Kerfoot Group is an exciting business with a definite focus on continuous improvement, which is what attracted me to the role.

“I am looking forward to bringing my experience to the team and working with all functions of the business as the company moves through the development phase into delivery.”

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Leeds Rhinos have announced that businessman and lifelong fan, Andrew Thirkill, will become the club’s new president, succeeding Harry Jepson who died in 2016.

Thirkill will become only the seventh president in the club’s 129 history dating back to the formation of the club in 1890 when John Gordon Jnr was the first president. He was part of the group of local businessmen who were instrumental in the purchase of Lot 17A, now known as Emerald Headingley Stadium.

Raised in Meanwood, Thirkill has supported the club since he was nine-years-old, coming to watch his first game in the South Stand with his father in 1968.

He started his own marketing agency in 1981 and in 2004 launched Age Partnership, a financial services broker based in Leeds. In 2011 he set up Pure Retirement, a mortgage lender.  Through the Age Partnership Charitable Foundation he has supported the work of Leeds Rhinos Foundation and has worked with the club on their recent heritage projects.

Speaking about the invitation from the Leeds CF&A Co Board to become president, Thirkill said: “I am unbelievably proud to become the president of this great club. It was not expected at all, but I am delighted to have the honour of representing the Rhinos and following in the footsteps of the late Harry Jepson OBE.

“I remember coming to watch my first game on 24th April 1968. It was a Championship play-off game against Wigan and although we lost that day I fell in love with the club. My father got me a season ticket when I was about 12 and I have watched Leeds every year since. I stood in the South Stand until about 1990 and then moved to the North Stand. I have owned my own business since I was 22 and there are pressures that come with this – coming to the rugby has always been my release.

“My first Leeds final was the Championship Final victory of 1969 against Castleford at Odsal, I can remember this and every final since, except the first Grand Final in 1998 which was missed, the only one in 50 years.

“There have been so many great players over the years.  Syd Hynes was fantastic and my favourite player of all time was Mick Shoebottom.  Garry Schofield was another unbelievable player for us and then the Golden Generation in recent years, which produced so many fantastic players: Kevin Sinfield, Rob Burrow, Jamie Peacock and Jamie Jones-Buchanan are just a few.”

From an early age Thirkill has been a keen collector of rugby memorabilia and is the owner of an impressive collection that includes every home programme dating back to 1912 along with winners’ medals and playing shirts.

“Heritage is something I am passionate about and it is important to celebrate those who have come before, as the club wouldn’t be where it is today without them,” he said.

“I am humbled to be associated with the club because the people who have invited me to take this role, Paul Caddick and Gary Hetherington, have transformed this club and its history forever.

“With the new stadium development now complete we have the luxury of a world-class venue and alongside the men’s team we also now have a successful women’s team. It was wonderful to see the Wheelchair, Physical Disability and Learning Disability Rugby League teams go from strength to strength this year.  This is an exciting time to be part of the club and I am honoured and privileged to play a role in it.

“Through the Leeds Rhinos Foundation, the Rhinos do incredible work to support the community and inspire children and adults. The business I am involved in, Age Partnership, has its own charitable foundation and we have supported the great work the Leeds Rhinos Foundation do. The club is much more than the games on the pitch, it means so much to so many people in our great city.

“I’ll do my best in my little way to make sure the club is represented in the right way.  Leeds Rhinos are the role models of Rugby League in my opinion. We always do things properly as a club, respecting our place in the game and do what we need to do in the community.”

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One Stop Business Finance, the East Yorkshire-based alternative funding specialist for SMEs, has appointed John Brown as Operations and Risk Director.

Bringing more than 20 years’ experience in the commercial finance market, Brown takes up his role at One Stop Business Finance after nearly a decade in the restructuring department at Royal Bank of Scotland, prior to which he worked in corporate finance.

In his new role, he will work closely with One Stop’s Business Development Managers to minimise risk on new lending and help ensure clients are provided with the funding solutions that best meet their needs.

He joins One Stop Business Finance at a time when it is enjoying sustained growth, with its lending book increasing by around 80% year-on-year. This is driven by increased new lending to clients across numerous market sectors, including property development, house building, retail and engineering who require faster decision-making and greater flexibility from their lender.

Brown said: “I’m delighted to be joining the One Stop Business Finance team and to be part of what is set to be an exciting future as the market grows for alternative and innovative methods of business funding.

“With a focus on providing tailored, secured funding to SMEs from a wide range of sources, including from One Stop’s own funds, I’m looking forward to being able to provide our clients with bespoke solutions that larger finance providers are often unable to do.”

Andrew Mackenzie, One Stop Business Finance’s Managing Director, said: “Our foundations are built on doing the deals that traditional banks won’t do, for whatever reason, and that ethos remains at our core today.

“With our talented team now strengthened by John’s appointment, and a UK-wide team of highly experienced Business Development Managers, we have a great depth of expertise that ensures we can be extremely adaptable to client needs and provide funding solutions whatever their situation.”

Based near York, One Stop Business Finance provides secured loans from its own funding and through its network of finance providers for SME clients. The company works to find tailored solutions for an SME’s particular circumstances, taking clients through a process to identify the most suitable and cost effective options.

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Armstrong Watson LLP, Accountants, Business and Financial Advisers have announced that Nicki Hutchinson has joined the Northallerton team as Accounting Senior Manager.

She will play an important role in the development of Armstrong Watson’s services to family and owner managed businesses throughout North Yorkshire and the Tees Valley.

Hutchinson has extensive experience across the industry, qualifying as a Chartered Accountant in 1992 and then working as an audit manager before progressing into tax, achieving accreditation as a Chartered Tax Adviser in 2011.

With her broad ranging, cross service knowledge, she is able to offer advice and support to clients in both their accountancy and tax affairs. Her experience spans a wide variety of sectors but with a particular focus on small landed estates and agricultural businesses.

Commenting on her appointment, Hutchinson said: “I am excited to join Armstrong Watson’s growing and ambitious Northallerton Team. Having researched the firm, I was particularly drawn to the firm’s strong culture and values of passion, honest, humanity and trust – which they have proven to exemplify both internally and externally.

“There are some fantastic businesses across the region and I look forward to providing them with the quality of advice and support they deserve.”

Peter Molyneux, Armstrong Watson Northallerton’s Lead Partner, said: “We are delighted that Nicki has agreed to join the Armstrong Watson team in Northallerton.

“Nicki’s wide ranging capabilities and extensive experience will ensure we can continue to meet the needs of our clients and to help them grow and prosper. We are certain her straight forward approach to accountancy and tax advice will prove invaluable.”

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Leeds-based marketing specialist Fox Agency has expanded its digital team with the appointment of a Head of Digital and a Social Media Executive.

Luke Cope joins after spending two years on his own content and influencer marketing service, where he worked on clients including Siemens, Topman, Fircroft and Jack’s Flight Club. Prior to this, he spent four years as Content Marketing Manager at Quba.

As Head of Digital at Fox Agency he will run an ever-growing team of digital marketing specialists and content creators.

Mary Carr has joined as Social Media Executive after six years in London most recently with agency We Are Spider, where she was Senior Content Executive working with brands such as Peperami, FedEx and Tyrrells.

Both will be working on Fox Agency clients including Brother, Total, Pagid, Mabey, JET, Fellowes, Bearing Point and more.

Al Fox, Director at Fox Agency, said: “As a truly integrated agency, a strong digital specialism is increasingly vital to deliver effective campaigns for our clients. We’re delighted to bring Luke and Mary on-board as they have some great experience with some really high-profile brands, combined with an inherent passion for all things digital.”

Cope said: “Fox Agency has some world-leading brands on its books for which it delivers excellent campaigns and results. I’m excited to join this ambitious agency and look forward to further bolstering its digital offering and growing the team with the addition of even more specialists over the coming months.”