Appointments: Squire Patton Boggs, Town Centre Securities; Bond Dickinson; IoD; BBC Radio 5Live

DEALMAKER Colin Stirling has joined Squire Patton Boggs as a senior business advisor.

He joins from private equity fund manager Sprint Capital where he was a partner, with more than 20 years’ experience after qualifying as an accountant with KPMG.

He moved into corporate finance, then worked for NatWest Ventures and Aberdeen Asset Managers Private Equity.

After that, he helped undertake two management buy-outs to create private equity fund managers Bridgepoint and Spirit Capital.

Squire Patton Boggs only last month moved into new offices at 6 Wellington Place.

Leeds private equity partner, Jonathan Jones, said: “Colin is a very successful and highly regarded private equity professional. We have worked alongside him on numerous transactions and have witnessed first-hand the strength of his relationships in this market and his deal-doing nous. He will be a tremendous asset to the firm and our clients.”

Mr. Stirling said: “This newly-created role, which will involve the coordination of the firm’s private equity strategy in the regional markets, not only plays to my strengths, but also provides a new and different environment for me to work with one of the market’s leading law firms. I am very much looking forward to playing a part in developing their business further, supporting the private equity partners and passing on my knowledge to their younger lawyers.”

Jane Haxby, EMEA head of the Global Corporate Practice, commented: “We have a very successful regional Corporate Practice, with a long-standing client base and strong track record in private equity.

The UK-based Corporate team has over 60 lawyers across four offices in London, Leeds, Birmingham and Manchester.

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TWO appointments to the Merrion Centre’s management team have been made by Town Centre Securities (TCS).

Darren Brookes has been hired as operations manager and James Broughton as marketing manager.  

Mr Brookes will head up a team of 28 and is responsible for the daily operation of the centre, TCS’s single largest asset which comprises of retail and leisure units, offices and a multi-storey car park.

Mr Brookes has almost 20 years’ experience in the property industry, and joins from ECO Facilities Management where he was responsible for the delivery of operations nationally for a mixed range of properties including commercial, retail and residential.

Mr Broughton will lead on all marketing, PR and promotional activity for the Merrion Centre and has been tasked with working closely with tenants to attract new customers and enhance the overall visitor experience. With over 10 years’ senior marketing experience, Mr Broughton joins the centre from Leeds Bradford Airport, and will be devising and implementing marketing activity to support its business partners in driving footfall and sales.

The Merrion Centre also welcomes its newest tenant this month, JR’s Barbershop, a traditional barbershop with a Middle Eastern twist. The business, which has been trading in Leeds for six years, is relocating to a 543 sq ft unit at the centre from Great George Street.

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ELIZABETH GRANT has been appointed by The Institute of Directors (IoD) as branch ambassador for North Yorkshire, representing Hambleton and Ryedale.
 
The newly-launched ambassador network consists of high-profile business leaders who represent and promote the IoD in their area and grow the region’s voice on national policy matters.

Ms Grant is an entrepreneur with business interests in transport, food, agriculture and land. She set up her own business selling equestrian goods and importing animal feed in her early 20s before moving into the veterinary industry working with private practice and blue chip companies to implement growth strategies.

When the Food Standards Agency tendered for vets to be placed into abattoirs for animal welfare and public health, Ms Grant became the UK’s largest contractor with 200 staff. Today, she remains a major shareholder, manages a property portfolio and acts as a management consultant.

She said: “I’m look forward to contributing to the success of the IoD. As an ambassador, I want to encourage more business leaders to benefit from our influence and support.”

Other IoD branch ambassadors include Caroline Pullich, who leads Barclays Business and Corporate Bank in West Yorkshire and North Yorkshire director Peter Wilkinson.

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LAW firm Bond Dickinson has promoted Jackie Gray to project and procurement partner in its Leeds office.

Ms Gray specialises in public sector projects, public law and information law.

She has acted on a variety of PPP/PFI projects, predominantly in the local government sector with experience in leisure, education, energy and social housing and has significant experience advising public and private sector clients on freedom of information and data protection issues.

Her promotion further strengthens the firm’s growing presence in the Yorkshire local authority market.

Jonathan Blair, managing partner at Bond Dickinson, said: “We’re delighted to promote Jackie to partner. We are committed to promoting within the firm wherever possible, as well as bringing in strategic lateral hires where it fits with what our clients need. Jackie has demonstrated that she supports the firm’s vision for growth and its values through her hard work and commitment to providing an excellent service to our clients.” 

In addition to this promotion the Leeds office has also appointed Julia Field who joins as a real estate partner from Shulmans. The firm currently has 84 people in its Leeds office, one of eight offices across the UK.
 

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FORMER BBC Radio Leeds managing editor Rozina Breen has been appointed head of news for BBC Radio 5 Live.

She is currently editor, DigiHub, BBC World News, based in London, but will move to MediaCityUK for her new role.

She replaces Stephen Mawhinney.