People: Building Society appoints COO; Chase de Vere recruits in Leeds as it builds specialist team; and more

Martin Sims has joined Yorkshire-based Ecology Building Society as chief operating officer to lead the growth of the ethical finance specialist’s sustainable mortgage and savings operations as well as the development of the lender’s support for community-led housing.
 
Sims brings more than 30 years’ experience of retail banking and the building society sector. He joins Ecology from The Co-operative Bank where he held senior mortgage, distribution and network operations roles.

Previously he worked with Royal Bank of Scotland and HBOS. His appointment follows the recent retirement of George Haslem.
 
Paul Ellis, CEO of Ecology, said: “I am thrilled to welcome Martin to Ecology. His wide-ranging and comprehensive experience will be a major asset to the Society.
 
“This is a critical role as we develop and grow our sustainable lending as well as supporting our savings members.”
 
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Chase de Vere, the national firm of independent financial advisers, has completed the recruitment of a specialist team of seven business development consultants to work exclusively with medical professionals, which includes Toby Wilkinson who will be based from the Leeds office.
 
The consultants will work in hospitals and GP practices around the UK, developing relationships and providing tailored briefings and seminars. They will work hand-in-hand with Chase de Vere’s independent financial advisers.

Wilkinson was previously responsible for sales and marketing at an education technology company, having graduated with a degree in Biochemistry and joined the company originally on a graduate training programme.

Stephen Kavanagh, chief executive, says: “I am delighted that Toby and his team members have joined us. Between them they have vast experience in the medical market place.

“Our relationship with the British Medical Association is hugely important. We have increased our number of advisers who specialise in working with BMA members from 37 to 60 over the past year and we are still recruiting.

“I believe that the combination of having advisers with such extensive knowledge of the medical profession and their finances, combined with our independent advice proposition, provides a market-leading solution. With Toby and his team members having joined us, this will soon be available to even more medical professionals in and around Leeds.”

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Communications agency CreativeRace continues to develop the Leeds team by hiring Steve Rowe as design director.

Rowe will be responsible for overseeing the design outputs for clients including ASDA, Greggs, DFS and Coral.

He joins with more than 20 years’ experience in the design industry. Having previously worked in both full-service and design-specific agencies, his client experience includes Mamas & Papas, Arla, Aldi, Cloetta, Barclays and Akzo Nobel, with specialisms in branding, brand development and packaging.

For the past four years, Rowe held the role of creative director for Danish company, Agency Spring, based in the Manchester office.

Gordon Bethell, chairman of CreativeRace, said: “We’re all excited about the level of design direction experience Steve brings to the agency. We’re continually strengthening our team to ensure that clients receive outstanding work, and Steve’s extensive knowledge of design will really develop our creative offering.”