On the move: the latest East Midlands hires

An entrepreneur who started his business with help from enterprise agency Erewash Partnership has become its new chairman.

Ian Hopkinson, director of Derwent Analytics and Harlequin BPI, based on the Manners Industrial Estate, Ilkeston, has taken over from Simon Woods, managing director of educational equipment manufacturer TecQuipment.

Woods, whose company is based in Bonsall Street, Long Eaton, had been chairman for six years.

Hopkinson was employed for 17 years as a chemist, mainly at Celanese in Spondon. He recognised that the process he worked in was a shrinking market and that new technology was changing the situation, so he explored the possibilities and opportunities of setting up his own business, which he did 16 years ago.

“I leaned heavily on the Partnership because I needed skills to run Derwent Analytics that I did not have,” he said. “They encouraged me and were very helpful.”

Back row – Stephanie Hind, Louise Allen, Sarah Gowar, Tom Bollard, Ioanna-Maria Ioannou, Sharon Kaur; Front row – Chetan Ravalia, Lewis Aldridge

PKF Cooper Parry has made another raft of promotions at its East Midlands office.

In the East Midlands, which employs a 250 strong team, Jonathan Elsigood and Sally Spencer have been made Partners.

Elsigood has been with the Wealth team for eight years and also chairs its Wealth Investment Committee.

In his new role as partner, he will focus on managing the firm’s biggest client relationships and providing technical support and mentoring.

Spencer has been promoted to head of operations.

A number of senior promotions have been made across the Audit team, with Catherine Kelly appointed a director and Krishna Patel, Holly Parsons and Sarah Cann promoted to senior sssociates.

Also in the Audit team, Sarah Gower, Jayne Horsley, Lewis Aldridge have moved up to manager level 2 and Ioanna-Maria, Steph Hind and Laura Kiley have been promoted to manager level 1.

In the Tax team, Louise Allen has been promoted to manager 2 and Tom Bollard and Stacey Cannon are now manager level 1.

James McBain Allan has been promoted to manager in Corporate Finance, Chetan Ravalia is now an assistant manager in the Wealth team and Nick Ariss has been made manager in the IT Solutions team.