People: The Access Group; Russell Scanlan; Optima UK

Loughborough business management software provider, The Access Group, has announced the appointment of a new non-executive director.

Shruthi Chindalur joins the board, bringing experience in software and hardware in big tech, SaaS and adtech, having worked with businesses of all sizes and industries both across EMEA and the Americas.

Currently executive managing director at advertising giant Criteo where she leads EMEA and its Global Indirect channels, Chindalur also spent several years at LinkedIn and technology corporation Oracle in a number of commercial focused roles.

She said: “This new role presents an exciting challenge for me. Technology for mid-market businesses is undergoing a fundamental change and The Access Group is at the forefront of this. Technology is helping businesses to recover and it is helping them to achieve growth, so whichever way you look at it, we have a pivotal role to play.

“I have been working with small and medium-sized businesses across EMEA and the Americas for two decades and I look forward to drawing on that experience to help The Access Group to further grow its client base in that market. I’ll be working with the board to continue thinking big, to continue to set the industry standard and to continue putting customers at the heart of everything we do.”

Noel Marriott

Nottingham insurance broker Russell Scanlan has appointed a new senior executive to its team.

Noel Marriott has moved from Mansfield based AIPS.

He said: “I have in fact an existing connection to Russell Scanlan. Director, Simon Winiarski was my mentor back in the very early days of my career at a previous insurance broker and we have kept in touch ever since.

“The business has always been front of mind for me. Russell Scanlan has a great reputation and is widely known as a forward-thinking modern broker with traditional values when it comes to client servicing, and that’s a really good fit for me. The fact that it serves a wide range of clients across multiple sectors from construction to the motor trade is an added draw. Its independent status also means that it is pretty nimble as a business and able to respond quickly to new issues and to new developments in the industry.

“Also, my wife Joanne joined the team back in November 2020 as Commercial Manager and now as President of Nottingham Insurance Institute. Jo has nothing but positive feedback to share about the Directors at Russell Scanlan who are a very present and positive force within the business. So, when this opportunity came up it was an easy decision for me.”

Jazz Mann

Optima UK, the training, recruitment, and business advice consultancy has appointed Jazz Mann to lead its engineering division.

Mann joined Optima more than three years ago, utilising his own extensive background in recruitment and in a range of industries, including finance and automotive.

Following his promotion, he will lead a team of recruitment specialists across areas such as automotive, space, and aerospace.

Larraine Boorman, chief executive of Optima, said: “Jazz is a bright character at Optima, leading by example and inspiring others to reach their own potential.

“I’m delighted that we have been able to promote from within, and I look forward to seeing him work to grow an exciting division that is already very well established nationally and internationally helping people into roles that make a difference to the range of companies we work with.”