People: Cowens Group; Biovate Hygienics
Mansfield-based insurance broker Cowens Survival Capability has promoted three senior managers to director level.
Declan Shaw, Mark Wilson and Karl Sutcliffe have joined the board as the business looks to future proof its offering ahead of its 50th anniversary next year.
Shaw joined Cowens Survival Capability at the age of 16 as a trainee broker, before working his way up to account executive level.
Wilson has worked in insurance for over 30 years and has spent over 12 years at Cowens. He was appointed sales director in 2017.
Sutcliffe is one of Cowens’ longest standing employees, joining the business in 2000 when he was 19. He was made broking manager in 2011 and broking director in 2017.
Paul Chaplin, managing director of Cowens Survival Capability, said: “High quality, independent, commercial Insurance Brokers are becoming something of an endangered species as technology becomes more dominant within the industry. Cowens Group will be 50 years old next year and these new Board appointments will further strengthen our position in continuing to deliver high quality, impartial advice and insurance products into the future, where the only driver is the client’s best interests.
“I’m delighted that we have been able to promote from within our own team and am excited about the future with Declan, Mark and Karl at the helm.”
Cowens Survival Capability is part of the Cowens Group.
Northamptonshire-based start-up Biovate Hygienics has announced a trio of new hires.
The sustainable cleaning products manufacturer has appointed Kierran Bates, Jenny Barrett and Nadia Winstone to help propel it to the next stage of growth.
Bates initially joined the company in an office-based support position with a view to developing into a sales role.
Barrett brings decades of sales and industry experience to the firm. She will focus on business development with Biovate’s national food service partner, Bidfood.
Strategic account manager Winstone has managed a number of businesses and previously worked as a dietician for the NHS.
Kierran Bates, Jenny Barrett & Nadia Winstone
Biovate boss Nick Winstone said: “Biovate Hygienics continues to grow, with sales in the first six months of over 150,000 cases. To attract and retain talent we take a fairly unconventional recruitment approach, by looking externally and internally at the industry to secure the right people to support this growth.
“What has allowed us to grow from start up to over 24,000 cases a month in six months, is the calibre of people in our team, who are incredibly agile and multi-talented.
“To ensure we continue to support this growth, we look at the people, their skill sets and how they will fit into the team’s culture, first and foremost. With Jenny’s depth of industry knowledge, as well as Kierran and Nadia’s diverse backgrounds and skillsets, we’re really excited about these fantastic additions to the team.”
