On the move: the latest East Midlands hires
Allison Homes has announced the appointment of James Pennington as group partnership and investment director.
James Pennington brings a wealth of experience from his career in the housing sector. His previous roles at Crest Nicholson, Abri Group, and Thames Valley Housing Association have provided him with insights and a unique perspective on both private house builders and registered providers (RPs).
He said: “I am very excited to be joining the Allison Homes team. The company’s ambition to grow in the partnership sector, combined with the quality of the team is what attracted me. I believe with my experience of both private house builders and RPs, I can add value to how we approach all partnerships and with our private equity backing, there is the financial capability to realise this ambition.”
John Anderson, chief executive of Allison Group, said: “We are delighted to welcome James to Allison Homes. His extensive experience and knowledge in the partnership and investment sectors make him a vital member of our team. We are all looking forward to working with James as we embark on our exciting next chapter.”
Ballyhoo PR, a public relations and copywriting business in Lamport, has added a new senior PR and content executive to its team.
Linda McKeown
Linda McKeown joins Ballyhoo PR from Weetabix and brings with her more than 25 years of magazine journalism and communications experience accumulated in a wide range of industries including beauty, food and drink, manufacturing and property.
Career highlights have included working on a campaign with actress Tamzin Outhwaite for Avon and launching Quick Bite, a magazine for the fast food industry, which was stocked in WHSmith and subsequently acquired by another publisher. Most recently, Linda has developed and executed an internal communications plan for more than 1,000 employees at cereal giant Weetabix, during the implementation of a new, multi-million-pound warehouse management IT system.
In her new role at Ballyhoo PR, McKeown will be helping to produce a business magazine, crafting press releases, articles and blogs, and securing press coverage for a range of clients.
Emma Speirs, director of Ballyhoo PR, said: “I’m pleased to announce Linda’s appointment and welcome her to Ballyhoo PR. She will be a huge asset to the team and brings so much experience to the business that will be of real benefit to so many of our clients operating in the sectors Linda has previously worked in.”
McKeown said: “I recently joined the Ballyhoo team as Senior PR and Content Executive and have already been made to feel like part of the team. I’m excited to be able to contribute to helping spread the word about the fabulous SMEs we support. There’s also great flexibility in the role, with hybrid working in place. I especially love our days in the office. It’s great to get together and collaborate as a team.”
