On the move: the latest East Midlands hires

An experienced commercial lawyer has joined Nelsons, increasing the firm’s expertise in technology and commerce.
Simon Gill joins Nelsons having spent around six years at the University of Nottingham as part of its in-house legal team.
Gill specialises in commercial contracts, drafting and negotiating agreements, including software licensing and development, software as a service (SaaS) arrangements, and e-commerce contracts.
He also advises on cross-border data transfers using international data transfer agreements, data protection compliance issues and data privacy policies.
Gill said: “I’ve always had an interest in technology and IT, and during my time at the University, I had the opportunity to work on major IT projects and even did a twelve-month secondment with the IT team. From this, I learned a lot about what IT professionals and providers require.
“I was looking for an opportunity to work with a wider range of clients and utilise my expertise in the IT and commerce sector. I work closely with the corporate team, which has seen growth in these industries, and use my knowledge and experience to better service our clients. Nelsons has a fantastic reputation and a clear strategy for growth. Colleagues are very supportive and welcoming, and there’s a clear passion to work hard and help each other and our clients, which makes for a great working environment.”
Emma Toes, partner and head of the Nelsons’ intellectual property and commercial team, said: “We’re thrilled to have Simon as part of the team. His vast experience in the tech and commerce space will help strengthen our commercial services throughout the East Midlands and beyond.
“His skillset and previous experience, particularly dealing with software licensing, contracts and data protection matters, will help to support the work that we do. In this short time with us, Simon has already been a huge benefit to Nelsons, and we look forward to seeing him grow in this role.”
Leicestershire-based health and safety risk management specialist, Finch Consulting, has announced the appointment of Richard Bowen.
Bowen has over two decades of experience in the oil and gas, defence and manufacturing industries including being a health & safety director for COMAH sites in the UK and EHS lead for large oil and gas capital projects in Central Asia.
He will be joining Finch as a senior consultant to help build their health & safety and process safety capabilities.
Richard Bowen
Bowen said: “I was impressed by everyone I met at Finch, they have a unique blend of talent that I felt I could fit right in with. Being able to utilise my experience and skills, as well as learning some new ones, in such a dynamic and vibrant community of EHS practitioners is very exciting.
“I plan to play a part in helping the business to achieve its growth plans and hopefully help to develop new opportunities at the same time. On a personal note, I am a passionate learner and look forward to continuing my professional development by learning from the vast expertise that exists within the Finch team.”
Dom Barraclough, managing director, said: “We expect Rich’s arrival to bring new opportunities for our community. He is well-connected and respected and will work with other consultants to build and promote our Health and Safety capability. His assistance to Tristan (Pulford, Capability Director) in developing our Process Safety capability will be invaluable.”