On the move: the latest East Midlands hires
Accounting and advisory firm PKF Smith Cooper has expanded its internal training and development team, as former audit manager Qais Hussain steps into the new role of learning and development executive.
Having worked in audit for six years, Hussain is a qualified accountant with a bachelor’s degree in accounting and finance.
His career began at Derby-based PKF Smith Cooper in 2018 and he went on to work for two other Midlands accounting firms, before realising his real passion lay in supporting and training team members.
As learning and development executive, Hussain will support trainees in achieving their academic goals and become their day-to-day point of contact for any assistance they need.
Selma Delic, operations partner, said: “Our people are our greatest strength and vital to the future growth of the company. Several of the partners at PKF Smith Cooper, including myself, began their careers here as trainees, so helping our team to develop, progress and gain their qualifications has always been important to us. Investing in our dedicated Learning and Development Team is fundamental to our commitment to nurturing homegrown talent as our firm contains to expand.”
Emma Lesley, learning and development manager, said: “We’re thrilled to be welcoming Qais to the Learning and Development Team. His first-hand experience of qualifying as an accountant and working in audit means he can relate to our trainees and the challenges that come with juggling work and study. I’m sure Qais will be a great asset to the team.”
Hussain said: “I am excited to be re-joining the PKFSC team and to be part of its growth. I look forward to working closely with the various service lines, to support the learning and development needs of their teams. I am ready to start this new journey in my career, starting with welcoming the new graduates and apprentices who will be joining PKF Smith Cooper in September.”
Property developer, Clowes Developments has strengthened its team with the appointment of Jenny McCrea, a graduate from Nottingham Trent University.
McCrea applied for the graduate surveyor position at Clowes in line with finishing her degree in property development and planning where she obtained a 2:1.
She will be working with the land and planning and development team in a hybrid role giving her a insight into both departments.
Jenny McCrea
Tom Morley, surveyor in the land and planning team, said: “We are delighted to welcome Jenny to the team. Jenny will be supporting two departments which are closely linked in the lifecycle of a typical Clowes project. Namely, she will be assisting on the delivery of a brand-new site, Pleasley Hill in Mansfield, Nottingham along with progressing existing sites through planning and onwards.
“As a local graduate, I wanted to find a company where I would fit in and feel part of a team. I took a look at the website and noticed Clowes have a healthy mix of employees and a culture which would allow someone like me to thrive and grow as a young surveyor. The head office at Ednaston Park is beautiful, who wouldn’t want to work in that environment.
“Additionally, I noticed some great opportunities which most graduates could only dream of being involved in. Fairham is an exciting project, 606-acres of mixed-use development opportunities and a desire by Clowes and Homes England to nurture a brand-new neighbourhood from scratch. It’s a relatively small team at Clowes, so it’s all hands-on deck, that really appealed to me.”
