On the move: the latest East Midlands hires

East Midlands law firm Howes Percival has announced nine senior promotions across its offices, including the appointment of three new partners: Hannah Ball, Alishia Marrocco and Gary Pitt.

Alongside the partner promotions, Louise Hunt, Stephen Ruse and Will Taylor have been made Legal directors, while Sobia Ahmad, Stephanie Millerchip and Aimee Newton have been promoted to senior associate roles.

Geraint Davies, Howes Percival’s Chairman said: “Huge congratulations to everyone on their promotions. I think the whole team at Howes Percival has made an enormous contribution over the last 12 months, so while we celebrate the specific landmark of a promotion, we also recognise the hard work, dedication, and invaluable contribution everyone has made.

“We continue to invest in our people, our technology and our offices, to make Howes Percival a great place to work and develop your career. That means upgrading our offices as we have done in Leicester and Cambridge recently, to create fantastic, modern working environments. But it also means creating opportunities for personal development. By opening three new offices in the last 10 years, we have built new teams and created opportunities across the firm both in terms of promotion and brand-new jobs at every level within Howes Percival.”

Hannah Ball, based in Leicester, specialises in employment law, including tribunal claims and workplace disputes.

Alishia Marrocco, in Northampton, focuses on family law, from divorce and child arrangements to domestic violence cases.

Gary Pitt, also in Leicester, works on commercial litigation, including contract disputes and employment-related injunctions.

At director level, Louise Hunt will continue to develop the family services team in Leicester, Stephen Ruse works in IP, IT and digital commerce in Northampton, and Will Taylor focuses on corporate law, also in Northampton.

Aerocom (UK), a Nottingham-based specialist in pneumatic tube systems, has appointed two new business development managers following a period of continued growth.

The company has welcomed graduates Ritika Sabharwal and Dan Lalli to support rising sales across its expanding product lines and to help manage its growing customer base. Their arrival coincides with Aerocom’s 25th anniversary this month.

Ritika Sabharwal and Dan Lalli

Managing Director Tom Hughes said: “Our decision a few years ago to diversify our product range beyond pneumatic tube systems has paid off. The manufacturing, healthcare and logistics sectors are particularly ramping up their employment of robotics systems throughout their operations, so we’ve seen significant growth in the area.

“Our unique Stixx Advanced Pro fire suppression device has proved to be a real game-changer for our business, which has forced us to expand our workforce, including the sales team. I’m delighted to welcome Ritika and Dan on board and I wish them both every success with Aerocom (UK).”

Sabharwal, 23, studied biomedical sciences at the University of Hertfordshire and has experience in both NHS and private pathology labs, as well as part-time sales roles, including in her family’s retail business.

She said: “Joining Aerocom has been an exciting step for me. It’s a role that allows me to combine my scientific background with my passion for people and communication. I’m especially excited about the potential of our innovative fire safety solutions to make a real difference in people’s lives.”

Lalli, 27, previously worked in tech and software sales in London and has now returned to his hometown of Derby to join the company.

He said: “It’s a real privilege to be working here. Aerocom (UK) is a company known for its impressive portfolio of forward-thinking products and services, so I’m proud to be a part of it.”

Leicestershire Business Voice (LBV), the premier business advocacy group for Leicester and Leicestershire, has appointed Dillan Shikotra as its new board director.

Shikotra joins 10 other Directors on the LBV Board alongside the new Chair, Sue Tilley.

Dillan Shikotra

Shikotra will help the board to deliver on its strategy of supporting members by Dillan Shikotrashaping the conversation and influencing the future of business in the region.

Dillan Shikotra is the managing partner at Leicester-based Microtech, a leader in cybersecurity, software solutions and IT support. He is also vice president of the Shree Wanza Community charity in Leicester.

Shikotra said: “I was born and raised in Leicester, and as a local business leader, I am looking forward to working with the LBV board and its members to grow and develop the business community across Leicester and Leicestershire.

“Having proudly been selected for the prestigious Goldman Sachs Accelerator Programme, I’m a staunch advocate of the opportunities that can be realised through strategic business mentoring and making connections with other business leaders. I hope that I can champion this approach across the membership base and beyond to help LBV deliver growth and learning opportunities for the local business community.”

Sue Tilley, Chair of LBV said: “We’re delighted to welcome Dillan to the LBV board. He brings a range of specialist experience and skills from within his particular sector that will further strengthen the expertise that our board can offer to support our members.”