People: PM+M; Bentley Motors; TFT; PMJ Capital; Vista Insurance; Co-operative Group; McGoff Construction
Blackburn and Bury-based PM+M, the chartered accountancy, business advisory and financial planning group, has strengthened its tax team with the appointment of Sinead Watson who has joined as a tax manager.
Sinead began her finance career in 2008 and has spent the past 16 years working at Azets, formerly Baldwins & Cassons Business Advisers.
Sinead’s new role will see her focus primarily on the owner managed business sector, mainly working in an advisory capacity on a wide variety of projects.
Sinead said: “I pride myself on being enthusiastic and motivated, so I knew my first move after so many years had to be right. I’m already enjoying my work and I’m looking forward to helping my clients to achieve their goals.”
Roger Phillips, tax partner, said: “The demand for our tax services is growing all the time, but we only want to build our team with the right people. Sinead’s drive and technical expertise really stood out and I’m confident she will become an intrinsic and much valued colleague over the coming months.”
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Axel Dewitz
Crewe-based Bentley Motors has announced the appointment of Axel Dewitz as board member for finance and IT, reporting to chairman and CEO, Dr Frank-Steffen Walliser, beginning April 1, 2025.
He succeeds Jan-Henrik Lafrentz who will leave Bentley after 10 years accumulatively for a new position within the Volkswagen Group.
Axel joining extends a 22-year career with the group, where he has held a number of senior positions, most notably with AUDI AG.
He said: “Bentley is a brand with a rich and illustrious history and I remember joining the Volkswagen Group just at the time of the launch of the Continental GT, a car that changed the face of the company. Today, I am filled with excitement about the company I am joining, in the middle of navigating a transformative phase for the future, and I look forward to working with my colleagues to fully realise those ambitious goals.”
Building on the appointment, Dr Frank-Steffen Walliser, chairman and CEO of Bentley Motors, welcomed Axel, saying: “His recent experiences will prove valuable to us at a time of strategic transition and as our product and investment offensive continues at pace.
“I would also like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank Jan-Henrik for his leadership, support and governance over the 10-year period he has been with Bentley. I thank him on behalf of the business and wish him continued success as he embarks on a new adventure.”
Jan-Henrik’s new position will be announced in the coming weeks, extending his own 30-year career with the Volkswagen Group.
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Simon Matley
TFT, the independent real estate and construction consultancy, has welcomed Simon Matley to head up its established dilapidations team, and lead the expansion of its tenant and occupier services.
Simon brings more than 25 years of experience in the commercial property market and said: “There is a fantastic opportunity here to build on TFT’s established track record as a dilapidations expert, while also bringing together its vast experience across all aspects of occupier-focused advisory services.”
Alistair Allison, CEO of TFT said: “Simon has the technical expertise, drive and vision to grow our dilapidations services, while also bringing together a tailored occupier-focused approach from across the UK and Ireland. This is our latest step as we broaden our expertise and enrich our service offerings to help our clients navigate change and future-proof their assets.”
Manchester-based, Simon was formerly director at Savills and partner at Knight Frank. Recent career highlights include project managing the Professional Footballers’ Association office fit-out in Manchester, with a lecture theatre, podcast studio, and an LED screen tunnel through the middle of an office.
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Chris Fortune
Specialist property funding provider, PMJ Capital, has expanded its team with the appointment of Chris Fortune as business development manager.
Chris has an extensive background in property finance having worked in the sector for more than 20 years. He will be based at the company’s head office in Bolton.
Established in 2015, the short term lender announced last year that it had reached a significant milestone, providing more than £200m of funding to SME developers and property entrepreneurs across the North West and beyond.
Managing director, David Rainford, said: “Chris’s appointment is a great addition for PMJ. He will play a key role in strengthening relationships with more brokers and SMEs as we expand our reach to support even more developers.”
Chris said: “I’ve known Dave, Lee, and the team at PMJ for several years. My main focus will be on strengthening the broker network throughout the North of England.
“This is an incredibly exciting time to join a growing business that continues to support an increasing number of SME developers and property entrepreneurs across the region, and I’m proud to be part of it.”
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John Garrard
Vista Insurance has welcomed John Garrard to the business as the new head of schemes & affinities.
With a wealth of experience in digital transformation, niche insurance markets, and business growth, John will lead the advancement of schemes & affinity partnerships and digital trading strategies. His role will encompass the development of digital trading capabilities, enhancing the business’s propositions, and ensuring a streamlined, customer-centric approach to trading in an evolving digital landscape.
John brings a strong track record of success, having founded and led Wrapper Insure, a digital-first niche personal lines broker, and previously serving as managing director at Fish Insurance, where he drove significant revenue growth and operational efficiency.
John said: “I’m thrilled to be taking on this role and working closely with our key partners to drive innovation in schemes & affinity and digital trading. The market is evolving rapidly, and I look forward to building on the strong foundations already in place to deliver real value for our customers and stakeholders.”
Gavin Rubin, CEO of Manchester-based Vista, said: “Schemes & affinities are critical to our growth strategy, and expanding our presence in this sector is a key priority. I’m looking forward to working closely with John as we drive this strategy forward and unlock new opportunities in the market.
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Wais Shaifta
The Co-operative Group (Co-op) has appointed Wais Shaifta and Lord Simon Woolley as independent non-executive directors.
Wais is an expert in digital growth and transformation and his experience in leading technology businesses brings depth of understanding of the role technology plays in delivering more value to member owners.
He is an independent non-executive director at Reach, Snappy Shopper and the Gym Group, where he chairs the remuneration and sustainability committees. Wais is also senior independent trustee at The Football Foundation, England’s largest sports charity.
Previously, he was the CEO of Push Doctor, which is the largest digital partner to the NHS.
Simon is a political and equalities activist, and is currently principal of Homerton College, Cambridge and the deputy vice chancellor at Cambridge University.
Lord Simon Woolley
Simon co-founded Operation Black Vote, the internationally-renowned campaigning NGO working with ethnic minorities in the UK to increase understanding of civic society, participation in Parliament and public life, and to promote equality and human rights.
Previously, Simon served as an Equality and Human Rights Commissioner, as well as creating and leading the Government’s pioneering Race Disparity Unit.
Simon and Wais join the board of the Manchester-based group as it says goodbye to Lord Victor Adebowale and Rahul Powar. Victor will step down from the board following the meeting in March as he reaches the maximum term for directors after nine years on the board.
Rahul is reluctantly stepping down due to personal reasons after more than six years on the board.
Debbie White, Co-op group chair, said: “Both directors bring considerable skills and expertise to the board at an exciting time as the Co-op focuses on growing its businesses to deliver even more value to its member owners.
“I would also like to extend the board’s gratitude and my own personal thanks to Victor and Rahul for their significant commitment and contribution to the Co-op Group.”
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L-R:Rob Duxbury, Dean Johnston, Jon Bishop
Continuing with its drive to scale up the business, McGoff Construction has appointed two new operations directors in Rob Duxbury and Jon Bishop.
Rob and Jon will be responsible for the successful delivery of multiple projects, predominantly in the residential, healthcare and education (early years) sectors. They will report to Dean Johnston, group managing director at McGoff Construction Services, on all projects, whether they are for the McGoff Group directly or a JV agreement.
Rob has worked in construction for more than 24 years and has held various senior roles with development and main contracting businesses.
He said: “McGoff Construction is a highly regarded and well respected company, which is why I was initially attracted to it.”
Jon has worked for McGoff Construction for more than 10 years. With in depth knowledge of the group, having held project manager and contract manager roles over the years, Jon is tasked with working with all members of the operations team, design team and contractors, as well as wider individuals within the business, to deliver all projects to the highest of standards.
He said: “The McGoff Group has grown substantially over the course of the last 10 years, as such, I have been able to further my career and develop my skill set. I have adopted the method of self-delivery and have gained valuable experience across all areas.”
Dean said: “The expertise that both Rob and Jon have amassed during their careers is superb and they really complement each other, so working together as operations directors made sense. Together, they will elevate the delivery process of all projects, which will only serve to enhance McGoff Construction’s enviable reputation even further.”
McGoff Construction is part of the McGoff Group, a £150m collection of construction businesses based in Altrincham and focused predominantly on the delivery of new-build developments in the healthcare, residential and commercial sectors.
