In Brief: JMW signs England cricketer; Rajan Group rebrands; and more…
MANCHESTER law firm JMW has signed an agreement to represent England international pace bowler Jimmy Anderson.
Mr Anderson, who plays county cricket for Lancashire and recently took 11 wickets in Lancashire’s win over Sussex, has just been named one of Wisden’s Five Cricketers of the Year and has been short-listed for England’s Player-of-the-Year Award.
He will be represented by JMW’s sports law team whose career management service includes athlete management, negotiating contracts and sponsorships and advising on IP and media rights.
Craig Sackfield, senior player management executive in JMW’s sports law department said: “With the Ashes series coming up in the summer it is going to be an exciting year for English cricket and we are all looking forward to see how Jimmy and the England team perform. This is a great opportunity JMW and highlights our ongoing commitment to sports law and our career management offering.”
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FASHION distributor The Rajan Group has rebranded as Whispering Smith.
The Manchester-headquartered company says it has rebranded to unite its network of offices in London, Manchester, New York, Madrid, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Dusseldorf.
The £60m turnover, family-owned business supplies own-brand clothing to major retailers across the UK and further afield, including The Arcadia Group, New Look, El Corte Inglés, Matalan, Asda, and BHS.
It was first set up in 1967 by Lal Kumar, the father of brothers Rajan and Sanjay Kumar, who run the business today.
Rajan Kumar, managing director, said: “This is a hugely exciting time for the company. The Whispering Smith name will help us to communicate a clear and consistent message of growth and sustainability across the world.
“With a new brand in place we’re looking to consolidate our reputation as a global market-leader in the design and supply of cutting edge, urban fashion.”
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MANCHESTER public relations firm SKV Communications has been commissioned to make a short film about Danny Boyle’s triumphant return to Bury.
The director, who won an Oscar for Slumdog Millionaire, is due to be honoured by his home town on Monday along with the members of the rock band Elbow and paralympian Zoe Robinson.
They will all be granted the status of Freemen of the borough.
SKV will produce a short film record of the evening which will be used as a key piece of marketing support for the Bury Better Placed campaign to promote the town.
SKV director Daniel Kennedy said: “This is an exciting and growing area of our business. Online news and entertainment means there is a huge demand for creative, well-produced moving image content.”
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A MANCHESTER design studio has won a contract to deliver the masterplan for a new Egyptian resort.
It is the latest international win for BDP which is the UK’s biggest design practice, and the Manchester office will design the retreat at Fouka Bay in Egypt.
The retreat will recreate a traditional Egyptian town and include three exclusive hotels, an 18-hole signature golf course and apartments on the Mediterranean coast.
Francis Glare, director at BDP, said; “Currently, the overall quality aspirations of development along the Red Sea coast appear much higher than its north coast counterpart.
“Our aim is to deliver a high quality masterplan which will see Fouka Bay exceed those aspirational resorts along the Red Sea but will encapsulate the very different landscape and cultural characteristics of the Mediterranean coast.”
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A £4.8m pot to support Merseyside companies which are re-structuring their business as a result of the economic downturn, has been announced by the Learning and Skills Council.
Up to £90,000 is available to companies of all sizes that have a clear need to-up-skill employees following restructuring or as a result of new investment for training needs, dependent on the company contribution.
Helen France, director at the Learning and Skills Council Greater Merseyside, said: “This programme will offer bespoke training that responds to the individual needs of employers. Our aim is to provide a rapid response to businesses on Merseyside ensuring that they are not only equipped for more difficult economic conditions but have the necessary skills base in place to capitalise on the upturn when it comes.”
The support package, which is part-funded through the European Social Fund, is being delivered by local training provider – Sysco. Businesses wanting to know how to access the funding should visit www.allmerseyside.net.
