Appointments: ReThink reorganises; Weightmans takes two from Keoghs

RETHINK Group, the AIM-listed recruitment and professional services company, has appointed Andy Lord as managing director of its recruitment brands.

Mr Lord is one of the co-founders and executive directors of the group and was previously the director in charge of the Northern operations in the group.

He will take responsibility for the KPC and Integritas recruitment brands and will continue to be based in Manchester.

The group yesterday posted half year turnover of £24.6m for the six months to the end of June 2009, an 18% increase on the £20.9m it made a year earlier. Pre-tax profits fell to just £12,000 from £80,000 a year earlier.

But the company said it will surpass its 2008 full year profit, which stood at £188,000.

Mr Lord said: “This is an exciting time to be stepping into this role, the company is four and a half years old this month and during that time we have grown and diversified at an exceptional rate. The last 12 months have been challenging on a number of fronts and we have had to balance our ambitions in relation to market conditions, which is always difficult in a company which wants to continue to grow and expand.

“However, I believe that we have performed ahead of the majority of our competitors during this tough period. Our business model, within the recruitment brands, is based on our staff holding long terms and deep relationships with their customers, whilst buying volumes have reduced in certain areas in the last twelve months these customers will re-engage with us as soon as the markets return.”

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LAW firm Weightmans has expanded the employment department in its Manchester office and taken on two staff from Keoghs.

Joining the firm from Keoghs, which no longer has an employment law department, is senior associate Kevin McKenna and solicitor Lindsey McCulloch.

Mr McKenna has more than ten years’ experience as an employment lawyer and specialises in all matters relating to employment law across a wide spectrum of sectors.

Ms McCulloch qualified as a solicitor in 2005, and will continue to defend employment tribunal claims at her new firm.

Mark Leach, partner and head of the employment team at Manchester, said: “The experience and contacts they bring with them are welcome, especially after further client wins and panel successes within the last year. These additions to our team will help to ensure that we continue to deliver a high quality service to both new and existing clients.”
 
Mr McKenna said: “I’ve enjoyed my time at Keoghs and I am looking forward to continuing to provide advice and support for long standing clients as well as making the most of the great platform Weightmans provides to develop and deliver employment products for our commercial clients.”