People on the move: NPP; Select Property Group; Mustard; Clarke Willmott; Call Collective

The Northern Powerhouse Partnership (NPP), an independent body established by the former Chancellor and outgoing Tatton MP George Osborne to represent the voice of major business and civic leaders across the North, has appointed Henri Murison as director.

Murison, who has been promoting the North in various private and public sector roles for the past 10 years, is the organisation’s first permanent senior appointment and will lead the team as it builds and grows over the coming months.

Murison will report directly to George Osborne – who remains as chair of the NPP – and will lead a growing team based in the North.

Since spending over five years as a cabinet member at Newcastle City Council, where he held the quality of life remit, Murison has held position of research director at the office of the Police & Crime Commissioner for West Yorkshire and, most recently, leading on Public Affairs at the Yorkshire Building Society, where he made the Bradford-headquartered mutual a leading voice on Northern investment and infrastructure matters.

Osborne said: “I am confident Henri will make a strong and dynamic Director of the Northern Powerhouse Partnership as we expand our work, and hire a permanent team. His experience will stand us in good stead as we take forward the ideas the Partnership put forward in our first report, released earlier in the year, in key areas like education, transport and business.

“The Northern Powerhouse agenda is a personal and important mission for me and remains a real focus of my energies. That will continue.”

Murison said: “The Northern Powerhouse Partnership is playing an important role in promoting the North and has already set out its stall by publishing a first report, which focuses on key issues for the North like education, infrastructure and technology. It is an honour to be appointed as its first permanent director.”

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Tristan Herbert has joined the ranks of Select Property Group as senior development manager as it gears up for further growth across its extensive development portfolio.

Former associate at Arcadis, Herbert’s previous role saw him oversee a number of important projects, including the RHS Garden Bridgewater in Worsley, the development of Liverpool One for Grosvenor and in excess of 1million sqft of development for Asda.

Herbert’s current role will see Tristan lead the project team to ensure the delivery of developments from acquisition through to handover to the operations team in accordance with the agreed budget and programme.

Chief commercial officer Mark Oakes said: “As the group continues to grow, it is imperative that we attract and retain the best people in the industry to the business. As a highly experienced development manager, it is a pleasure to welcome Tristan on board and we wish him every success in his new role.”

Fundamentally different to traditional property businesses, Select delivers property brands with a long term vision and value. Not only does it create market-leading, branded assets, it nurtures and builds vibrant communities within them. It has waiting lists of customers wanting to live with them and attracts retail and institutional investors from around the world.

It has three property brands in its portfolio, with Vita Student, CitySuites and Affinity Living projects across the country.
Since 2014, Select has delivered 2,000 properties, and generated rental revenue of £40m. Before 2020, it will deliver a further 7,500 units from a secured pipeline across the UK.

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Mustard – the Manchester market research agency – has further bolstered its research and business development teams.
David Hickson has re-joined its business development team as account director.

He initially joined the business in 1996, and now has more than 20 years’ research agency experience across business to customer and business to business sector.

During his career he has directed several strategic research programmes, advising clients nationally and internationally, targeting competitors’ vulnerabilities, interpreting market trends, improving products, services and customer relationships and driving profitability.

For the past seven years Hickson has managed his own market research business, working with high profile fast moving consumer goods brands.
Hickson said: “From the first conversations with the team, it was clear that Mustard has ambitious growth plans and a great reputation with clients for providing innovative research solutions.

“I’m really excited to be re-joining the agency and looking forward to playing a key role in Mustard’s future growth and development and the future success of our clients’ businesses.”

Murison has a Bsc in Economics from The University of Salford.

Mustard has also added two new executives to the research team. Ben Ashton has joined the business after a career-break spent travelling.

And Laura James has joined having recently moved back to the North – her previous role was a qualitative research specialist at Directions.

Meanwhile Victoria Williams has been promoted to senior research manager. She joined Mustard in November 2015 having previously worked client-side at Three and the Financial Times. She has successfully led on high profile programmes of research for the likes of The Law Society, Warner Brothers, David Lloyd Leisure and Cake Crew.
Ryan Sherratt has also been promoted to data executive. He joined Mustard in February 2016 on an apprenticeship scheme.

Gareth Hodgson, director, said: “Our commitment to our team has been central to Mustard’s growth in the last few years.

“We have a culture of ‘doing more’ both in terms of the way we treat, develop and reward staff, but also in terms of the autonomy we give them to contribute to the success of the business.”

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Manchester law firm Clarke Willmott has strengthened its Manchester office with the recruitment of three new lawyers, including new partner Helen Tse.

Tse joins the firm as a partner in the corporate team specialising in Brexit, and as a fluent Cantonese speaker will also be part of the firm’s China Desk.

Tse, who will be based in the Spring Gardens, Manchester office of Clarke Willmott is also an author, restaurateur and violinist.

She was presented with an honorary doctorate degree from Staffordshire University in 2008 in recognition of her contribution to literature and was awarded an MBE in the 2014 New Year Honours for services to the food and drink sector.

Tse’s clients are predominantly owner managed businesses, high net worth individuals and entrepreneurs and she advises on all aspects of acquisitions, disposals, company reorganisations and raising finance.

She said: “’I am delighted to be a part of Clarke Willmott and their China Desk. Given the breadth and depth of experience – 600 lawyers across 7 offices, client’s legal requirements are more than covered and the deal team work on some really cutting edge work, in particular in Tech and FinTech.

“I am excited to help Manchester businesses with their entire business cycle; to grow organically or by way of acquisition, raise finance, review and ‘Brexit proof’ contracts and assist in selling the business – either by share or asset sale.”

Helen is joined at Clarke Willmott’s Manchester office by Emma Collins, associate, and Alexis Campbell, solicitor.

Collins joins the firm’s commercial property team from O’Neill Patient Solicitors, having worked there for over eight years. Capbell joins Clarke Willmott’s Social Housing team after more than four years at Knox Ellis Solicitors.

Ed Foulkes, head of Clarke Willmott’s Corporate team in Manchester, said: “We’re delighted to have attracted lawyers of this calibre to join our team in Manchester.

“As a firm we’re keen to grow by adding high quality people for whom the firm’s culture and sector focus represent a great fit.

“It can take time to find the right professionals to fill key roles and in Helen, Emma and Alexis we’re confident that we’ve done so.”

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Manchester-based telecommunications operator Nexbridge has announced the appointment of Kieron James as managing director of Call Collective, an innovative white label conference call solution for businesses of all sectors and sizes, which is to be introduced to the market next month.

James is chairman of parent company, Nexbridge and has more than 20 years’ experience in the telecommunications industry, having held key roles in organisations including VeriSign.

He is also a director of the Federation of Communication Services – the trade association for companies which deliver professional communications solutions to business and public sector customers in the UK.

James said: “At Nexbridge we are always looking at new technology and ways to improve our services. We know it’s important to businesses to offer clients and customers a personal and professional experience and to stand out from the crowd.

“I am proud to be leading Call Collective at such an important time in its development and to be able to offer this feature-rich alternative with minimal cost to businesses.”

Call Collective is a bespoke conferencing service developed with the needs and concerns of businesses in mind. The flexible service will offer a complete set of video and audio conferencing features and a range of packages for groups of all sizes and locations, without restrictions.