People on the Move: Inner City Music; Fieldfisher; Farleys Solicitors; Liverpool Hope University; Penketh Group

Inner City Music, the charity that owns and operates Manchester’s Band on the Wall has announced Stephen Sorrell, director, Northgate Investment Management, as the new chair of trustees.

Karen Gabay, of BBC Radio Manchester, also joins him on the board.

Mr Sorrell is a property development and regeneration lawyer and founder of residential development firm Northgate Investment Management, and is also a trustee of HOME.

He has taken on the role of chair to provide strategic advice and direction and to assist Inner City Music realise its ambitious capital project to increase the capacity of Band on the Wall to enable the organisation to host larger scale events and provide expanded facilities for learning and participation programmes.

He said: “It’s a real honour for me to be involved with Inner City Music; I am passionate about music, culture and the arts in my home city and I have experience of delivering public funded arts capital projects including Manchester Art Gallery and HOME.

“By developing the facilities at Band on the Wall and growing the venue, we will its secure its heritage and future at what is undeniably a time of great change for Manchester and the region.

“I would like to extend my, and the rest of the board’s, thanks to our out-going chair Andy Booth.”

Karen, an experienced television and radio producer, presenter and researcher with a specialist interest in black music, has an exceptional knowledge and passion for Manchester’s diverse musical heritage and its impact on culture. She has joined the board to provide guidance on the evolving heritage programme which will develop alongside the capital project to expand the Band on the Wall.

She said: “Band on the Wall is far more than a music venue, it is a key part of Manchester’s history and we want to secure its future as well as celebrate its incredible legacy. There is a lot to do, but there is a committed, experienced and enthusiastic group of people on the board and I am looking forward to working with everyone.”

Chief executive Gavin Sharp said: “Karen and Stephen join the Inner City Music board of trustees at a very exciting time for us. Their skills and experience will be invaluable to us as we move forward with our plans to develop Band on the Wall.”

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Law firm Fieldfisher’s Manchester office has strengthened its corporate team with the announcement of a new head of department, David Bowcock.

He joins the firm from Brabners, where he had been head of the Manchester Corporate department and on the firm’s management board.

Fieldfisher’s Manchester office headcount has grown by 25% in six months and now has 123 employees.

Mr Bowcock has worked across a number of sectors and is particularly active in advising providers of outsourced business services and healthcare investors and providers.

At Brabners he specialised in mergers and acquisitions and capital raising involving both private and public equity.

Prior to this he was at Eversheds for 16 years and has been recognised as a leading corporate lawyer by both Legal 500 and Chambers directories for more than 20 years.

Ian Austin, managing partner of the Fieldfisher Manchester office said: “We are delighted to welcome David to our North West office.

We look forward to seeing the corporate team continue to go from strength to strength under David’s leadership.”

Mr Bowcock said: “Fieldfisher has grown both its turnover and profitability at a phenomenal rate over the last five years culminating in it being the UK’s Law Firm of the Year in the 2017 Legal Awards.

“Its expanding national and international offices provide an excellent platform from which to advise and support its clients and great career opportunities for its people.”

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Farleys Solicitors has appointed three new associate partners, as the firm continues its growth across the region.

Solicitors Jane Chadwick and Sally Eastwood, alongside marketing manager Reta Madgin, have taken up their new positions following the firm’s annual round of promotions.

Jane qualified as a solicitor in 2012 and currently heads up the firm’s transport law department, having a built up a wealth of experience within the industry.

Working with a wide range of fleet and logistics businesses, Jane is also a qualified transport manager and able to advise a on a wide range of specialist transport law and compliance matters.

Sally Eastwood is an employment solicitor at Farleys’ commercial office in Blackburn.

She qualified in 2013 and advises both businesses and employees on all aspects of employment law and human resources matters.

She also has expertise in relation to GDPR and data protection regulations, helping businesses to ensure that they are fully compliant in terms of their policies, procedures and documentation.

From left: Jane Chadwick, Reta Madgin, Sally Eastwood

Meanwhile, Reta Madgin joined Farleys in 2016 and heads up the marketing function across Farleys’ six offices.

A chartered marketer with more than 10 years’ professional services experience, Reta is now one of two non-lawyers at the firm who have been promoted to the associate partner positon.

Partner Ian Liddle said: “I would like to congratulate all three on a deserved recognition of their invaluable contribution to Farleys’ success.

“This latest round of promotions is another example of our investment in people here at Farleys and effectively demonstrates our strategy of being able to reward success for both lawyers and non-lawyers who contribute to the growth of our firm.

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Dr David Fleming, who retired from his post as director of National Museums Liverpool in March, is the newest member of the Department of History and Politics at Liverpool Hope University.

He took up the position of Professor of Public History on April 16.

He has published extensively and has lectured and advised museums, municipalities and governments worldwide in more than 40 countries on museum management and leadership, city history museums, museum ethics, cultural heritage management, social inclusion and human rights.

Associate professor Sonja Tiernan, head of the Department of History and Politics at Liverpool Hope said: “Professor Fleming’s appointment strengthens Liverpool Hope University’s partnership with National Museums Liverpool, through which our students in history benefit from talks by curators, and field trips to exhibitions and events related to their course of study.”

Prof Fleming has been a visiting professor in Museum Studies at the university since 2013, and discussed how museums change lives in his inaugural professorial lecture.

He said: “At Liverpool Hope a new challenge awaits me. I love Hope’s positive approach to social justice and I will do my very best to help ensure that the university is one where the students and staff can hold their heads high.”

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Manchester-based commercial furniture specialist Penketh Group has appointed a new workplace consultant to support the company’s steady growth and help expand its portfolio.

Katie Hood brings with her years of creative expertise within the build and design sector, with extensive knowledge of the commercial office market and design trends.

She joins the firm from Wagstaff Interiors, where she was a business development manager.

During her time there she was responsible for developing the commercial strategy and profitable sales growth for the company within its interior design and build division.

Prior to that she worked at Claremont Group Interiors as a regional sales manager.

The appointment comes after a string of successful projects for Penketh Group, including the NEO building in Manchester, global recruitment firm Oliver James’ Manchester office, and the new waterside premises of law firm Pure Business Group in Liverpool.

Katie said: “Penketh Group is a growing company which has already worked with some amazing businesses and they have some great brands on board. I’m looking forward to helping the business grow its profile and bolstering its already enviable portfolio.”

Penketh Group, which has offices in Manchester and Wirral, works with clients to create outstanding working environments.

Chris Penketh, sales director, said: “As we grow as a firm we’re always on the lookout for top talent to join our team.

“We’re pleased to welcome Katie and we’re excited to see how her expertise and enthusiasm translate into some truly spectacular workspaces for our clients.”