People on the move: Justin Smith Architects; Ardent Credit Services; Slater Heelis; User Conversion; Sentinel; Ryden

From left: Chris Wood, Stephen Eaton, Justin Smith, Phil Cooper, and Oliver Johns

Following the recent acquisition of Eaton Design Architects, Justin Smith Architects has moved to further expand its team.

Phil Cooper joins as business development manager. He has tremendous experience of the built environment industry and will be working closely with company director Justin Smith to continue to develop the commercial relationships across the UK.

Chris Wood has joined the team as a lead chartered architectural technologist and brings a wealth of experience gained from blue-chip AJ100 practice the Harris Partnership.

Oliver Johns joined the practice last year for a gap year of professional practice to assist with general design work, 3d-modelling and visualisation.

Due to Oliver’s impact in the studio, JSA has moved to make the position permanent.

JSA has also appointed a digital media executive to handle all aspects of the web site and social media marketing.

Justin Smith said: “With our practice evolving and commercial relationships growing, we felt it has been important to add additional talent, experience and versatility to our team.

“We are delighted to bring our new team members onboard.”

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Liverpool-based debt collection agency and provider of outsourced early arrears solutions, Ardent Credit Services, has appointed Nataly Rapoport as the company’s new risk and compliance director.

She joins the growing business from Capita-owned Akinika Debt Recovery, formerly iQor, where she held the same position for more than 10 years.

ataly holds a diploma in international compliance with distinction from Manchester Business School and has worked in compliance for more than 18 years.

Nataly Rapoport

“Staying ahead of the curve with regards to all aspects of risk and compliance is vital and I’m looking forward to working with Nataly again,” said Ardent managing director John Ricketts

Ardent chief executive Steve Murray said the company’s ongoing capital investment programme is yielding results ‘across the board’ and that the company’s focus is ensuring ‘watertight client delivery.’

“Our focus is on providing best-in-class infrastructure to support our people development activities, with the ultimate objective of ensuring very happy clients. Nataly will strengthen our senior management team and bring a fresh perspective to a key part of business performance.”

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Specialist family solicitors Eluned Roberts and Rebecca Meehan have been appointed to Slater Heelis at the firm’s Deansgate office in Manchester.

Eluned qualified as a solicitor in 2011, having completed her training in North Wales and later worked at a well-respected firm in Cheshire.

She has gained a wealth of experience in family law matters including complex children cases, often involving social services.

Rebecca qualified as a solicitor in 2016, since which time she has practised exclusively in family law. She specialises in children and financial matters following the breakdown of a marriage or cohabitating relationship.

Rebecca Meehan, left, and Eluned Roberts

Mark Heptinstall, partner and head of the family team, said: “The continual increase in demand for our services is testament to the quality of the service we offer. This year, so far, has proved to be exceptionally busy with six fee earners joining our team in the last nine months and we are still recruiting.

“We are delighted to be welcoming not one, but two, extremely talented new solicitors to our team in Manchester.

“Both Eluned and Rebecca are highly-skilled professionals and their expertise, coupled with their personable manner, will really complement our current client offering.”

Eluned said: “The family law team at Slater Heelis is known as one of the best in the North West. I’m really excited to be a part of such a well-respected team.”

Slater Heelis is a full-service firm offering a range of legal services including company commercial, employment, personal injury, residential and commercial property and family law, employing almost 150 people across Manchester city centre, Sale and Timperley.

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The former Head of e-commerce at Missguided has joined specialist user experience and conversion optimisation agency User Conversion as managing director.

Mark Leach

Mark Leach joins Manchester-based User Conversion at a pivotal point for the agency, as it celebrates a year of unprecedented growth, with turnover increasing 195% year-on-year.

Mark joined MIssguided in 2015, and since then has established and led an in-house team of experts, delivering significant increases in conversion rates for the fast fashion retailer.

He is an innovator in the e-commerce sector, recognised for implementing a new award-winning online checkout process at the retailer, as well as launching an iOS app which increased mobile conversions by more than 30%.

He has a remit to drive the agency forwards, working alongside founder and head of optimisation strategy, David Mannheim, and optimisation director Ryan Jordan, to build on current successes and focus on continuing to deliver best-in-class service as User Conversion expands.

Mark will head up a team of experts that has grown to 30 over the past 12 months, servicing some of the biggest online brands in the UK, with his expertise in e-commerce and fast fashion enhancing the impressive skill set of the existing team.

He brings a wealth of client-side experience to the role after also working with Graham & Brown, growing online revenue significantly over a three year period by taking the family-owned brand into international e-commerce.

David Mannheim said: “What was one of the hardest decisions to make for our business, Mark made the easiest. Naturally talented. Raw. Honest. Transparent. He embodies all our values already and the value that he’ll bring to our clients will be unparalleled.”

Mark added: “I’ve watched the growth of User Conversion closely over the past few years and have been impressed with the excellent results they generate for clients.

“As I got to know more about their approach, it’s almost word for word how I would define my idea of a perfect agency. A proposition I’m now delighted to be part of.”

Founded in 2015, User Conversion is a specialist user experience and conversion rate optimisation agency working with e-commerce and lead generation businesses to grow their conversion rates and reduce their cost of customer acquisition.

The company uses a robust conversion rate optimisation process, based on their in-depth understanding of user behaviour to deliver significant conversion increases for clients including Papa John’s, Mamas and Papas and Travis Perkins.

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Sentinel, international provider of best practice products and services for heating and hot water systems, has made a key hire to its marketing team to support the company as it continues its rapid expansion across multiple channels and international markets.

Alexandra Ashton has been appointed as direct marketing manager and will be responsible for developing new multi-platform direct marketing and digital campaigns that align and support Daresbury Park-based Sentinel’s strategic goals across its core markets.

Alexandra will work closely with the sales team to embed new direct marketing approaches and build strong relations across key customer groups.

This will include providing even greater support towards primary purchase loyalty schemes, to not only support sales but raise awareness of the training, tools and the business support Sentinel provides to its customers.

Alexandra Ashton

Previously working on campaigns for Yodel Delivery Network and Stagecoach Group, Alexandra brings with her a wealth of invaluable experience.

Commenting on her appointment, she said: “Sentinel is an innovative company known for its creative campaigns and unique marketing strategy, and I wanted to be a part of this.

“With impressive expansion plans, it is an exciting time to join the company and I’m really looking forward to supporting the team on a strategic and creative level, during its continued growth.”

Neil Davies, trade marketing director at Sentinel, said: “Thanks to her vast experience, the addition of Alex to the Sentinel marketing team will allow us to execute even more considered direct marketing campaigns to our target audiences.

“In the past 12 months Sentinel’s marketing campaigns have created real conversation within the industry and supported our business growth.

“We have the right provisions and team in place to exceed the fantastic results generated in 2017, and we’re pleased to welcome Alex to be part of that.”

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Ryden, one of the largest independent property consultancies in the UK, has recruited two new staff members – Robert Dunston and Ian Whittaker – in Manchester to work together to build an industrial agency team.

The Manchester office was opened in July 2017 and is headed by Andrew Richardson, partner-investment and finance.

Robert Dunston joins as development consultant.

Robert’s specialist and unrivalled knowledge of the industrial market has been gathered over the past 40 years.

He spearheaded the growth of GVA’s industrial team from 1996 working alongside his two other equity partners.

Prior to joining GVA, Robert was with Dunlop Heywood from 1979 to 1996 and while there was one of the first industrial agents to break into the big shed market in the region and has been a key part of the team for many large-scale schemes, including Omega in Warrington.

He became a fellow of the RICS in 1996. He set up his own industrial agency consultancy business (RGD Consulting) in June 2017, which he will continue to operate alongside his work with Ryden.

From left: Ian Whittaker, Andrew Richardson and Robert Dunston

Ian Whittaker also joins the team from GVA working primarily alongside Robert as associate director and also assisting Andrew in the investment team.

Ian has spent the past eight years working in GVA’s restructuring solutions business unit as an associate director, primarily acting for banks, insolvency practitioners, private equity houses, property companies and landlords, while working closely with both the investment and industrial agency teams.

Prior to this, Ian worked at Sanderson Weatherall across the industrial agency and corporate services teams.

He is a member of the RICS and an RICS Registered Valuer with eight years post qualification experience. He has a broad general practice knowledge background, with particular depth in agency and corporate restructuring.

Andrew Richardson, head of the Manchester office and partner–investment & finance at Ryden, said: “Both Robert and Ian’s knowledge, experience and influence provides Ryden with a real opportunity to grow its Manchester presence.

“Alongside our investment capabilities, we’re keen to grow a strong industrial team which will provide clients with a niche, hands-on, personal service with large agency approach and experience.”

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