People on the move: JMW Solicitors; Cumbria LEP; Gas Tag; CIPFA; R3; Mercia Fund Managers

Manchester law firm JMW Solicitors has expanded its accidents abroad team with the recruitment of a new head, Joanne Brine.

A partner with more than 18 years’ experience, Jo was formerly head of travel litigation at Slater and Gordon, dealing with cross-border catastrophic personal injury claims for clients injured across the world.

Prior to that, she was a partner at Pannone with conduct of a varied caseload inclusive of catastrophic injury claims.

Noted as “highly recommended” in the Legal 500, Jo is also a member of the American Association of Justice and the Pan European Organisation of Personal Injury Lawyers (PEOPL), as well as the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL).

Speaking of her appointment Jo said: “I’m delighted to become part of JMW and lead the accidents abroad team. JMW and the personal injury department have a strong reputation and I’ll be proud to start working straight away to add to that reputation.”

Jo heads up a team of seven fee earners and has recently brought in Simon Weilding, a litigation executive with more than 10 years’ experience in the travel litigation field to augment the team’s expertise as they expand their presence.

The team will continue to pursue compensation on behalf of clients who have suffered food poisoning abroad, however they will also take a more holistic approach to issues that have happened to British nationals abroad, helping consumers claim for incidents as diverse as road traffic accidents, skiing accidents, botched surgeries and catastrophic incidents resulting in life-altering injuries.

Richard Powell, partner and head of the personal injury team, said: “I’m pleased to welcome Jo to our department and into her new role as head of our accidents abroad team. I am confident Jo will lead the team into a new era of litigation where we support clients with complex injuries and make sure we get them the compensation they deserve.”

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Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), the county’s strategic economic body, has appointed a new board member from the nuclear sector.

Rebecca Weston, enterprise director at Sellafield, has joined the board of the LEP with immediate effect.

Rebecca has wide experience across Sellafield, having held senior leadership positions in operations, technical and commercial.

As enterprise director, she is responsible for strategy and planning, as well as corporate affairs and transformation.

Rebecca Weston

She also leads the innovation and research and development programmes, provides the facilities and business units with technical support, and ensures the business makes and creates optimum technology choices, while developing the science, technical and engineering skills and capabilities needed now and for the future.

Rebecca’s most recent role, before joining the executive team at the end of 2015, was head of portfolio for the retrievals and decommissioning directorate.

She said: “I’m delighted to accept a position on the board of the Local Enterprise Partnership, and look forward to playing my part in a re-energised LEP that can help deliver growth in the Cumbrian economy.”

Rebecca will serve on the board for an initial period of three years.

Lord Inglewood, chair of Cumbria LEP, said: “Rebecca will be a great addition to the team.”

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RegTech company Gas Tag has appointed a former Capita executive to help grow the business.

Stewart Davison, who has an extensive background in the social housing sector, has joined the Liverpool headquartered company as business development director.

He will be working across the fast-growing business supporting sales and marketing in the public and private sector as well as investigating new technologies including artificial intelligence and the internet of things.

Stewart Davison

Gas Tag uses its award-winning disruptive technology to help landlords, housing associations and local authorities to combat the scourge of illegal gas fitters and enforce gas safety regulations.

As soon as a physical Gas Tag is installed on the gas outlet in a property it tracks all the property’s gas appliances, services and installations – and can only be used by a qualified Gas Safe Registered engineer.

Stewart said: “I relish the opportunity of joining Gas Tag. It is an exciting company which has the potential to fundamentally change the way we all deal with gas maintenance and compliance. I’m looking forward to bringing all my experience of software, technology and business to a hungry team who want to change the world.”

Stephen Ullathorne, co-founder and chief executive of Gas Tag, said: “Stewart is a great addition to our expanding team.”

Private equity house Waterland, based in Wilmslow, has invested in Gas Tag, valuing it at more than £20m.

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Business and financial adviser Grant Thornton has announced that Sarah Howard, national head of public services, has become president of the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA).

Sarah succeeds Andy Burns, director of finance and resources at Staffordshire County Council, who has been in the role for the past year.

Based in Grant Thornton’s Manchester office in Spinningfields, Sarah heads Grant Thornton’s public services practice and is also a member of the firm’s strategic leadership team.

Sarah said: “Public services continue to operate under incredible pressure and have demonstrated resilience, adaptability and exciting innovation.

Sarah Howard

“CIPFA has a unique opportunity to inspire the next generation of public servants, rebuild trust within our society and convene collaborative conversations that help public service organisations and business develop sustainable futures for local communities.”

Rob Whiteman, chief executive of CIPFA, said: “Today’s public services face a raft of challenges, from the continuing squeeze on budgets to changing and increasing demand. But for those responsible for delivering services, there are also opportunities to seize that will help not only meet current demand, but enable the transformation of services so that they’re both optimal and truly sustainable.

“Understanding this context and seeing those opportunities will be vital for those shaping the sector over years to come. And for this reason, I am absolutely delighted that Sarah will be our new president. Her knowledge, insight and experience is second to none and commitment to public services has been demonstrated time and time again, which has led to deep and genuine respect from peers right across the sector.”

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The R3 North West Women’s Group, which represents female insolvency and restructuring professionals in the region, has appointed Jean Boldero as its new chair.

Jean, who is legal director with Addleshaw Goddard’s restructuring team in Manchester, takes over from Fran Henshaw of Beever and Struthers who is stepping down after three years in the post.

Jean Boldero

The women’s group organises regular networking and social events and is particularly known for its annual ladies’ lunch in June, which is open to both men and women and is a sell-out each year. Since the first lunch was held in 2008, the events have raised more than £30,000 for local charities.

Paul Barber, North West chair of R3, the insolvency and restructuring trade body, and also a partner at Begbies Traynor in Manchester, said: “The R3 North West Women’s Group provides a strong voice for females in the profession and has gained real momentum since its launch just over a decade ago.

“Through its popular events programme it has also become a real focal point for those working in the restructuring and credit industries.

“We wish Jean all the best in her new role and would like to thank Fran for her efforts in building the group over the past three years.”

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Mercia Fund Managers has expanded its equity team with the appointment of Matt Molyneux as investment manager.

A chartered accountant with 12 years’ experience in finance, Matt joins from BDO in Manchester, where he spent seven years in the transaction services team providing due diligence to private equity firms.

In his new role he will be based at Mercia’s Manchester office as part of the EV Growth team, focused on investing in high-growth SMEs across the UK.

Matt will be responsible for sourcing and completing investments and advising portfolio companies. His appointment follows the closing of the £45.1m EV Growth II fund in December 2017.

Matt Molyneux

Wayne Thomas, who leads the EV Growth team, said: “Matt’s experience working with private equity firms and providing due diligence on businesses across a wide range of sectors makes him ideally placed to join the EV Growth team. His appointment comes as we continue to seek out and assess new investment opportunities and raise awareness of the new EV Growth II fund.”

Matt said: “Mercia’s EV Growth team has a strong track record and is investing in some of the North’s most dynamic SMEs. I look forward to working with ambitious management teams to help them grow their businesses.”

The EV Growth II fund makes investments of up to £5m in established and ambitious SMEs, looking to grow, with a focus on management buy-outs and replacement capital.