People on the Move: Together; Birchall Blackburn Law; Morson Group; Pareto Financial; Horwich Cohen Coghlan; British Academy
An experienced banker has joined Manchester-based financial institution Together as its corporate relationship director covering the North West region.
Alex Bodie, who has worked in financial services for more than 22 years, will be responsible for nurturing existing relationships and widening the specialist lender’s network of corporate clients and advisers as it grows its presence across the UK.
The former Lloyds banker will operate regionally, from Cumbria to North Wales, as part of Together’s growing corporate relationship team, which was set up to provide customers ranging from large businesses to individual investors with finance of more than £1m.
Alex, who lives on the Wirral, said: “I can’t wait to get started at Together. I’ve been really impressed with the group’s growth plans, particularly through its corporate channel, and believe my experience, added to that of a very knowledgeable team, will help the business realise its future ambitions.
“During a career of more than two decades in banking I have established a wide network of clients, from corporate finance houses to high net worth individuals, who I’m sure will be interested in learning more about Together’s fantastic proposition.”
Alex spent 18 months in Lloyds’ commercial finance division as a regional manager in Manchester, Merseyside and the West Midlands.
He then took up a new role as a business development director with the group before progressing to growth relationship director, where he specialised in providing finance to help grow businesses with turnovers of between £25m and £750m.
Previously the married father-of-two was a relationship director at Lombard – part of the Royal Bank of Scotland Group – and a branch manager at CitiFinancial, an arm of the New York-based US giant Citigroup.
In his new role Alex will report to Andrew Charnley, who joined Together from Lloyds in November as its head of corporate relationships.
Just last month the specialist lender signalled its intention to expand its corporate offering by appointing regional relationship directors Sonia Mann (Midlands) and Andrew Fouli (London and the South East).
Andrew Charnley said: “Alex will be a fantastic addition to the corporate relationship team and the wider group as the business continues its expansion.
“He has a wealth of knowledge of corporate finance and a real talent for building relationships with a wide range of clients, which I’m sure will be of huge benefit to our business.”
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North West law firm Birchall Blackburn Law has appointed specialist property solicitor, Jennifer Gadsdon, to partner.
With the promotion of Jennifer its specialist property team continues to strengthen its expertise after also being awarded membership to the Association of Leasehold Enfranchisement Practitioners (ALEP).
Jennifer is based at the firm’s Leyland office in Hough Lane. She is skilled in all aspects of enfranchisement including statutory and agreed lease extensions, collective enfranchisement, right to manage, statutory and agreed freehold purchases through to leasehold management, such as deeds of variation and licences to alter.
Jennifer completed her Bachelor of Laws (LLB) at the University of Liverpool and the Legal Practice Course at the University of Central Lancashire.
She joined Birchall Blackburn Law as a solicitor in 2010. Jennifer then moved on to become associate solicitor of leasehold enfranchisement in the Leyland branch before being appointed as partner.
Jennifer Gadsdon
Jennifer, 37, said: “I’ve been a solicitor for more than 13 years and to have those years of hard work rewarded with the promotion to partner is wonderful.
“I’ve always enjoyed property work and I moved from conveyancing into specialist property in 2016. I’m relishing the challenge of working in leasehold law and the changing face of leaseholds in the coming years.”
Jane Lockwood, also a partner at Birchall Blackburn Law, said: “Jennifer is a fantastic team player and her appointment as partner comes at a time when leaseholds are undergoing reform, so her years of experience will be an extremely valuable asset to the leasehold enfranchisement team going forward.”
Birchall Blackburn Law has offices across the North West in Manchester, Preston, Morecambe, Southport, Chester, Chorley and Leyland. The firm employs more than 310 staff across a broad range of legal services.
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Global talent specialist, the Morson Group, has added to its senior team with the promotion of Adrian Adair to group chief operating officer and David Lynchehaun to group sales director, with Adair also taking a seat among the Morson Group’s board of directors.
The pair have amassed a combined 14 years with the group, with Adair first joining as operations director and Lynchehaun as head of client development.
Together, they bring more than 30 years’ industry experience and a united vision of delivery, working closely with all directors and management to position the group as the go-to strategic recruitment partner of choice across all sectors, both in the UK and overseas.
Celebrating its 50th year in business, the family-run group is a respected name across numerous technical sectors. By cementing the group’s variety of client and candidate solutions, Adair and Lynchehaun’s focus is to drive growth in core markets and other target verticals such as IT, technology, professional services and infrastructure.
Adrian Adair, left, and David Lynchehaun
Adair said: “A clear strategy and commitment towards our people and innovation has enabled us to reach where we are today and I’m extremely proud to be taking a seat at board level and to form part of the ongoing legacy of the Morson Group.”
Lynchehaun added: “The Morson Group has solid growth and brand equity in a number of marketplaces and last year’s record £866m turnover demonstrates just how strong and unique our offering is. We’re committed to evolving our client solutions into those that are truly world class, through continued innovation, training, appropriate acquisitions and organic growth.”
Morson Group chief executive, Ged Mason, said: “Morson is a company full of passion and ambition, and we’re recognised not just for the exceptional talent services, design consultancy and opportunities that we provide both internally and to our clients and candidates, but for our commitment towards remaining true to our roots and retaining our family values.
“These exact values are what sets us apart in our marketplace and I’m proud to witness my colleagues’ journeys within our business and to see talent like Adrian and David continue to progress, as we build on our team of experienced directors.”
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Pareto Financial Planning has strengthened its team with the appointment of a former captain in the Royal Marines as an independent financial adviser.
Since leaving the military, Philip May has gained more than 10 years’ financial advisory experience.
Philip advises individual and corporate clients on matters including investment strategies, portfolio management, tax, trust and estate planning and pensions and retirement planning.
Pareto director Stuart Carswell said: “We are delighted that Philip has joined us at what is an exciting time for the business.
“He brings with him a wealth of not only financial advisory experience but also his life experience, which will stand him in good stead as he develops and forges new relationships with our clients as their trusted adviser.”
Philip May
Philip said: “I’m delighted to be offered this opportunity with Pareto and look forward to continuing the development of my second career with such a highly-regarded firm.”
Manchester-based Pareto advises clients on all aspects of financial planning, including pensions, investments, protection and employee benefits.
The firm now has 18 independent financial advisers who work with individuals and businesses across the Nnorth West as well as in partnership with accountancy practices throughout the region, offering financial planning advice to their clients.
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Horwich Cohen Coghlan, the Manchester-based law firm, is poised for growth with the appointment of senior lawyers in the city who specialise in serious injury cases.
The personal injury firm, which already employs more than 250 people at its headquarters in Castlefield, has appointed Martin James as its new chief operating officer.
Martin qualified in 2003 and joins from Slater & Gordon where he was the national head of serious injury. Before that he was an equity partner at Fentons.
He joins ex-Slater & Gordon and Pannone serious injury specialist Patricia Noone who brings more than 20 years of experience to the serious injury team.
HCC pioneered a major trauma service that launched in 2017, which supports people who have been treated under the NHS major trauma pathway. The service, led by partner Mike Molloy, places greater emphasis on rehabilitation for clients who have been seriously injured.
Patricia Noone and Martin James
Director David Horwich said: “Martin and Patricia are both experienced and highly respected specialists in the field of catastrophic and serious injury, and we are delighted that they have agreed to join HCC in two senior leadership roles.
“Not only have Martin and Patricia got the legal skills and commercial acumen to make a positive impact, they are also popular and respected by our existing team of experienced lawyers who have already got to know them well.
“We will continue to invest in new people and we are also looking at other cities in the UK to expand our presence geographically. We are in a really good place to manage and adapt to changes and challenges in the wider personal injury marketplace.”
Martin said: “I am delighted to have the opportunity to work with the team and continue to grow and develop our client base. I will work with the serious injury team to maintain the emphasis on ensuring that victims of life-changing catastrophic and serious injuries get the support, rehabilitation and compensation they deserve.”
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Four University of Manchester academics have been made Fellows of The British Academy in recognition of their contribution to the humanities and social sciences.
Professors Peter Gatrell, Rebecca Herissone, and David Langslow, from the School of Arts Languages and Cultures, and Prof Jennifer Mason from the School of Social Sciences, are among 76 distinguished scholars to be elected to the prestigious fellowship.
The British Academy is an independent community of more than 1,400 of the leading humanities and social sciences minds in the UK.
Current Fellows include Dame Mary Beard and Sir Simon Schama, as well as other Manchester academics including linguist Nigel Vincent and literary theorist Terry Eagleton. Historic Fellows include Sir Winston Churchill, Baroness Mary Warnock, Seamus Heaney and Beatrice Webb.
Prof Gatrell first established his academic reputation as an economic historian of tsarist Russia. Since then, his research has broken new ground in opening up the history of population displacement and what he calls ‘refugeedom’ in the aftermath of the two world wars, as well as the history of the activities of the UN and global campaigns on behalf of refugees.
Prof Herissone
Prof Herissone is a leading thinker of her generation in the study of 17th-century English music. Her approach combines the analysis of creative processes (specifically not limited to composers) with meticulous source study and the history of music theory. In the past few years she has moved into the history of music criticism during the Restoration.
Prof Langslow is one of the world’s leading authorities on Latin linguistics and the history of the Latin language. He is particularly known for work on the Latin medical writers and on ancient technical languages, combining a high level of expertise in linguistic matters with an ability to identify and contribute to the big questions.
Prof Mason
Prof Mason is one of the UK’s leading sociologists of family and personal relationships, with an international reputation for her theoretical contribution to the analysis of connectedness in everyday personal lives and her methodological contributions to qualitative social research methods.
“I extend my warmest welcome and heartiest congratulations to all our new Fellows,” said Prof Sir David Cannadine, President of the British Academy.
“Their wealth of expertise means the Academy is exceptionally well placed to provide new knowledge and insights on the challenges of today. I look forward to working with these outstanding scholars to build on the Academy’s excellent and ever-expanding record of achievement.”
