People on the Move: BGF; Glenbrook; MHA Moore and Smalley; Maven Capital Partners; Fresh Thinking Capital

BGF has appointed Joanne McTiffin to its talent network team, which provides portfolio companies with access to a group of more than 5,500 board-level non-executives, business leaders and sector experts.

Based in Manchester, Joanne will further expand BGF’s network, with a particular focus on supporting BGF portfolio businesses in the North West and the Midlands.

Joanne has extensive experience in executive recruitment, leadership training and coaching roles.

She joins BGF from Tindall Perry Partnership where she initiated and led the partnership with London Stock Exchange’s ELITE network supporting high-growth companies. Joanne also has more than 12 years’ experience as a leadership coach and trainer.

In her new position Joanne will work with BGF investors and investee companies to identify potential candidates for non-executive director and chair positions as the portfolio continues to expand.

BGF is the UK and Ireland’s most active investor in growing companies in the UK and Ireland. An established, independent company, BGF has more than £2.5bn to support a range of growing companies – early stage, growth stage and quoted – across every region and sector of the economy.

BGF’s talent network is one of the largest groups of board-level non-executives in the UK. During the past six years this network has grown to more than 5,500 members who engage with BGF throughout the investment lifecycle. This includes co-investing, sharing market, commercial and financial insight, and taking chair, non-executive director or interim management roles at BGF-backed businesses.

Recent introductions in the North West include Joloda International’s appointment of non-executive chair Mike Molesworth. Mike is also non-executive chair at EBS Aftermarket Group, also backed by BGF, and the former CEO of Dennis Eagle, a global supplier of refuse collection trucks. This was followed by education entrepreneur Rees Withers joining Orbital Education as a non-executive director on completion of BGF’s recent investment.

Joanne McTiffin said: “I’m passionate about working with growing businesses to create diverse, balanced and effective boards. The scale and quality of BGF’s talent network is testament to the reputation of the business and the calibre of its dynamic and ever-increasing portfolio.”

Neil Inskip, head of BGF’s Manchester office, added: “We believe in the strength of business across the UK regions. In the same way that more than 70% of our investments are outside of London and the South East, we’ve built up an unrivalled network of non-executive directors locally to support them, and with Joanne’s expertise we can continue to accelerate this.”

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Glenbrook is continuing to expand its team with the appointment of Richard Armitage as the company’s asset and property management specialist and Liam Gordon as project manager.

Richard Armitage

Richard joins the team from Yorkshire-based practice, Commercial Property Partners, where he managed several diverse national portfolios on behalf of a range of private and institutional investors.

At Glenbrook, Richard is tasked with taking responsibility for the day-to-day asset and property management of Glenbrook’s investment portfolio.

Liam has come on board from the Marcus Worthington Group where he helped to successfully deliver a number of hotels, student accommodation and, more recently, The Forge, a 282 build-to-rent residential development in the heart of Newcastle.

At Glenbrook Liam will be responsible for the management and delivery of a range of major developments across the North West, MediaCity, Phase 2 at Queens Dock, Liverpool and the reconfiguration of the former flagship Marks & Spencer store in Stockport.

Liam Gordon

Guy Butler, director at Glenbrook, said: “Over the last five years our residential and commercial activities have grown significantly.

“With our aim to significantly grow the commercial side of the business, in addition to the development of almost 2,000 apartments, we need a dedicated team to ensure our business is operating as efficiently as possible. Richard and Liam both have excellent hands-on experience and will add further value to the team we are building at Glenbrook.”

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North West accountancy and business advisory firm, MHA Moore and Smalley, has recruited a new partner for its Manchester office.

The firm has appointed Alex Kelly, formerly of Baldwins and Grant Thornton, as audit partner.

Alex specialises in working with owner-managed businesses and international companies on accounting, auditing and financial reporting.

He’s also a member of the Academy of Experts for his knowledge in share and business valuation, a role which sees him act as an expert witness in shareholder disputes, business restructuring, and business valuation for matrimonial and probate matters.

Alex Kelly, left, and Graham Gordon

MHA Moore and Smalley opened its Manchester office at 80 Mosley Street in September. Alex joins tax partner Colin Abrahams, corporate finance partner Andrew Feeke, and corporate finance director Simon Carruthers in the Manchester office.

Graham Gordon, managing partner of MHA Moore and Smalley, said: “We’re building a hugely experienced and capable team in Manchester.

“Alex has been a trusted advisor to owner-managed businesses for many years and significantly strengthens our expertise in some very specialist areas. He will play a vital role as we continue building our presence in the city and the Greater Manchester region.”

Alex added: “I’m relishing this exciting opportunity to join an ambitious firm with a growing team that’s advising some impressive businesses and their owners.”

MHA Moore and Smalley also has nine offices across the North West and East Midlands. It has 25 partners and more than 300 staff.

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Maven Capital Partners, one of the UK’s leading SME finance providers, has strengthened its portfolio team with the appointment of Simon Robb and Dean Gregory.

This will enable Maven to increase the level of support to their North West portfolio companies as well as to expand the level of business support to Maven’s growing portfolio.

Simon Robb

Business coach and corporate communications specialist Simon Robb joins as portfolio manager with more than 20 years’ experience in corporate and investment banking in the City and the North West.

An economics and politics graduate, Simon trained with Barclays before working for various international banks headquartered in Japan, Norway, Australia and Ireland.

Accounting and finance graduate Dean Gregory joins as portfolio analyst to provide portfolio administration and support to the North West investment team on behalf of a range of client funds.

Prior to joining Maven Ben spent one year in Dubai with KPMG Lower Gulf within their audit function and completed an internship in Zurich with General Electric.

Dean Gregory

Appointed by the British Business Bank in February 2017, Maven manages £57.5m-worth of equity finance for the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund (NPIF), a £400m fund for growing businesses in the North of England.

Working with the Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) and Combined Authorities in the North West, Maven has invested more than £25m into 42 companies since the fund launched.

NPIF was launched as a partnership between the British Business Bank, 10 Northern England Local Enterprise Partnerships, the European Investment Bank and the European Regional Development Fund.

Across the North NPIF has now completed more than 620 investments, totalling more than £135m with an additional £123m in private sector finance since its launch in 2017.

Ryan Bevington, investment director at Maven, said: “We are delighted to welcome Simon and Dean to our growing portfolio team to help us continue to support the high-growth, innovative businesses we invest in.

“Having supported over 40 SMEs across the North West since the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund launched, demonstrates the need for this type of equity finance, and the breadth of innovative, fast-growing small businesses that currently exist, ready to take on finance to grow their business.”

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Fresh Thinking Capital is on course to provide £100m of funding to SMEs over the next three years.

The innovative, short-term secured business lender already has a loan book of £25m just a year after its launch by former Seneca Partners directors Mel Hird and Andrew Walls.

A key growth area for Fresh Thinking Capital is the North West and the business has made 10 new hires in the past year, including regional sales directors and within its operations team, covering credit and risk and portfolio management.

Annabel Todd has recently been appointed as the regional sales director for the North West. She said: “I see so much opportunity in the North West.

Annabell Todd

“We have such an amazing community of entrepreneurs, SMEs and serial investors and I want Fresh Thinking Capital to be the go-to for SMEs and entrepreneurs wanting to act on opportunities quickly.”

She added: “We work with our clients and look for solutions where it may seem there are none. I pride myself on having traditional lending values, but with a commercial approach, which can allow us to help when others can’t.”

She said Fresh Thinking Capital is laying foundations solid enough to contribute to the long term growth of the North West and has the potential to be a driving force of the business for many years to come.

“We are a region of doers and grafters with a history of strength and resilience which I see every day. We have a lot to offer on a global scale and I believe we can achieve a lot.”