People on the Move: Access; BDO; GHP Legal; Turley; Forbes Solicitors
Staff numbers are continuing to swell at Old Trafford-based creative and digital transformation agency Access as it adds three new members to its multi-disciplined team on the back of new business wins and additional briefs from long standing clients.
Marketing manager Bethan Evans, account executive Abby Griffiths and junior developer Cu Janeway have all joined the agency, bringing its current headcount to more than 30.
Bethan Evans (25) will be responsible for Access’s marketing and external promotion, helping the agency to reach new and prospective clients.
Bethan joins from Arrk Group, where she delivered strategic digital campaigns across SEO, PPC and CRM. Bethan will deliver both online and offline sales campaigns for Access, manage the brand and company content, and nurture new business opportunities.
She said: “With big plans for growth in the next four years, I’m really excited to be part of the team and to help the business reach its goals.”
Abby Griffiths
Recent Liverpool John Moores University graduate, Abby Griffiths (22) is working with Access’s account management team as an account executive. She said: “For my placement year I interned as a marketing analyst for three months with water treatment company Sentinel, who happen to be one of Access’s clients, so I was already familiar with a few of the Access team before joining.”
Junior developer, Cu Janeway (21), joins Access from Stockport-based Pecometer Software, where he held the same position. He has also completed an apprenticeship scheme in web development. Cu will be working within Access’s digital division supporting fellow developers on a number of its global web build clients.
Cu Janeway
He said: “Access really stood out to me as an agency with high employee retention, a strong culture and for its all-round positive office environment.”
Managing director, Simon Landi, said: “2019 has been a hugely successful year for Access, with multiple new projects signed off and a couple of exciting new client wins, and we’ve been in the fortunate position to be able to expand our talent pool and strengthen our ever-passionate team.
“As we enter the New Year, we look forward to further growth and increased recognition for the fantastic work being undertaken here. We pride ourselves on nurturing our staff, providing unrivalled opportunities for development and personal growth. We hope this will continue to attract brilliant talent like Bethan, Abby and Cu.”
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Accountancy and business advisory firm BDO is set to recruit a record number of new trainees in 2020 in in its North West offices.
Applications are now open for more than 30 new roles which will be based across the firm’s Manchester and Liverpool offices and split across its four key programmes: Graduate, apprenticeship, Summer intern and Summer school.
This year, the firm also recruited 30 students undertaking a 12-month industrial placement in Liverpool, with the same number set to be recruited in 2020.
Nine of the new roles are apprenticeships and there are 21 graduate roles on offer. The majority of both apprentice and graduate trainees are able to undertake a level-7 apprenticeship programme – a qualification equivalent to a master’s degree.
This news comes a month after the firm promoted 73 people across its North West team.
Ed Dwan
The promotions spanned the firm’s tax, audit, BDODrive and M&A practices, as well as its support functions. It comes just months after it was announced that a third of BDO’s regional workforce had been promoted in the past three years.
Ed Dwan, partner and head of BDO in the North West, said: “We are really pleased to announce our largest ever intake of trainees, for 2020, demonstrating our ongoing commitment of investing in people. We’re proud to attract dynamic and forward-thinking trainees who share our ambitions and will become ‘advisers of the future’.
“The most rewarding part of my role is seeing our people succeed in their own careers and thriving in our dynamic and supportive culture.
“The accountancy profession has long been an advocate of apprenticeships. BDO wants to see the Government continue to support this route into work and reform the Ofsted assessment system to increase the number and quality of apprenticeship places on offer – this, in turn, will help address the UK skills and productivity gap.”
In the past six months 400 trainees and eight new partners have joined the firm.
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The busy prison law and mental health teams at law firm, GHP Legal, have strengthened their expertise with the appointment of a paralegal advocate with a long time interest in human rights.
Rhona Scullion joined the multi-disciplinary practice, which, from offices in Wrexham, Oswestry, Chirk and Llangollen, serves a client base stretching across more than 10 counties in North West England and North Wales, in November 2019.
After graduating from the University of St Andrews in English and Modern History, Rhona was based in Hong Kong, Peru and the US for a number of years, working variously as an English teacher, journalist and copywriter before deciding to make a career change into law.
She studied the Graduate Diploma in Law at Nottingham Law School, graduating top of her class with a distinction grade in 2016. The following year she passed her Bar Professional Training Course, also at Nottingham Law School.
Rhona Scullion
Rhona’s interest and expertise in human rights began after she completed the Bar Course and was awarded the Peter Duffy Human Rights Scholarship that enabled her to go and work at the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, France, for three months.
After returning to the UK in 2017 Rhona worked as a prison law adviser with a specialist Nottingham law firm where she gained a thorough grounding in all aspects of prison law and represented clients across England and Wales.
Welcoming Rhona to GHP Legal, Natalie Roberts, partner and head of mental health at the firm, said: “GHP Legal has gained a reputation, not just for its wide expertise in the areas of prison law and mental health, but for its acknowledgment of their close connection to one another.
“Our teams in these areas, therefore, often work hand in glove, so appointing staff who have experience in both areas is vital. Rhona’s background fits perfectly with this principle, so I am sure she will be a great asset within the department.”
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National planning and development consultancy Turley has announced a trio of promotions in its Manchester team.
Debbie Clutton has been promoted to associate director in the design team.
Debbie Clutton
Debbie has been involved in a number of high-profile projects for Turley across the region including numerous large scale mixed-use masterplans recently submitted to the GMSF.
In the heritage and townscape team, Kerrie Melrose has been promoted to associate director.
In her new role, Kerrie will focus on providing specialist heritage advice on proposals that affect the historic environment and advising clients on opportunities, constraints and risks.
Kerrie Melrose
Meanwhile, Joe Piliero has been promoted to urban designer in the design team.
The three promotions help further strengthen the consultancy’s credentials across the North.
Head of design, Stephen Taylor, said: “It’s been a fantastic year for us in the design team as we continue to go from strength to strength. We’re working on numerous exciting projects across the region, ranging from town centre masterplans to garden villages.
Joe Piliero
“Our people make this possible and these promotions reflect the talent in the team. I’m delighted that we’re able to recognise talented designers like Debbie and Joe for their contribution.”
Director, heritage and townscape, Katy Lightbody, added: “As an employee-owned company we share in our success and are committed to helping people achieve their potential. Kerrie is a key member of the heritage and townscape team and this promotion is testament to her talent.”
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Law firm Forbes Solicitors has reacted to the growth and success of the business by appointing Mike Bentham as its new finance director.
Mike brings more than 18 years of finance experience with him, and has spent time working across every function that exists in a modern day finance department.
His career has seen him operate across a multitude of industries, ranging from logistics and warehousing solutions to media, financial services and retail, before culminating in Law.
Those roles included working for Talksport owners UTV Radio (now Wireless Group) and Cash Generator, where he helped change the way the company analysed its business as it went through a large growth plan.
Michael Bentham
Mike, who is from Skelmersdale, said: “The opportunity arose to join a forward-thinking business that is investing in both its people and its ambition of becoming a standout law firm.
“Once I knew what the current and future plans of the firm were, I just wanted to be part of that journey and I am delighted to be joining an exceptional team.”
Forbes CEO, Oliver Burton, said: “Mike is bringing a wealth of experience from across a wide range of sectors, which will be of immense benefit to the business at what is a very exciting time of growth and success. We are delighted to have him on board.”
Forbes is one of the leading law firms in the North with more than 370 staff including 42 partners and 11 offices. Office locations include Blackburn, Accrington, Central Lancashire, Preston, Chorley, Leeds, Manchester and Salford.
