People on the Move: Crowe; HE Simm; 21Digital; Aaron & Partners; Joseph Holt

Julia Poulter

Audit, tax, advisory and risk firm Crowe has expanded its non-profits team with the appointment of new partner Julia Poulter.

Julia joins Crowe’s highly-accredited non-profits team from the charity team of a top five accountancy firm.

Throughout Julia’s career she has advised a wide range of not-for-profit clients from local charities to large national charities and housing associations.

As a partner at Crowe, Julia brings with her more than 18 years of experience to work with and support the firm’s clients in a range of sectors including, care charities, social housing, INGOs, and those with national fundraising operations.

A regular speaker at CFG and Civil Society training events, Julia is passionate about improving knowledge and skills in the sector.

Julia is also an avid volunteer, which has included being a Scout leader and a supporter of the Gurkha Welfare Trust.

She was also the first – and remains the youngest – female national standard bearer of the Royal British Legion, a role she held for three years, representing the charity at events across the UK and overseas. Currently Julia is the chair of local homelessness charity LATCH.

Aside from her advisory duties Julia has also been involved in the development of bespoke audit software solutions, as well as driving internal training initiatives aimed at developing the next generation of advisors.

Julia’s professional expertise and experience saw her included in Accountancy Age’s ‘Top 35 Under 35’ rankings in 2013.

Nigel Bostock, chief executive of Crowe, said: “As the latest partner to join our non-profits team Julia is an excellent addition and will play a valuable role in further expanding Crowe’s non-profit offering while working closely with the wider leadership team. Julia’s diverse experience makes her a perfect fit for Crowe and I am delighted to welcome her to our firm.”

Naziar Hashemi, national head of non-profits at Crowe, said: “The challenges that charities of all sizes are faced with today are wide and varied.

“From increasing costs, funding pressures and public trust, to increased demand and political uncertainty, they all have an impact on continued success.

“It is now more important than ever for advisors to respond quickly and effectively to help tackle challenges and deliver real value through a range of activities.

“The addition of talent like Julia is a core part of continuing to provide the highest levels of service to our clients. Our focus continues to be on delivering quality and rigour, while supporting charities to enable them to maximise their impact for their stakeholders and beneficiaries.”

Julia Poulter said: “Crowe’s expertise and reputation in the non-profit sector as the top charity auditor is widely recognised and I am pleased to be joining such a market-leading team. I very much look forward to continuing to help grow our sector offering, working with our talented teams nationally. Crowe is an exceptional firm and I am very proud to be part of it.”

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HE Simm has appointed Lisa Beaman as its new national business development manager.

Having started her career as a business development co-ordinator for AECOM in 2002, over the past 18 years Lisa has risen through the ranks in various business development roles for companies including WSP UK, Balfour Beatty Engineering Services and, most recently, for Imtech Engineering Services.

In her new role for HE Simm, a provider of MEP (mechanical, electrical and plumbing) services, she will report to Peter O’Keeffe the Liverool-based company’s work winning director, who said: “Lisa has a wealth of experience.

Lisa Beaman

“We are looking forward to her adding value and helping us build on our recent successes. She has a proven track record of forming strong, long-standing, relationships with clients, which will be very valuable to us as we further expand our business.”

Lisa said: “I am delighted to be joining HE Simm. The company is very well recognised as an industry-leading MEP player.

“My focus will be on establishing the company an even stronger position in London and the surrounding areas – building on the work that has already been done and in helping existing clients and potential clients understand its full breadth of capabilities across numerous sectors.

“My role will also see me cover the rest of the country, working with an already established business development team.”

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Declan Porter has joined 21Digital full-time as a PPC & SEO specialist after successfully completing his level 3 apprenticeship with the Blackburn digital marketing agency.

21Digital is a multi-award-winning agency specialising in lead generation and e-commerce, with a range of digital marketing services including web design, web development, SEO, Google Ads, digital consultancy, social media marketing and email marketing.

Managing director Sam Fletcher said: “Massive congratulations to Declan on making the move from apprentice to full-time employee.

“We are very proud to provide an apprentice scheme to help younger starters get a foothold in the ever-growing digital marketing industry.

“With the sector permanently evolving at such a fast pace an apprenticeship provides training on the job which can translate into skills for life, and so we’re really pleased to welcome Declan as a full-time member of the team.”

Declan Porter

Employing 11 at its offices in Blackburn, 21Digital doubled its retained client roster to 40 accounts in 2019, with new client wins in the year including Farley’s Solicitors, PM+M and Euro Garages.

Declan said: “There’s a great team atmosphere at 21Digital and they have got a fantastic approach to offering clients bottom-line benefits through their digital services, so it made absolute sense to stay on after completion of my apprenticeship.

“The company has further major growth ambitions, with specialist client sectors of automotive, home & garden and retail, which I’m really looking forward to working on.”

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Legal practice Aaron & Partners has announced a high-profile appointment with an experienced practitioner further bolstering its Chester-based wills, trusts and tax team.

Sarah Kennedy joins the growing team, which is ranked as one of the best in the country by the industry’s highly-regarded Legal 500 directory, as a trust executive following increasing demand from private clients.

With more than 25 years’ experience as a high-value trusts specialist, Sarah will support the firm with the day-to-day management and administration of in excess of 100 charitable, family and personal injury trusts.

“I’m delighted to be joining Aaron & Partners and I’m excited to be a part of such a respected and talented team,” said Sarah.

“The firm and its people have a well-established reputation for being highly-skilled and providing the best outcomes for clients.

“I’m confident that with my proven experience within the trust and estates sector I can help the team continue to excel and provide even more specialist advice across a range of complex areas.”

Sarah Kennedy

Sarah is a full member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP), an international professional body for advisors who specialise in inheritance and succession planning.

Clive Pointon head of wills, trusts and tax at Aaron & Partners, said: “We’re pleased to welcome Sarah to the firm as we continue to grow and develop our wills trusts and tax team.

“Trusts are a complex area of law and with the current economic uncertainty it has never been more important for individuals to protect their wealth and assets for the future.

“With Sarah’s experience and qualifications, I have no doubt that she will bring a wealth of skills and knowledge to the team, ensuring we can continue to enhance the quality and complex work we undertake for our private clients.”

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Mark Norbury has been appointed trade director to the board of the Joseph Holt brewery, overseeing the company’s 127 managed and tenanted pubs.

Salford born Mark, 58, joined the Manchester-based family business as an area manager 20 years ago, rising to become its operations manager.

He has worked in the brewing industry for 43 years, having joined the former Wilsons brewery as a post boy in 1976.

The appointment, says Mark, has come at an exciting time for Joseph Holt as it continues to re-invest in its estate. Not least with the £1m development of the Shamrock, in the rapidly redeveloping Ancoats area.

Mark Norbury

“Joseph Holt has just celebrated its 170th anniversary and the company is continuing its dynamic programme of expansion and refurbishment to meet the needs of our customers and the communities it serves,” he said.

“We have bought seven additional managed pubs in the last three years and in recent months, for example, we’ve reopened the Goat’s Gate in Whitefield, the Abbey in St Helens, and Millhouse in Warrington, transforming traditional community pubs into modern pubs and food houses which still maintain their community feel.”

Richard Kershaw, chief executive of Joseph Holt, added that Mark’s appointment would bring a wealth of experience to the board and the company: “Mark will continue the expansion of our pub division. Over the last three years we have acquired seven new managed houses and redeveloped a number of our existing ones.

“We look forward to continuing the expansion under Mark.”

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