People: G20 Water Technologies; MoynanSmith; McAlister Family Law; Velstar; Liverpool FC

Omkar Joshi

G2O Water Technologies, a developer of membrane technologies designed to significantly reduce the cost and environmental impact of water treatment, has announced the appointment of Omkar Joshi.

Omkar joins the engineering team in the position of computational fluid dynamics engineer and will be responsible for leading CFD analysis and experimental validation, to guide design and innovation to tackle the inefficiencies of current water separation technologies.

Omkar will also be working with new and emerging manufacturing processes to deliver revolutionary enhancements and performance improvements to membranes and filters, initially in the fields of oil and water separation and desalination.

He brings substantial experience in the field of computational fluid dynamics and has spent more than 14 years conceptualising and optimising products, with a focus on improving their fluid dynamic characteristics through CFD simulations. Omkar joins Daresbury-based G2O from Vee Bee Filtration UK, part of Trelleborg Fluid Handling Solutions, where he spent more than eight years working as a CFD engineer.

Chris Wyres, chief executive, said: “Omkar has joined the business at an exciting time and will play a key role in the development of our next generation of products, which we believe will transform the performance and utility of membranes.

“This new product line is part of our vision to evolve the membrane industry, enabling end-users to address climate change by reducing water and energy consumption, whilst enhancing the operational efficiency of their processes.”

Tristan Phillips, VP engineering, said: “I am delighted to welcome Omkar to the team. Omkar’s appointment expands our capability and enables G2O to deliver a range of new technology platforms and manufacturing solutions that will revolutionise the membrane industry.”

Chris Wyres added: “The continued expansion of G2O confirms the market demand for new membrane technologies that address the global challenges of water scarcity and climate change. We have entered an exciting phase of growth and look forward to sharing further details of the advantages G2O’s products are delivering for customers.”

::

A growing accountancy firm has added further expertise to its team to help clients manage major changes in the tax system.

Holly Andrews joins Cumbria-based MoynanSmith as cloud accounting manager with the Government push to ensure all taxes are submitted digitallygathering pace.

Making Tax Digital has already come into effect for some, and from next April it will be mandatory for all VAT registered businesses.

Chartered Accountant Holly, who also holds a first class honours degree in Maths, will be responsible for helping business and personal clients understand and comply with the new requirements.

She said: “It’s a great opportunity to come in and look at the cloud side of the business and work with everyone to make it better for the clients. It’s a really strong team here and I’m delighted to have joined a business that really wants to add value.”

Holly’s appointment is another step forward for the chartered accountants and tax advisers. After outgrowing its previous base it moved into new offices in Clifford Court on Carlisle’s Parkhouse estate last year.

Holly Andrews with Darren Moynan, left, and Jamie Smith

The company now has 11 staff, offering business and personal financial services across accountancy, tax advice and payroll.

Darren Moynan, a partner in the firm, said: “Holly is a great fit for this new role and can educate our clients in a way that makes the process as easy as possible.

“Changing processes can seem daunting, but once you get clients on to accounting software, they can see the benefits pretty quickly.

“If we can save them time on the compliance side of tax returns and statutory information then we have more time to help them in an advisory capacity, adding even more value to our clients.”

MoynanSmith believes the pandemic has reminded businesses of the benefits of building up cash reserves and accurately predicting cashflow.

Fellow partner, Jamie Smith, said: “There are real benefits in using cloud accounting systems on top of the compliance aspects. Having real time information means we can assist businesses to make better decisions, and for them to have a better understanding of cash flow.

“With continued support for businesses available as part of the post pandemic recovery, going digital can make applying for this a much simpler process. We want to get our clients ahead of the curve.”

::

Beyond Group’s specialist family and children law practice, McAlister Family Law, has announced the recruitment of Brigid O’Malley as associate and Stephanie Eastwood as solicitor. Both join the team in response to a significant increase in new enquires in both the divorce and finance and children law divisions.

The practice has climbed the rankings in both Legal 500 and Chambers and Partners year on year. The group has offices in Manchester city centre and throughout Cheshire. The two new appointees reflect the continued demand for its expertise both in divorce and finance and children law matters, the group said.

Brigid, who studied Law at Leeds Metropolitan (now Beckett) University, graduated in 2009 and completed her LPC at the College of Law in Chester in 2010, where she gained a distinction.

She qualified as a solicitor in 2014, acts on behalf of clients seeking advice and assistance in relation to family matters that includes divorce, financial proceedings, civil partnership dissolution, nullity, domestic abuse, and children proceedings. A key member of the divorce and finance team, she also has considerable experience in private children law.

Brigid is an accredited Police Station Representative and is also experienced in criminal law, having represented clients at police stations and magistrates’ court, and instructing counsel at Crown Court, including handling cases involving serious sexual assault and violent crime. She is particularly experienced in assisting both victims and alleged perpetrators of domestic violence within the family.

Over the past 12 months the award-winning McAlister Family Law has seen significant growth having recruited two specialist partners, four solicitors and three paralegals.

From left: Brigid O’Malley, Amanda McAlister, Stephanie Eastwood

Brigid said: “McAlister Family Law is a practice absolutely committed not only to divorce and related finance work, but also to the welfare of children through its unique specialist children teams. To have the opportunity of being able to work on both is incredible.”

Stephanie graduated from Liverpool John Moores University in 2016, where she went on to gain her LPC. She began her career as a paralegal while still at university, working first in the field of personal injury claims, before going on to specialise in family law. She has joined the practice’s specialist children team and will represent both children and parents on all matters including child abduction, child arrangements and adoption.

She said: “I’m thrilled to join such a forward thinking family law practice, and to be part of the wider Beyond Group. McAlister Family Law is home to one of the country’s leading children law practices, having more than eight solicitors on the Law Society Accredited children panel. I am so looking forward to working with such a highly regarded, specialist team.”

Amanda McAlister, managing partner of McAlister Family Law, said: “I’m delighted to welcome Brigid and Stephanie on board. Both are very talented family law solicitors and bring skills and experience that complement the already comprehensive offering here at McAlister Family Law. Like everyone within our practice, they are dedicated to delivering the very highest level of service to our clients.

“They will, I am sure, make a significant contribution to the team as we continue to grow as a practice and cement our reputation as one the UK’s leading family law practices.”

Beyond Group head, Matt Fleetwood, said: “The recruitment of Brigid and Stephanie is further evidence of the group’s strategic growth and, most importantly, they are a perfect fit for the group’s culture and values. McAlister Family Law has been extraordinarily successful since we established the practice three years ago, and it’s great to see it expand further with these new recruits.”

::

Liverpool-based Shopify Plus partner agency Velstar has appointed two new members to its project management team, following further client wins.

The first is Paul Knight, who has joined the team as senior project manager from web design and development agency Mando. He brings more than 10 years of experience managing, planning and executing digital projects for clients including global automotive manufacturers, national utility providers, and large scale non-for-profit organisations.

Amy Forrester

He joins alongside Amy Forrester, who has also come onboard as a project manager, having previously worked at employer branding agency Ph.Creative. She has more than four years of experience in project and account management, working with clients across the recruitment industry to produce a range of digital platforms and marketing campaigns.

Both Knight and Forrester will oversee and help to maintain a seamless delivery of projects as Velstar continues to grow its team and client base.

Managing director of Velstar, Dan Sheard, said: “We’re thrilled to welcome Paul and Amy to our growing team. The skill set and experience that both of them bring to the agency means we can continue to provide our clients with the highest standard of delivery and exceed expectations, which is something we’ve always prided ourselves on at Velstar.

“It’s a really exciting time for us. Paul and Amy mark our third round of hires so far this year, and we’re now recruiting for a sales director and front-end developer to drive our next phase of growth and development.”

Paul Knight

Paul said: “Velstar’s client portfolio blew me away from the get go. They work with some of the biggest brands in ecommerce and it’s a fantastic opportunity to join a fast growing agency with huge ambitions. I’m looking forward to building long lasting relationships with clients and helping the agency scale.”

Amy said: “Velstar has a formidable creative reputation, it’s a great company to work for, and they’ve been so welcoming. I can’t wait to get stuck in with client projects and help drive their businesses forward.”

::

Liverpool Football Club has appointed Rishi Jain as the new senior equality, diversity and inclusion manager.

Jain will lead the club’s important ED&I work as part of its overall Red Together strategy, which encompasses all equality, diversity and inclusion activities, driving its ambition to be the most inclusive football club on and off the pitch.

With more than 15 years’ experience, he has been named on the Global Diversity List as a Top 20 Diversity Professional. His previous work led to wide ranging recognition at the European Diversity Awards 2019, North West Football Awards 2019 and Inclusive Companies Awards 2019 – that’s in addition to being awarded with the Premier League Equality Standard Advanced Level in the same year. He has also held roles at Kick It Out, Manchester United and The FA’s Inclusion Advisory Board.

Rishi Jain

Jain said he is thrilled to be reappointed at the club. “Being raised in Liverpool and having such a strong connection to the city I’m delighted to be re-joining LFC. The club is built on a rich history of supporting people from under-represented backgrounds and supporting those who need it.

“To have the opportunity to use the experience and knowledge I’ve gathered during my career to further lead the way in this important area here is something I’m really passionate about. I can’t wait to get started.”

Lynne Stockton Howard, senior vice president HR, added: “We are thrilled to have Rishi back at the club to lead our vital Red Together strategy. He has dedicated his career to championing diversity and inclusion and knows how the power of football can have such a positive impact across society and its local communities.”

Click here to sign up to receive our new South West business news...
Close