People: H&H Insurance Brokers; Co-op Group; Low Wood Bay Resort & Spa; YourZooki ; Glaisyers
An independent insurance brokers has appointed a new manager of its in-house claims team.
Stuart Torrance will lead the dedicated claims team at H&H Insurance Brokers, which operates across the North of England, the Scottish Borders and Wales.
Stuart brings more than 20 years of industry experience to the role including specialist knowledge of the rural sector, and in dealing with detailed technical claims.
Paul Graham, managing director of H&H Insurance Brokers, said Stuart’s appointment underlined the firm’s commitment to providing a first class service to its clients.
He said: “As an independent insurance broker, we aim to change the way people think about insurance and we put our claims service at the heart of our business. Our dedicated in-house claims service ensures that if clients have to claim on their insurance, they know there will be someone who they can trust to deal with it on their behalf.
“Stuart’s industry experience and expertise in insurance claims is a fantastic asset to the business, and to our clients.”
Led by Stuart, the in-house claims team also includes claims handler Susan Dudley, and apprentice claims handler Tom McGaffin, who are based at the firm’s head office in Carlisle.
Stuart said: “The job of the claims department is to make sure that we make the process of claiming on insurance as simple and efficient as possible for the client.
“We’re there to deal with insurers on behalf of the client so they get the best outcomes, and ensure that they can get back to normal as quickly as possible.”
H&H Insurance Brokers has offices in Carlisle, Durham, Newtown St Boswells in the Scottish Borders, and Ruthin in North Wales.
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Co-op Group is announcing two new appointments to its finance team, in support of its Food, Funeralcare, Insurance and Legal Services businesses and ‘Co-operating for a Fairer World’ vision.
Surojit Majumder
Surojit Majumder began his new role on December 15, as finance director for the Co-op Group, bringing with him more than 20 years’ experience of commercial finance, strategy and corporate development in retail, analytics, technology and media.
He joins from Tesco Ireland and Tesco Mobile Ireland, moving from his role as CFO and finance director. Majumder has previously been head of finance for various Tesco businesses and subsidiaries including Food, Clothing, General Merchandise and Tesco Mobile. He was also global client and commercial finance director for Tesco-owned customer and retail analytics specialist Dunnhumby, and continues to pursue a PhD in applied statistics.
Surojit will assume responsibility for financial planning, reporting and controlling functions across the Co-op Food, Life Services and Group entities, as well as group tax and treasury.
He reports in to Co-op Group CFO and Life Services CEO Shirine Khoury-Haq, who said: “I am delighted that Suro is joining our Co-op at a critical time for our industry and our businesses. His deep financial experience, wider knowledge of data and technology and his leadership and people skills will be an asset to our group.”
Surojit Majumder said: “I am thrilled to be joining the group during an exciting phase of growth and transformation.
“Being a purpose-led organisation with strong fundamentals and a diversified portfolio of offerings, Co-op pursues endless opportunities to serve its communities, colleagues and customers. I am looking forward to playing my part and driving the business forward.”
Heather Thomas
Following the departure of Steven Nuttall, Heather Thomas also begins her new role as finance director of Co-op Food, reporting in to both Surojit Majumder and Food CEO Jo Whitfield.
Thomas has held various commercial finance leadership roles in Asda, first joining the supermarket in 1994, before transitioning into property leadership. She returned to the UK after five years in the US with Walmart, as vice president of international real estate and real estate finance, operating across 10 international markets.
She moves from her most recent position, leading Walmart’s international people team in the UK, to taking responsibility for the successful delivery of change projects in Co-op Food, developing strategies to improve performance and managing risk, leading her team in best practice.
Jo Whitfield said: “As well as a wealth of leadership experience, that will add tremendous value to our Co-op, Heather is a fierce advocate of diversity and inclusion and talent development, having championed gender diversity and women in leadership in previous roles. These are areas which are completely in tune with Co-op values and principles.”
Heather Thomas said: “I’m particularly delighted to be joining the Co-op. The purpose and values of the business are so inspiring, especially in terms of the member and customer focus, community involvement, dedication to the environment and, of course, diversity and inclusion.”
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A 34-year-old hospitality professional from Kendal has re-launched his career in the sector with a new managerial role.
Craig Harrison is the new restaurant and banqueting manager at Low Wood Bay Resort & Spa on Windermere, having returned to the tourism industry from a nine to five job in a factory.
Having moved back to the Lake District with his young family, Craig decided earlier this year that he needed a job within normal working hours. So he swapped the sociable life of hospitality for something more conducive to family life, taking a steady, regular hours job with an engineering and manufacturing firm.
Three months later he realised just how much he was missing his work in hospitality, so he applied for a managerial role with English Lakes Hotels Resorts & Venues, landing the restaurant role at the hotel group’s flagship site and overseeing a team of 18 staff.
He said: “I’m loving being back in hospitality. Some of us just have a natural affinity for customer serving roles and we really thrive on the social and leisure environment. I guess I fall into that category.
Craig Harrison
“I’m now in charge of food and beverage in The Windermere restaurant, and whilst I often work longer hours, I get paid for that additional time, which is unusual in the hotel industry.”
Craig started his career in hospitality as a teenage potwasher, before progressing on to a number of roles in Cartmel, including as bar manager at Simon Rogan’s Pig and Whistle Bar. He subsequently worked as restaurant manager at the Black Bull in Malden, near Scotch Corner, after its £3.5m refurbishment.
He then landed a restaurant manager job at The Malmaison in Newcastle. In that role he entertained many famous guests, including Ed Sheeran, Kylie Minogue, Mo Farah, Ricky Hatton and Irish rock band The Script.
General manager of Low Wood Bay Resort & Spa, Nevil Jefferym said: “Craig is a great addition to our F&B management team and it’s heartening to see a natural hospitality professional returning to the sector having experienced working life in a different discipline.
“I knew when interviewing Craig that hospitality is his passion and he loves what he does best. He is clearly enjoying being back in the restaurant environment and I look forward to many years working with Craig.”
English Lakes Hotels Resorts & Venues is recruiting across the group’s four venues in Cumbria and North Lancashire.
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Fast growing premium nutrition brand YourZooki has bolstered its senior leadership team through a series of new hires and promotions, including the appointment of a financial director, alongside heads of operations, data, customer acquisition and customer retention.
Tyrone King
It comes as the business also expands its Blackpool headquarters with a new 3,000 sq ft office, and doubles its London tech hub, with plans in place to double current headcount.
Tyron King joins the rapidly growing business as financial director, having spent three years previously with EY. Robert Dingle joins as head of operations, joining from BAE Systems. Finally, Sam Holmes joins as head of data, having previously spent time working for Amazon and retail strategy consultants Javelin Group.
YourZooki has also made two key promotions within the company, with Miles Mollinga assuming the role of head of customer retention, and Johnny Taylor promoted to head of customer acquisition.
Robert Dingle
Sam, Miles and Johnny will oversee dedicated teams who will closely monitor key customer metrics, such as acquisition cost, churn rate, lifetime value and unit economics. It comes as the business invests significantly in its in-house data analytics capabilities to scale its online and direct-to-consumer subscription model sales.
The business enjoyed impressive sales growth last year after demand for health and immunity products skyrocketed during the pandemic, rising by 750%. To meet this demand, co-founders Marcus Mollinga and Jack Morrison secured £2.85m in funding over the course of 18 months from the likes of Investec, Lancashire County Council’s Rosebud Fund and Metro Bank UK, to expand its facilities and grow the team.
Sam Holmes
The strengthening of its senior leadership teams comes as the nutrition specialist also rolls out new ranges in domestic and international markets in 2021, including its first probiotics product.
Marcus Mollinga said: “We’ve been lucky to have enjoyed exceptional growth over the last 18 months, and as we look at scaling this even further, it’s key we have a talented senior team with us on the journey.
“Their experience will help to guide us through the next stage of our growth, at home and abroad. It’s also been brilliant to grow our footprint in the North West and London, to give our people the space to expand as we look to recruit more members of the team.”
He added: “We’re especially excited to develop our data analytics teams. Whilst we’ll of course maintain the traditional methods of reaching consumers, it’s so important that we can properly understand their behaviour and what they’re looking for from the brand. It’s a really exciting time for YourZooki, and we’re excited to welcome the new hires to the team.”
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Law firm Glaisyers ETL has boosted its Legal 500-listed employment practice with two new appointments.
Nicola Clarke has been recruited to the department as a senior associate and Gemma Wilson has joined the team as an assistant solicitor.
Ms Clarke has joined the Manchester-based national firm from Thorneycroft Solicitors in Macclesfield, where she was an associate director and head of employment and HR.
She qualified as a solicitor in 2014 and has since specialised exclusively in employment law. She focuses in particular on advising business clients in all aspects of employment and human resources matters.
In addition to legal practice Ms Clarke also has extensive experience in business development. She is expected to bring this experience to bear at Glaisyers ETL and play an active role promoting the growth of the firm’s employment practice.
Nicola Clarke, left, and Gemma Wilson
Ms Wilson has joined Glaisyers ETL from Stephensons Solicitors. She qualified into Stephensons’ employment department in 2020, having originally joined the firm as a graduate paralegal in 2015.
She completed her Legal Practice Course and an MSc in Law, Business and Management at the University of Law in Manchester, obtaining a distinction. The focus of her work prior to joining Glaisyers ETL was claimant and respondent work in the employment tribunal.
Russell Brown, partner and head of employment law at Glaisyers Solicitors, said: “2021 was a really strong year for our employment practice, and being listed by the Legal 500 for the first time was a particular highlight.
“Adding Nicola and Gemma to the team will help us build on our successes and grow our business, enabling us to support more employers as they negotiate an increasingly complex legal landscape post-pandemic.
“I am proud to lead a department that can attract lawyers of such a high calibre, and I look forward to achieving great things as we work together over the months and years ahead.”
