People: Open ECX; Original Factory Shop; Exchange Chambers; R & B Restaurants; BDO; English Lakes Hotels Resorts & Venues

Manchester-based e-trading solution, Open ECX, has announced a series of promotions boosting the senior leadership team as the company continues to enjoy market growth in its 10th year of business.

Following a decade of success under founder Matthew Jones, the senior leadership team welcomes the internal promotions of Stuart Costello, Amy Dickinson and Andrew Froude, who have been promoted to sales director, marketing director and chief technology officer, from head of sales, head of marketing and product director, respectively.

Both Costello and Dickinson joined the company during the pandemic and have since added immense value to both departments, in growing the team and further raising industry awareness for the solutions.

Further senior leadership promotions include Chris Mottram, who has been promoted from head of support to head of operations & delivery, as well as Nick Hearn, who has been promoted from account manager to head of business development, Amy Chouvin, who has been promoted from sales development representative to sales development manager, Adam Cattermole, who has been promoted from sales development representative to business development manager, and finally, Matthew Gibbons, who has been promoted from client success representative to account manager.

The company is an established leader in construction technology and its associated supply chain, working with names such as Sir Robert McAlpine, Grundfos, Wolseley and NG Bailey. Offering digital solutions to problems caused by traditional processes in the industries they work with, Open ECX’s eHub, including eInvoicing and eOrdering systems, revolutionise the way businesses operate.

Founder of Open ECX, Matthew Jones, said: “The accomplishments we have experienced since founding the business would not have been possible without the efforts of our employees, and the recent internal promotions will reward those who have had a significant impact on this over the past couple of years. I look forward to working closer with Stuart, Amy and the rest of the team in 2022, expanding Open ECX into new markets and building on our success for another 10 years.”

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The Original Factory Shop has appointed Brian Rees as a non-executive director

Rees is chair of Brand Consultancy, the IF Agency and is currently serving as an NED of Super League side Salford Red Devils, data consultancy Bespoke Intelligence and property company LivingCity.

Brian Rees

Burnley-based The Original Factory Shop is a discount department store chain established in 1969 with 180 stores throughout the UK selling fashion, homewares, and a range of well known branded products

Phil Briggs managing director of the Original Factory Shop, said: “It’s been challenging recently in retail, but we’re in very good shape and have some exciting plans ahead, so Brian will strengthen our board’s commitment to satisfying our loyal customer base.

Rees said: “I’ve been impressed with the stores’ local connection and their efforts to support their communities which creates an engaging way to operate.”

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Barristers’ set Exchange Chambers has welcomed a renowned QC as a new member in Manchester.

Anesta Weekes QC joins Exchange from 33 Bedford Row Chambers.

Anesta was called to the Bar in 1981 and took silk in 1999. She is recognised for her work both prosecuting and defending the full range of serious criminal offences, including financial crime.

She is a renowned advocate and regularly appears in the Court of Appeal and in the Court of Appeal of the Eastern Caribbean, Antigua, Anguilla, Montserrat, Barbados and Grenada.

Anesta Weekes

Anesta’s regulatory expertise includes acting for professionals in disciplinary tribunals. She has a particular expertise in dealing with sensitive issues of national importance which is reflected in her work on a number of major national inquiries including the Morris Inquiry, concerning professional standards and conduct procedure for the Metropolitan Police, the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry and the Broadwater Farm Haringey Council Independent Inquiry into the death of Keith Blakelock.

The Solicitors Regulatory Authority (the SRA) appointed Anesta to chair the working party to look into the disproportionate number of minority solicitors subject to regulatory decisions while Anesta also served on the Government’s Gambling Review Committee.

Welcoming Anesta, Jonathan I’Anson, chief executive at Exchange Chambers said: “A distinguished QC with an outstanding reputation, Anesta is a great addition to Chambers.”

Bill Braithwaite QC, head of Exchange Chambers, said: “It is always significant when a silk of Anesta’s calibre joins Chambers. We look forward to supporting Anesta as she continues to develop her dynamic practice.”

Following Anesta’s arrival, Exchange Chambers has 198 members and 22 silks.

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R & B Restaurants has promoted Caryn Philip to operations director.

Ms Philip has worked in the hospitality industry for more than 20 years and has been a director at R&B Restaurants since 2010.

Co-owner, Jonathan Poole, said: “We’re now serving more than 7,000 guests per week across the group and from our base in Liverpool, Caryn is a perfect fit for the role. She knows our culture inside out and has been a very important part of our team in creating what we have today.

Caryn Philip

“We have added two more restaurants to the group in the last eight months and trading is strong. In an extended financial year due to COVID, ending December 2021, EBITDA was 15% on just under £7m in turnover, with £8.5m forecasted for 2022.”

Matt Walsh continues in his role as group executive chef & director, overseeing menu development, quality and creativity.

Luke Creedon is moving from head chef to executive chef assisting Matt Walsh in a role supporting all kitchens operationally.

Co-owner Paddy Smith, said: “Strengthening our senior management team means we can fulfil our promise to support, train and develop our colleagues in the industry we love. R & B’s recent appointments also create the opportunity for further expansion into other locations for our ever busy Italian small plates concept Bacaro. We’re very interested in attractive sites in good trading locations.”

Jonathan Poole added: “Bacaro has been incredibly successful since we opened it in 2016 and I believe it would be equally popular elsewhere.”

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Accountancy and business advisory firm BDO has appointed senior tax specialist, Ed Gibson, as international tax partner.

Ed, who will be based in the North West, has nearly 20 years’ experience of handling the overseas tax affairs for businesses across the region. At BDO, he will be responsible for advising mid-sized firms on a variety of international tax issues, including overseas expansion, cross border transactions and international restructuring.

Head of tax at BDO in the region, Angela Cross, said: “Ed is a fantastic addition to the team. He brings considerable experience in the international tax field, having worked with a significant number of high profile businesses operating across multiple territories.

Ed Gibson

“The pandemic has accelerated the agenda on international tax during the course of the last two years, with many countries having to adjust monetary and fiscal policies in order to flex to rapidly changing economic developments, which clearly have a knock-on effect to those North West businesses with a presence overseas.”

Ed said: “The world of international tax has been through a period of unprecedented change culminating in the recently announced global tax deal that will fundamentally change the way that many international businesses are taxed. Even those that are not directly affected by these changes must still navigate an increasingly complex and ever-changing international tax environment to balance the opportunities from international expansion against the potential pitfalls and risks.”

He added: “I’m thrilled to be joining the fantastic team here at BDO and am really looking forward to building a strong international tax presence for BDO in the North West market and supporting our entrepreneurially-minded clients to succeed.”

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An international hospitality professional from Egypt has joined the team at a Lake District spa resort as deputy general manager.

English Lakes Hotels Resorts & Venues has appointed experienced operations management specialist Mohamed Serag to the new post at Low Wood Bay Resort & Spa.

Originally from Cairo and fluent in both English and Arabic, Mohamed has enjoyed a stellar career in the hospitality and catering industry, working in four and five star luxury hotels across the Middle East and Europe.

Previous roles in food and beverage and operations management have included household names such as Four Seasons Hotels in Cairo, Sharm El-Sheikh and Hampshire, Fairmont, IHG and the Oxfordshire Golf Hotel and Spa.

Nevil Jeffery (let) and Mohamed Serag

Mohamed brings extensive event management experience to his new role. He was given a certificate of appreciation by The White House for his support for a US Presidential visit to Sharm El-Sheikh in 2003, as well as helping to organise a summit hosted by King Abdullah with 35 kings and presidents amongst the 3,000 delegates in attendance.

Mohamed has led operations for the opening of various hotels including Four Seasons and the Fairmont Makah, one of the world’s tallest buildings and a landmark venue for the group. He was also a member of the opening team for the Alexandria Library in Egypt in 2002.

He said: “I’m really thrilled about this latest step in my career. Relocating from the south to one of the most beautiful places in the UK, and indeed Europe, is an exciting move for my family. I’m looking forward to helping the hotel group maintain Low Wood Bay’s position as a leading Lake District venue.”

General manager at Low Wood Bay Resort & Spa, Nevil Jeffery, said: “Mohamed is an accomplished professional with extensive hospitality management and leadership experience and an international outlook. We look forward to his contribution here in taking the venue to even greater heights in terms of staff development and giving our guests memorable stays and great service.”