People: Shawbrook Bank; C.Co; Butcher and Barlow; Vincents Solicitors; MSIF; Grant Thornton

Manchester-based Shawbrook Bank has appointed Arthur Leung in the newly-created role of chief product officer, reporting into the bank’s CEO Marcelino Castrillo. The appointment follows a number of recent announcements on the bank’s investment in technology and talent including plans to create 100 new digital vacancies by the end of 2022.

Arthur brings more than 15 years’ product and leadership expertise to Shawbrook, having previously worked across a breadth of leading organisations including fast growth payment card specialist Curve, top-tier consultancies including fintech-focused 11:FS and most recently Advent International where he led the digital product and engineering team.

In 2015 Arthur founded an edtech start-up to make learning Chinese more accessible and fun for children.

In his new role Arthur will be responsible for continuing to evolve and deliver Shawbrook’s digital product strategy, working with and building the community of product and tech talent within the bank on a collective mission to make it simpler and faster for customers to do business.

In recent months, Shawbrook has launched a number of new digital products and services, enabled by advances in cloud based serverless architecture, API services, acceptance of Open Banking data and building third party relationships with partners such as FundingXchange.

Arthur Leung said: “I’ve operated in global firms, scaled start-ups and built my own edtech venture. In many ways, Shawbrook offers the best of all worlds – scale and reach combined with entrepreneurial spirit and a proven ability to innovate.”

Marcelino Castrillo said: “Arthur has phenomenal understanding and extensive experience across discovery, execution and scaling of products at different stages of business growth.

“I’m delighted he has chosen to join Shawbrook in the next step of his career, helping us build upon the diverse banking platform we have today that’s helping to create opportunities for our customers in entirely new ways.”

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C.Co has appointed Kerry Tromanhauser to its newly created role of head of housing.

Kerry joins Knutsford-based C.Co’s team as a social housing expert. Having worked across a diverse range of providers, Kerry has particular expertise in strategy development, governance, compliance, risk management, transformation, crisis management and merger-related work.

At the Hyde Group, Kerry took the lead role on data and technology functions and delivered a large scale change programme on information governance. At Eastlight Community Homes, Kerry headed up governance and integration following a merger completed during the height of the lockdown.

Kerry Tromanhauser

Kerry has assisted a number of organisations in crisis – focusing on business stabilisation and root cause identification before driving through the operational and governance changes needed to have positive, sustainable change. These roles, as well as his experience as a non-executive board member, has greatly deepened his understanding of the scale and breadth of the unprecedented challenges currently facing social housing providers.

C.Co’s chief executive, Michael McDonagh, said: “With Kerry on board, there are exciting times ahead for the C.Co team as we are looking forward to growing our housing business still further and being the most innovative and energised consultancy in the housing sector. ”

Kerry Tromanhauser said: “Having gained exceptional experience working for very diverse organisations, I’m looking forward to using this experience to find effective solutions to social housing providers’ challenges.”

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North West law firm, Butcher and Barlow, has welcomed back one of its former high achieving trainees, solicitor Alex Williams, to play an integral role in the firm’s family law team.

Having completed her training contract with Butcher and Barlow in 2018, Alex joins the firm’s Frodsham office and is an experienced solicitor in private paying matters, particularly divorce, matrimonial finances, private children law and separation, cohabitation and nuptial agreements.

Describing her return as “coming home”, Alex has spent four years working across South Manchester and Chester, supporting high value and often complex financial matters associated with divorce.

Alex Williams

She said: “Jumping at the chance to return, I will represent clients in all aspects in family law on a private paying basis, and I am looking forward to being back with a firm that has such a lengthy history of prioritising personalised, trusting client relationships.”

Alex achieved a First Class Honours Degree from Aberystwyth University, and Distinction in her Legal Practice Course at the University of Law, Chester.

She then joined Butcher and Barlow in 2015, first as a paralegal, and then as a trainee solicitor from 2016 to 2018, gaining experience in many of Butcher and Barlow’s 10 offices.

Kevan Hankinson, partner, said: “Alex’s experience, empathy for her clients, and determination to make the process as painless as possible, will provide great comfort for those seeking legal support and we are delighted to have her back within the firm.”

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Nina Ellement, formerly head of legal at Cumbria County Council, has joined Vincents Solicitors in Preston.

A senior solicitor with more than 20 years’ experience of childcare proceedings, Nina has joined the specialist childcare team within the firm’s family law department.

Prior to being appointed legal lead at Cumbria in 2020, Nina spent 15 years at St Helens Council working exclusively on childcare cases for the local authority. She will now bring that experience to her work assisting local families facing care proceedings via Vincents’ three Childcare Legal Aid contracts in Preston, Blackpool and Chorley.

Nina said: “I am excited to be back working directly with families and helping parents at risk of losing their children to access the support they need to turn their lives around. Unfortunately, people often don’t realise what is required of them once the council issues proceedings and many bury their heads in the sand. As our services are provided through Legal Aid, there really is no reason for parents not to seek our help.

Nina Ellement and Mark Mosley

“I missed being hands-on in my previous role and was thrilled when Vincents offered me a position to get back to doing what I love. Every single case is different and I am absolutely delighted to have the chance to make a difference, help families stay together, and to work with this incredible team here at Vincents.”

Vincents Solicitors is just one of a limited number of firms to hold Childcare Legal Aid contracts in Lancashire, allowing them to support families in care cases going through the courts in Preston, Blackpool and Chorley. The team is led by Val Shaw, an accredited specialist with Resolution with regards private law children cases involving disputes about contact and living arrangements following relationship breakdown. Val is also a Children Law panel member, an accreditation which allows her to represent children and parents in care proceedings issued by the local authority.

Val said: “Sadly the number of childcare proceedings being issued continues to grow and the delays caused by lockdown over the last two years has only increased the caseload. Parents come to us desperate for help at a very difficult time and it is vital that we can provide them with the very best support and advice, and so I am delighted to have Nina on board to expand our highly specialist service for families in our local area.”

Mark Mosley, head of the family law department at Vincents Solicitors, said: “Nina is an extremely knowledgeable and compassionate childcare legal practitioner whose expertise in this field is second to none. Her in-depth local authority experience will provide great benefit to our family clients and she is an extremely welcome addition to our growing childcare team.”

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MSIF has appointed Paul Cherpeau as non-executive director with effect from January 1, 2022.

Paul is chief executive of Liverpool Chamber and will become the chamber’s representative in its capacity as a guarantor of MSIF. Neil Ashbridge who previously held this position, will remain on the MSIF board as an independent non-executive director.

Since 2017, Paul has led the chamber through its recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, aligning the organisation with the economic priorities of the city and ensured the fulfilment of its remit to be the authentic voice of business. He is also a governor of Hugh Baird College, member of the city’s Education Improvement Board and sits on the Liverpool BID Company executive board among several other external appointments.

Paul Cherpeau

He said: “Having seen first hand the positive impact that MSIF has had on numerous local businesses for many years, it is a great privilege to now join the organisation as a non-executive director. The great strength of MSIF is that it is a local, independent funder with a unique insight into our business landscape.

“All lending decisions are bespoke and made here in the city region, for the benefit of those living and working here, and all returns on investment are ploughed back into the regional economy. I hope to be able to share my own insights from the chamber and its members to help MSIF better connect with businesses to transform their futures.”

John O’Brien, chairman of MSIF, said: “Paul brings an excellent understanding of the economic and business challenges facing SME’s in the Liverpool City Region. The next stage of MSIF’s development needs to support those challenges, particularly in a post COVID-19 environment to continue our mission of attracting funds into the region to grow a thriving SME community.

“I am pleased that Neil Ashbridge will remain as a non-executive director of MSIF and I look forward to his continued positive contribution driving MSIF forward.”

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Business advisory firm Grant Thornton has appointed Dave Hillan as head of tax in Liverpool.

Prior to his new role, Dave was at the firm’s Birmingham office for 11 years, where he worked as office managing partner and headed up the tax team, providing corporate tax services to a range of organisations from start-ups to large multinationals.

Dave Hillan

Dave has more than 30 years’ experience in tax, with specialisms in both UK and international tax, and advice on structuring, profit extraction and corporate deals. He replaces former head of tax, Neil Sturmey, who has now retired after more than 30 years with the firm.

Based in the iconic Liver Building, Dave will work in the Liverpool office alongside audit partner Gareth Hitchmough and a 130-strong team of accountants and advisors bringing local expertise and a global perspective to clients across Merseyside and North Wales.

Dave’s appointment coincides with the continued expansion of the Liverpool office, including a significant number of external hires, graduates and school leavers recently joining the team.

Dave Hillan said: “It’s fantastic to be based back in Liverpool, where I started my first ever job over 30 years ago. We have a really strong and enthusiastic team here and I am hugely excited at the prospect of helping them continue with their growth.”