People: Partner joins law firm’s real estate team; DSW Debt Advisory makes manager hire; and more

Mills & Reeve has recruited Claire Gregory as environmental partner to support its Manchester real estate practice and expand its environment team.

Gregory advises on contentious and non-contentious environmental and energy matters and has a wealth of experience in areas such as contaminated land, landfill, waste and water, brownfield development, environmental permitting, energy regulation, chemicals regulation, site decommissioning and development.

She acts for both private and public sector clients and has specialist expertise in the waste sector. She regularly represents companies, directors, and managers in regulatory investigations including crisis management, interviews under caution and court proceedings, as well as judicial reviews and appeals of environmental permits and regulators’ decisions. Claire joins from Pinsent Masons where she was a legal director. She was previously the head of environment and regulatory at Brabners.

Gregory will be working alongside two former Pinsent Masons real estate partners, Mike Edge and Rachel Pitman, who joined the team four years ago, as well as Melanie Grimshaw who moved from Pinsent Masons to become a planning partner at Mills & Reeve.

Edge, who heads the real estate team, said: “Our environment team advise on all aspects of environmental, health and safety and energy legislation, including supporting on corporate and property transactions, brownfield development and infrastructure projects, and protecting clients when investigated by regulators. Claire, who excels in her field, will continue to expand the environment team at Mills & Reeve both nationally and in the North West. We are looking forward to working with Claire again as we continue to raise our profile and expand our expertise and client base.”

Gregory added: “I am absolutely delighted to be joining Mills & Reeve at this very exciting time for the firm. I am looking forward to building the environmental practice together with Keith Davidson and helping contribute to the continued success of the team, the firm and its clients.”

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DSW Debt Advisory – which helps businesses to raise debt funding and is part of the Dow Schofield Watts group – has appointed Chris Carter as manager.

Carter, who will be based in the Daresbury office, has over 15 years’ experience in banking, investment and corporate finance. Having started his career with HSBC and NatWest, he worked with Mercia Asset Management providing leveraged debt investment into regional SMEs before moving into corporate finance, most recently with Crowe UK in Manchester.

DSW Debt Advisory was founded two years ago by Phil Tarimo, who has held national roles in banks including RBS and Clydesdale and Yorkshire Bank. It now has offices in Daresbury and Reading and works with businesses across the UK, from family firms to large corporates and private equity houses.

Carter said: “DSW Debt Advisory are highly respected in the advisory market and very active across the region. This is a great opportunity to work alongside them, advising companies on their funding structures and raising the correct debt facilities to support their requirements.”

Tarimo said: “Chris’s broad experience makes him an ideal addition to our team. His appointment comes as many businesses are pressing ahead with expansion plans and seeking debt funding in the wake of the pandemic.

“While there is a wealth of funding available, the market is complex and constantly changing, with a huge range of providers and products. Therefore it is important for companies to take expert advice to find the most suitable options. We look forward to continuing to expand the team in the year ahead.”

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JM Glendinning Insurance Brokers in Blackburn has strengthened its team with the appointment of senior insurance professional, Michelle Harness, as an account director, to support its significant growth plans.

Harness brings with her over 30 years of insurance industry experience, including roles at Berry Insurance Brokers, CCV in Swinton and Lorica Insurance Brokers. As an account director based at the JM Glendinning Blackburn office, her new role will involve growing the company’s client portfolio and supporting the team as the business expands.

Currently vice president of the Chartered Insurance Institute (CII) of Preston & Blackpool, she will take over as the professional body’s president later this year giving her exposure to, and influence over, key industry decisions in the area.

Harness said: “I joined the CII of Preston and Blackpool four years ago and will take the reins of the president role in the next few months which will be rewarding and a great honour. I’m very excited to be joining JM Glendinning Blackburn because I know there are already extremely talented people working here and I wanted to be instrumental in the business’ journey. I also knew the business would support me in developing my own skills and I will learn from the best in the business.

“I am very committed to everything I do and have the ability to look at situations and find solutions for what at first might seem like a potential problem. I believe treating every client and colleague the way you would expect to be treated will never steer you wrong; customer service is everything when retaining client relationships.”

JM Glendinning Blackburn managing director, Matthew Stuttard, added: “I knew I had to work with Michelle as soon as I was introduced to her. Her professionalism, personality, technical knowledge and experience made her a perfect fit for us. Investing in great people creates a great insurance broker. It’s as simple as that.

“We are relentlessly focusing on delivering the very best service and proposition for Lancashire businesses and we have significant growth plans over the next few years. This will see us continue to invest in recruiting great people, like Michelle, along with looking to acquire high quality local brokers.”

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Fluid Commerce has appointed June Gil to head up and expand its specialist Google advertising services.

As head of paid search, she will be responsible for developing strategies for retail clients from the B2B, home and garden, beauty and fashion sectors, who are keen to achieve growth by targeting shoppers on Google.

Gil is also tasked with growing the team, both in terms of headcount and through new client wins, and raising its profile in the industry. She will work closely with Fluid’s Amazon and paid social media services to ensure there is a joined-up approach to client briefs.

Joining from CTI Digital, where she spent four years, June has 12 years’ ecommerce experience and has also worked at McCann and boutique agency Clickoo.

Gil said: “This is an exciting opportunity and I am thrilled to be on board. The freedom to hire and nurture a team, and to implement processes and ideas, was definitely a big draw for me. I am really looking forward to shaping paid Google services at Fluid and helping new and existing clients to achieve the growth they are seeking.”