People: Maldron Hotel Manchester City Centre; Avison Young; K3 Capital Group; Purple; Heatable; Agent; Lokulus
Maldron Hotel Manchester City Centre has appointed a deputy general manager who is steeped in the hospitality industry after growing up in his parents’ hotel.
Mark Smith is joining the new four-star hotel which opened earlier this year in the heart of the city, opposite the new Circle Square development off Oxford Road.
The Maldron Hotel Manchester City Centre, operated by Dalata Hotel Group, features 278 bedrooms, a fitness suite and meeting spaces. The hotel is also the location of the Grain & Grill Restaurant and Red Bean Roastery coffee shop.
Mark joins the new hotel with three years’ experience in Dalata, having previously worked as operations manager at Clayton Manchester Airport.
He said his appointment “has been made possible by Dalata’s culture to promote from within and develop its people”.
Mark added: “Through Dalata’s training programme I’ve gained a deeper understanding of my role as a manger and different ways in which I could adapt my management style to achieve the best results, for myself and the team. I am incredibly proud to be deputy general manager in this beautiful hotel. It is a really exciting time to be part of the opening of a new hotel in Manchester.”
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Avison Young has announced a number of senior promotions at principal, associate director and director level within its Manchester and Liverpool offices.
Neil Lucas
In Manchester, town planner Neil Lucas has been appointed to principal, in recognition of his exemplary expertise and embodiment of the company’s dedication to corporate social responsibility and sustainability, it said.
Also, within the Manchester office, James Goode, Rebecca Skerrett and Tom James have now all been promoted into director roles and work in the industrial, telecoms and valuations team, respectively.
Oliver Shore, from the building consultancy team, has also been promoted to director, while his department colleagues Andy Brooks and Fergus Lowry, have been promoted to associate directors.
Emma Sandham, from planning, and Shola Oso, from property management, have also secured associate director positions.
Chris Cheap, Avison Young principal and managing director of UK regions, said: “Firstly, congratulations to our new cohort of directors and associate directors. These promotions reflect the hardworking and diligent performance delivered across the team, and they have all excelled within their roles during a challenging period in 2021. At Avison Young, we are a business that is powered by people, and we think it’s essential to recognise those who are innovative and agile thinkers – something that these four defiantly possess.”
Jack Nield
In the Liverpool office, Avison Young has promoted Ben Woodcock and Jack Neild to associate director positions.
Ben and Jack, who both joined the team as graduates in 2016, work in the land and development and energy and natural resource teams, respectively.
Stephen Cowperthwaite, Avison Young principal and managing director Liverpool, said: “We are proud to recognise the work that Ben and Jack have demonstrated throughout their time at Avison Young.
“By driving our values and pushing their performance on a daily basis, they have managed to achieve this well-earned promotion. I have been fortunate enough to have seen Ben and Jack rise through the ranks since they joined us six years ago and they reflect the potential for Avison Young’s future leaders.”
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K3 Capital Group has announced the appointment of former ManpowerGroup executive vice president, Ian Symes, as its new group managing director.
Ian joins Bolton-based K3 from ManpowerGroup, where he was executive vice president and global leader of the Right Management brand, an HR solutions business employing more than 900 staff across 35 countries with revenues of more than $200m.
Ian joins K3 with extensive international experience having led businesses across Europe and North America.
John Rigby, chief executive of K3 Capital
He will primarily be supporting the group’s CEO, John Rigby, in leading the operations of K3’s expanding portfolio of businesses.
John said: “Ian brings an incredible wealth of leadership experience in B2B services, growing businesses across different sectors and geographies. We are excited that he joins K3 Capital Group as we accelerate our business, increasing market share and expanding into new services and sectors.”
Ian said: “I am very excited to be joining such a forward thinking and rapidly growing company, and I am looking forward to working alongside the existing management teams to help drive the group to the next level.”
Ian will join the operating board of the group, but will not join the PLC board.
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Manchester-based technology company, Purple, has secured the services of Chris Dedicoat, former executive vice president for multinational corporation Cisco, as a non-executive director.
As EVP for worldwide sales & field operations, Chris led a global team to help drive revenue worth more than $47bn. He spent 23 years at the California-headquartered company, during which time Cisco’s IT and cybersecurity solutions have proven integral to Silicon Valley’s position as a global centre for high technology and innovation.
Currently chairman of Packet Fabric Inc, a provider of fast, on demand connectivity, Chris brings 25+ years of sales and marketing experience in the networking, hardware, software and technology industries to Purple. His innovative and effective sales strategies contributed to Cisco’s dominant position in the market.
Chris Dedicoat
Chris has been a strategic partner of Purple’s for many years and will now draw on his industry knowledge to guide Purple as it embarks on a period of strategic growth. This will see the business drive forward its vision to transform venues worldwide into highly intuitive, intelligent spaces through software including guest WiFi, digital wayfinding and analytics.
Chris Dedicoat said: “It’s an honour to be joining this highly innovative and growing company as it strives to elevate its position in the technology marketplace. I’ve been continually impressed by the way in which its software enables venues to understand, identify and enhance visitor experience – while also helping them to drive revenue. It’s a groundbreaking provision and only set to advance further and I’m looking forward to being a part of that.”
Gavin Wheeldon, chief executive, said: “We’re extremely privileged to have Chris’s immensely valuable contribution to the future direction of Purple as we seek to realise our vision. Chris’s incredible track record and expertise as a key player within Cisco and indeed the wider Silicon Valley will prove hugely beneficial to our global team not to mention our clients and partners.”
Backed by Sir Terry Leahy, former CEO of Tesco, Purple was established in 2012 and embarked on a rapid growth trajectory in 2015. Its technology enables venues across sectors, including healthcare, retail and hospitality, to enhance the visitor experience, optimise safety and, ultimately, drive revenue.
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The former head of sales at British Gas, Phill Cox, will help boiler industry disrupter Heatable continue its upwards trajectory.
Cox has enjoyed an illustrious career in the UK’s domestic heating market, holding several senior positions at British Gas, including national sales performance manager, regional sales manager and, most recently, director of sales.
Phill Cox
With more than 20 years’ experience delivering sales and operation growth, Phill is the ideal candidate to help a market disruptor like Heatable take its expansion to the next level, the Warrington-based company said.
Heatable founder, Sam Price, said: “It’s a real honour to have Phill join our team. Since launching, we’ve achieved consistent, rapid and continued growth — double digit, year-on-year. What’s more impressive is that we’ve continue to be profitable throughout our expansion.”
He added: “In order to maintain that continued growth, we see hiring top tier talent as a key component and a vital part of us taking the business to the next level.”
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Full-service brand and communications agency, Agent, has appointed Jen Whyley to lead the Liverpool firm’s partnerships team.
Jen joins as head of partnerships, with her role focused on growing the business’s existing relationships, and forging and identifying new opportunities for both Agent and its clients.
Jen Whyley
The agency – which launched in 2006 and has studios in Liverpool and Manchester – delivers a full service offering for brands such as CGI, National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), Yodel, RHA, and Assura.
Jen brings with her more than a decade of experience in marketing and business development, having worked for major industry names in both London and Manchester, including agencies such as Edelman, MediaCom and Creative Content Works.
She said: “It’s fantastic to be joining such a talented team at a really exciting point in the business’s journey. I’m looking forward to being part of Agent’s growth and success across the North West, and to help the team continue to do brilliant work.”
CEO, Paul Corcoran, said: “We’ve hit a number of significant milestones over the past 12 months as an agency, and with this year marking our 16th birthday, we’ve got a huge amount in the pipeline.
“To make sure we can continue to grow in the way we have been, we need to have the right people on board. Jen brings with her a wealth of knowledge and experience that will be incredibly beneficial both for us and for our clients, so now is the perfect time for her to join our team.”
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Global sales and commercial leader, Richard Hibbert, has joined Macclesfield-based Lokulus as its vice president.
With more than 30 years’ experience of accelerating some of the UK’s leading technology businesses, he will now work with the commercial teams of Lokulus to create a fast-paced plan for growth.
Richard Hibbert
Having most recently led fitech businesses to high levels of growth and multiples when sold, Richard has also held senior business transformation roles at ING, Natwest and Cooperative Bank. No stranger to Lokulus, he worked under its previous owners and its former name, Numero.
CEO, Alister Harris, said: “Richard knows our industry inside and out and will be a huge asset to the business. Having recently launched our mid market product, Pulse, I’m now looking forward to watching Richard use his strong and decisive leadership skills to deliver commercial results for our company and our customers.”
Richard said: “Lokulus’s passion for innovation, its customers and ambitions for results were all key drivers for my decision to come back to the business. We have big plans for the future and I’m looking forward to putting them in place.”
Lokulus transforms businesses with its digital interaction management service and software that, combined, simplify and enhance a customers’ digital performance and value, thus improving revenue, productivity and customer satisfaction.
