People: AFL Architects; Leasing Options; Gulliver’s Theme Park Resorts; Autocab; UK Circuits; Russell Taylor Group

Independent architectural practice, AFL Architects has appointed Melanie Fox as business development manager who will be based in its Manchester office.

Melanie joins from construction and property management consultants RLB UK where she has spent the past 15 years and was responsible for business development in the industrial and logistics, healthcare and sports sectors nationally, as well as within the North West region.

Practice partner, John Roberts, said: “Melanie brings extensive experience and we look forward to her working with our senior management teams to drive growth and nurture existing client relationships.

“The time is right for us to introduce this new role to support our additional expansion into new sectors.”

Melanie said: “I am delighted to be joining AFL who are an impressive practise with a strong client portfolio. I look forward to working with the AFL team and I am excited to have the opportunity to play an active part in their next phase of growth.”

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Leasing Options, the Manchester-based car leasing firm, has appointed a new head of compliance.

Chandni Desai will also be involved as part of the senior leadership team, in reviewing and monitoring internal policies and procedures, overseeing all elements of staff induction and future proofing the business for any regulatory and industry changes.

Chandni Desai

She said: “I am so proud to be joining Leasing Options as it’s a company that truly understands the importance of compliance in all areas of the business and invests in its forward thinking approach to future proofing.”

Desai brings more than a decade of experience from working within governance, risk and compliance, most recently at one of the largest online credit broking firms in the country.

Chief operating office, Mike Thompson, said: “The role of head of compliance is one of the most important we have within our business and is a true demonstration of our commitment to always offer the best for our customers and partners. We are delighted we were able to convince Chandni to join the team and are sure she will help continue the amazing journey we are on.”

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A group of future theme park managers has graduated from a bespoke training scheme run by Gulliver’s Theme Park Resorts.

Eight trainee managers have completed the year-long programme, designed to develop leaders to work at any one of Gulliver’s UK sites, in Warrington, Milton Keynes, Matlock Bath or Rotherham.

Now in its seventh year, the programme offers trainees opportunities and experience across different areas of the business on a series of placements.

The graduates – drawn from across the UK – have managed their own bespoke projects, received mentoring from senior Gulliver’s staff and had access to external development coaches and experts.

The graduates, with Adam Fletcher fourth from left

Having successfully completed the training programme, they will now step into leadership roles across the company.

One graduate is Adam Fletcher, 28, from Standish in Wigan. Adam, who has a degree in Geography and Geology from Manchester University, has secured a role as rides manager at Gulliver’s World in Warrington.

Adam said: “I have had a great year on the trainee manager scheme. I have also really enjoyed doing placements in different departments. You learn a lot of skills and techniques over these placements and can try out potential career paths in areas you may have never considered. It’s a very hands-on job which I love as it helps keeps things fresh and interesting.”

Dean Kimberley, director of loyalty and marketing at Gulliver’s Theme Park Resorts, said: “Congratulations to the latest cohort of graduates from our in-house trainee manager programme. We had a strong and diverse field of candidates who have shown a commitment to learning new skills and gaining experience that will prepare them for successful careers at Gulliver’s.”

The other successful graduates are Hannah Waghorn, Cory-Jay Brzezicki, Adam Timms, Danielle Flint, Kerry Staten, Beth Saxby and Mae Spencer.

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Manchester-based Autocab has appointed Pete Willingham as its chief technical and product officer to oversee the company’s engineering, product management, IT, and infrastructure operations.

His focus will be on building solutions that drive the company closer to its ambitious mission of having Autocab software in every taxi in the world. Mr Willingham will join the executive leadership team and report to Autocab’s CEO, Safa Alkateb.

Pete Willingham

Mr Willingham has more than 20 years’ experience in developing products and services for several businesses and sectors.

Safa Alkateb said: “As we enter into Autocab’s next phase of accelerated growth, we’re excited to build atop our robust, cloud-based platform to tackle large scale industry challenges. Having Pete at the forefront of our engineering and product divisions will further our efforts to push beyond the status quo, and his leadership will be critical to ensuring our customers are future-proofed for our ever changing industry.”

Mr. Willingham said: “Autocab is well positioned and poised to successfully build and innovate as the global taxi industry continues to embrace technology.”

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Electronics manufacturer UK Circuits (UKC) has welcomed Chris McTernan as its new procurement director, as the Manchester business experiences a successful period of growth.

Chris started his procurement career almost 20 years ago at WorleyParsons in Iraq and the USA, serving clients including ExxonMobil and BP. After returning to the UK in 2011, he worked in aerospace procurement at Wesco Aircraft for BAE Systems, Airbus and Boeing and Bombardier, and later on with ATEC Engineering in purchasing and supply chain for the MOD and Rolls Royce Power.

Chris McTernan

Here, he became introduced to the electronic side of the manufacturing supply chain, experiencing the sector’s challenges spanning the past three years.

In his new role, he will be responsible for the end-to-end management of the procurement function of UKC, ensuring the team’s timely delivery of materials and components at agreed cost and to customer specification.

He said: “Working with a business that generates sustained year on year growth was an important factor in me taking the role with UKC, as it told me that the business is well managed, was secure and that the people in the business were dedicated to succeeding.”

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Russell Taylor Group has appointed Gerard Lester to the new role of national business development manager to support the growth of its expanding construction and fit out division.

With 32 years’ experience supplying labour to many of the UK’s leading construction, shop fitting and modular build contractors, he will work closely with recruitment teams at the company’s Burton Manor headquarters in Cheshire and those based at its offices in Manchester, Liverpool, London and Scotland.

Gerard, 50, joins Russell Taylor Group with a wealth of knowledge gained from working with some of the biggest names in the UK on commercial, retail, heritage, art and five-star hotel projects.

Gerard Lester

Group managing director, Rob Kurton, said: “Gerard joins us as our ambitious plans progress to grow the business even further this year and into 2023.

“Our core operating sectors in the technical, engineering, science, industrial and manufacturing industries are all targeted for growth but it’s in construction where skills and labour to help rebuild the economy are at the heart of our push to get the UK back to work.”

Gerard said: “The construction industry is showing remarkable signs of bounce-back and it’s a great time to be joining a recruitment market leader like Russell Taylor Group.

“The business has set its sights on a major expansion programme with construction and fit out at the centre of its plans. Jobs in this sector are vital to supporting regional and national growth and I look forward to working in partnership with our existing clients, identifying new markets and creating huge opportunities for us all as a revitalised construction industry takes the economy forward.”