People: On the Beach; Fletcher Bond; PHX Training; Brabners; Collinson Construction; Shakespeare Martineau; Fisher German
On the Beach has announced the group’s chief marketing officer, Zoe Harris , is joining the board as an executive director.
Zoe joined On the Beach as chief marketing officer in January 2021 and has been instrumental in developing both the group’s marketing strategy and customer experience.
Zoe led on key initiatives including the provision of free PCR Covid tests for customers when travel restrictions and entry requirements required them; and the introduction of perks for customers to help holidays start sooner including free fast-track airport security for all and free airport lounge access for 4* and 5* customers in the summer.
Zoe joined On the Beach from GoCo Group, where she had been since 2018, initially holding the role of CMO for GoCompare and then CEO for Look After My Bills (a GoCo company).
She joined GoCo from Reach PLC (formerly Trinity Mirror) where she was Group Marketing Director for nearly six years.
chairman of On the Beach Group plc, said: “There is no doubt that Zoe has had a big impact since joining the Group in 2021 and the initiatives that she has led have benefitted our customers and the wider team.
“Zoe’s unrivalled passion for ensuring our customers have the best holiday experience from seeing an advert through to returning from their holiday has made OTB a better business and the Board looks forward to further benefitting from Zoe’s expertise.”
Zoe said: “It means so much to me to work somewhere that genuinely puts their customers front and centre.
“I’m incredibly proud of the lengths that On the Beach went to for our customers through a very difficult couple of years, and am looking forward to continuing working alongside colleagues and the Board to give our customers experiences that will ensure they holiday with us year after yea.”
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Manchester-based Chartered Surveyor, Fletcher Bond, has appointed Liam Walker as graduate surveyor where he joins from a trainee surveyor role in Liverpool.
Liam has recently completed an MSc Commercial Building Surveying course at Liverpool John Moores University and is awaiting his result.
Liam Walker and Rory Dillon
Fletcher Bond specialises in corporate recovery and restructuring, and Liam will work alongside managing director Rory Dillon and the team advising banks, developers, insolvency practitioners and property firms.
Rory said: “Liam joins us at an exciting period of growth for the business, working from our city centre offices in Mosley Street and will help us to continue to serve our growing national client base of lenders, developers and private clients.”
Liam said: “I am excited about learning from an experienced and ever-adapting team at this early stage in my career, whilst being able to assist the company in achieving its growth goals. I look forward to the challenge that comes with a new career and gaining knowledge from a rapidly changing market.”
Fletcher Bond has recently just completed on the development of a £4.5m penthouse scheme which had the highest residential living space in Cheltenham, having now sold all of the units last month. It has also, over the past few months, assisted advanced manufacturers in the delivery of a 40,000 sq ft new build industrial unit and complex fit out as well as disposing of a number of distressed part-complete residential schemes across England and Wales.
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A North West training provider has strengthened its Morecambe centre with the appointment of a new business manager.
Karron Remountos will now manage the team at the centre on Queen Square.
PHX Training offers a range of back to work and business support training courses from its Morecambe centre. The centre offers a wide range of courses as well as a CV writing service, support with job search and application skills as well as interview preparation. It also has links to a range of local services and contacts to provide extra support to all our customers.
Karron Remountos
Karron said: “Our Morecambe centre is making great strides in helping local people to complete courses and learn new skills to get them ready for starting work. Our learners have some fantastic stories around success where they have completed courses and are now working in quality stable jobs and, hopefully, we can continue to support many more.”
Briony Fawcett, managing director at PHX Training, said: “Karron has been working out of our Morecambe centre for a year now as a work coach and has helped so many of our learners to find work and improve their lives.”
PHX Training has centres in Blackpool, Barrow, Carlisle, Morecambe and Preston to help people complete training courses to help them back into work. It delivers government-backed initiatives including adult skills – maths, English and vocational courses, NEET (not in education, employment or training) and employability contracts.
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Independent law firm Brabners has expanded the presence of its family law team following the appointment of Amanda Long.
Amanda joins as a chartered legal executive within Brabners’ new Lancashire office, based at Bamber Bridge, following the firm’s relocation from Preston earlier this year. Brabners has moved to the Grade A office space at Sceptre Court after a period of sustained growth and investment, which has seen the Lancashire team more than double in size over the past five years.
Originally from Blackpool, Amanda has more than 20 years’ industry experience in the region, having previously held roles in Preston and Chorley.
She advises on a wide range of family law matters, including divorce and financial settlements, separation disputes and childcare arrangements. She also specialises as a court advocate, providing advice and representing clients in the Family Court.
Amanda Long
Amanda’s appointment will strengthen the firm’s Brabners Personal offering – a bespoke service which meets the legal needs of individuals and their families throughout their lifetime. It will also help Brabners to grow its Family Law focus in Lancashire, adding further capabilities to complement the office’s established private client team.
Amanda Long said: “I’m Lancashire-born and bred, so I’ve always been passionate about supporting individuals and families across the region as they face what can often be an emotional and challenging time.”
Helen Marriott, partner and head of Family Law, said: “Our inclusive and collaborative culture has been a significant driver behind the growth of our family law team over recent years. We continue to attract the very best talent as a result of our focus on people and through our reputation for exceptional client service, and we’re proud to welcome Amanda to the team.
“Amanda’s track record speaks to her dedication to exemplary client care and a real passion for supporting families in Lancashire. It’s great to have her on board, and yet another positive addition for our team at Bamber Bridge to celebrate this year.”
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Lancashire-based Collinson Construction has appointed its first apprentice as it invests in the skills and training needed to grow and diversify the business.
The firm has taken on 18-year-old Edward Clegg as an apprentice trainee quantity surveyor.
Edward, who lives on his family’s farm in Pilling, first impressed the team at Collinson when he undertook a work placement last summer and has now become a permanent member of the team. As part of the apprenticeship, Edward is studying for a quantity surveying degree at the University of Central Lancashire.
Edward Clegg
The five-year degree programme will see Edward gain practical, on-the-job experience alongside the team at Collinson Construction, while attending lectures at UCLan once a week.
As part of the role, Edward will source prices for plant, materials and subcontractors for Collinson’s modular division’s pipeline of projects utilising specialist offsite construction techniques. He’ll also spend time completing visits to the firm’s live sites and building relationships with new suppliers.
Edward said: “I knew I wanted to pursue a career in construction from an early age, and after joining Collinson’s quantity surveying team on a site at St John’s Marlborough, last year, I decided this was the route for me to take. Between my studies and gaining first hand real world experience, I’m looking forward to the next five years and seeing how it will set me up for a successful career in construction.”
Robert Duxbury, managing director, said: “Investing in our people and upskilling our workforce is big priority for us. This apprenticeship programme is a great opportunity to not only invest in young peoples’ futures, but also help plug the skills gap in the construction industry.
“Edward made a great impression when he joined us for a work placement during his A-Level studies last year. He’s ambitious, engaging and enthusiastic to learn the trade, so we’re delighted to have him on board.”
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Full service law firm Shakespeare Martineau has expanded the support it provides to charities with its newly-launched legacy administration service, helping organisations maximise the gifts they receive in wills.
Alongside interim or permanent legacy administration services, the offering provides charities across England and Wales with strategic legacy project work, legacy forecasting and budgeting, procedure reviews, and team training.
As part of the launch, the firm has a new presence in the North West with the appointment of specialist solicitor Gaynor Lanceley, who will be heading up the service and brings with her almost 20 years’ experience in legacy administration for charities.
Gaynor Lanceley
A highly experienced solicitor who has both the STEP and Solicitors for the Elderly accreditations, Gaynor has joined from Catherine Higgins Law. Prior to this, she worked at Jackson Lees Group and Morecrofts Solicitors. Over the years, she has supported multiple charities, including the Yorkshire and North West air ambulance charities, and was previously a trustee for the Woodlands Hospice.
Gaynor, who will be primarily based at home in Liverpool but working with clients and teams nationally, said: “There are very few law firms in the UK that offer a legacy administration service, particularly in the Midlands and the North, so this launch is a fabulous experience, venture and opportunity for us.”
Research by charity legacy consortium Legacy Foresight shows the total UK legacy income grew from £800m in 1990 to £3bn in 2020. It also estimates that legacy income will be worth £19.6bn by 2025 – climbing to £23bn in the second half of the decade.
Andrew Wilkinson, partner and head of contentious probate at Shakespeare Martineau, welcomed Gaynor, saying: “Her experience, knowledge and expertise will be a real asset as we look to grow our charities and not for profit offering, starting with our new legacy administration service.”
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A property consultancy has announced two key senior promotions at its Rossendale office following a period of growth for the firm.
Fisher German has promoted Wendy Savill, who leads the firm’s commercial property management team in the North West, to partner.
Richard Owen has also been promoted to senior surveyor within the same team.
Wendy joined Fisher German in 2019 and has more than 30 years of experience in the sector. She manages a close knit team of five that is responsible for working with a number of diverse clients in the region to bring them increased value in their investments.
Wendy Savill
She said: “The property market in the North West is always expanding and I’m now focused on the team I lead and ensuring we use the experience and expertise we have to continue producing positive results for our clients.”
Richard’s promotion follows a year that has seen him play a key role in helping Fisher German win a competitive re-tendering process for a major client, alongside managing various industrial, office and retail properties. He said: “This promotion has given me added motivation as I prepare to receive new instructions as our acquisition of clients continues to grow.”
Fisher German, which has headquarters in Ashby-de-la-Zouch in Leicestershire, has announced 26 new promotions plus 14 new partners across all divisions of the business.
Senior partner, Duncan Bedhall, said: “We are once again pleased to see a high number of people advancing within the firm as part of our career progression framework.”
