People: co&co; Provenio Litigation; Freeths; JS; ADT Workplace; Tilia Homes Northern
Manchester-based marketing consultancy, co&co, has bolstered its team and agency offering with the appointment of ex-Vita Group community and experience marketing expert Sophie Kimmance as a director.
The appointment comes in line with co&co’s plans to grow its offering and client base in the experiential marketing and brand activation space.
Working with clients across the UK, it will now offer brand experiences and activations, as well as employer branding and event services, using Sophie’s decade-worth of award winning experience.
Sophie, who worked at Vita Group for almost a decade, was the driving force behind Vita Student’s residential experience strategy for the past seven years, working with teams across the UK and Europe to grow communities of loyal customers that saw the business become the leading name in student and residential accomodation and win numerous awards for its dedication to customer experience.
She will now head up this new area of the business, offering huge added value for current clients, while she works to grow the client base in this area.
Sophie said: “With competition at a record high across all industries, consumers are looking for something extra, the ‘what’s in for me’, added bonus. Because of this, experiential marketing has become a key part of engagement and retention, and I am delighted to be able to bring my knowledge and skills to the table for co&co.
“We have got exciting things planned for the future of the agency and now with the added services of customised brand experiences, specifically designed brand and space activations, experience strategies, wellbeing support and event services, I can’t wait to see what this new exciting chapter brings.”
Founder of co&co, Jordan Stachini, who worked with Sophie when heading up marketing at Select Property Group, the sister brand to Vita Group, said: “Having Sophie join the team is a fantastic milestone and an unbelievable opportunity for co&co. Our slogan is that ‘we make sh*t happen’ and Sophie joining us takes us to the next level. The experience, knowledge and understanding that Sophie has of this specialist area is second to none.
“She has a track record of turning destination marketing into a profitable, ROI generating channel – which at co&co is what we are all about. The value she will be able to add to current clients, and new ones across sectors, is a very exciting prospect over the next couple of years of growth for our agency.”
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Provenio Litigation in Liverpool has continued its expansion by promoting Emma Charnock to partner.
Emma qualified as a solicitor at DLA Piper in 2014 and progressed to senior associate at the global firm before joining Provenio Litigation in November 2019.
Emma is ranked by The Legal 500 as a “rising star” where she is described as “a name to watch going forward”. She is also praised for bringing “intelligence and energy to the team.”
Emma Charnock
With extensive experience advising clients in respect of complex high value litigation across a wide range of sectors, Emma’s practice covers a broad range of disputes from investment disputes, professional negligence claims to breach of long term commercial contract claims, as well as shareholder and partnership disputes.
Emma was previously seconded to the Information Commissioner’s Office where she was part of the enforcement team during the ICO’s investigation into the use of personal data and data analytics in political campaigns, which included the activities of facebook and Cambridge Analytica. She also spent time on secondment at the litigation team of a big four clearing bank.
Emma, who is also chair of Merseyside Young Professionals, said: “Provenio is unlike any other opportunity in the market, working on complex high value cases whilst building a vibrant new business, through retaining and winning new instructions, together with continuing to invest in young legal talent from the city. It is a privilege to work with the Provenio team and grow this fantastic firm.”
Mark Goodwin, founder and managing partner at Provenio Litigation, said: “This promotion is extremely well deserved. Emma is an outstanding lawyer with a proven track record in the successful management of high value litigation. She is a huge asset to our firm.”
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National law firm Freeths has announced a number of senior promotions across its UK offices as part of the annual promotion round.
Freeths’ Manchester employment team has been bolstered with the promotion of Laura Tracey to partner as she leads the North West regional team on all areas of employment law with a particular focus on retail and hospitality.
Kim Jones is now partner in Freeths’ pensions team, bringing specialist experience in advising on scheme mergers, scheme wind-ups on a solvent and insolvent basis, including dealing with the Pension Protection Fund, and benefit design changes, including closure of schemes to future accrual.
Karl Jansen
These promotions follow 11 partner promotions in April 2022, in addition to 10 lateral partner hires so far in 2022 including rail sector specialist Tom Johnson from Norton Rose Fulbright and funds specialist George Metcalf from Simmons and Simmons.
Karl Jansen, national managing partner, said: “This round of promotions comes amidst a significant period of strategic growth for the firm and is a major boost across many practice areas supporting our clients nationally.
“These senior promotions are a reflection of the diversity and calibre of talent across the business, and we are delighted to announce these very well-deserved promotions.”
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North West-based accountancy and business advisory firm JS, has added to its partners with the promotion of James Wood.
James has been appointed accounts partner following his 19 years of service at the practice and the announcement follows significant investment in the firm which includes the recent rebrand from Jackson Stephen to JS.
Since the start of 2022, JS has hired 10 new employees and promoted 13 existing members of staff and this announcement is all part of the business’s growth strategy, which includes its commitment to further developing its people and offering an outstanding service.
James Wood
Diane Brennan, managing partner, said: “We are thrilled to add James to our partners as we continue to grow our firm. James has built and developed his career at JS with an impressive client portfolio as well as being part of our leadership management team.
“James has implemented some impressive changes for our people, and we look forward to watching him further develop his career as a partner.”
James Wood said: “The practice is forward-thinking and people-focused, and this has helped us to develop strong lasting relationships with our clients and beyond. I am looking forward to helping drive the firm forward and being part of the partnership team.”
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Commercial interior design, build and delivery specialist, ADT Workplace, has appointed Craig Sanderson to its board of directors.
Craig has a wealth of experience in the design and build market having spearheaded Oktra’s northern operation, and most recently holding the position of director at Modus Workspace in the Midlands.
As well as leading the business development and marketing team, Craig will work alongside the existing board and senior management team to develop and deliver Middleton-based ADT Workplace’s growth strategy over the coming years, following its transition to 100% employee ownership in 2021.
Craig Sanderson
Craig said: “I’m proud to be joining ADT Workplace at this exciting time as the business prepares itself for its future as an employee owned business. ADT Workplace is a great brand and well respected within the industry, with a talented team of professionals delivering amazing projects. I’m looking forward to being a part of the team and the company’s bright future.”
Commenting on the appointment, David Clemetson, director and founder of ADT Workplace, said: “His proven capability and experience across the sector, combined with his enviable track record of developing and leading businesses will be invaluable to us as we grow our company, and continue to improve our employee and client proposition following our move to employee ownership.
“We have been looking for a new Board director since we made the change to employee ownership but it was important for us to find the right person. It was crucial the person has not only the appropriate knowledge and skill to drive the business forward, but also aligns with our family culture and values. We are confident we have found the right person in Craig.”
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Tilia Homes Northern has appointed Leighton Frawley and Emily Horn to its growing senior leadership team.
With more than 30 years’ experience in housebuilding, Frawley joins the team as production director, while Taylor Wimpey veteran, Horn, is now sales and marketing director at the Warrington-based business.
Frawley joined from Miller Homes where he worked for five years, leaving as production director. His impressive career in property has seen him take roles at several of the country’s major homebuilders, including George Wimpey, Miller Homes and associate director at Countryside, as well as spending a year as project manager for a construction firm in Dubai.
Horn, meanwhile, has been instrumental in building and leading Taylor Wimpey North West’s sales team for more than eight years and during that time responsible for some of the business’s flagship developments across the North.
Her appointment at the rapidly-scaling Tilia Homes North team will see her lead the sales team from Barnard Castle, North East, to Longridge, Preston, as well as being involved in the ambitious land acquisition programme for the business.
Emily Horn and Leighton Fawley
Stuart Craig, interim managing director, said: “Leighton and Emily’s career achievements speak for themselves, and I’m thrilled that they have chosen to join Tilia Homes Northern. Their expertise and experience in this dynamic industry will be instrumental in the next exciting chapter here at Tilia.”
The appointments are the latest in a series of milestone announcements from the business over the past 12 months. The homebuilder was acquired by investment house Terra Firm in June 2021 before opening a new office in Birchwood Business Park, home to more than 90 people.
Leighton Frawley said: “Tilia Homes is a homebuilder on a mission and a business I wanted to be a part of it to affect change and be involved in delivering the exciting plans we have for both our customers and people alike. There’s a lot of work to make sure that Tilia Homes has its well-deserved spot on the property map in the region and nationwide, and I’m excited to be a part of the journey so early into its acquisition.”
Emily Horn said: “There’s no denying that this is a challenging time for the property industry and housebuilding is no exception. I’m looking forward to rolling up my sleeves and leading the team to deliver great homes and great developments, while building communities in some of the most prime, sought-after locations across the North.”
