People: DCB Legal; Peel L&P Retail Parks; Mustard Media; Knights; CISI; Breathe Technologies

DCB Legal's new joiners, including Neil Smith, Rebecca Dale, David Croot and Katy Long

DCB Legal, a specialist legal practice with a focus on debt recovery and civil and commercial litigation, has welcomed four new senior solicitors to support the firm’s growing client base.

The company has added four highly experienced solicitors to service soaring demand in civil and commercial litigation. Neil Smith, Rebecca Dale, David Croot and Katy Long join the Cheshire-based company bringing a combined 71 years of experience to the legal practice.

The collection of solicitors will advise clients on a variety of legal services relating to enforcement disputes, civil and commercial litigation and debt recovery. They will also play a key mentoring role to develop junior members of the team as fee earners and advocates.

Since launching the practice in 2017, the firm has become the most successful bulk claims company in England and the largest volume litigator acting for private clients. The practice is currently supporting a number of solicitor apprentices to gain a qualifying law degree, CILEX and SQE qualifications, and the ability to practice as a solicitor. DCB Legal is also recruiting for several litigation support associates and collection agents.

Jamie Ashford, director at DCB Legal, said: “Adding four experienced solicitors with a collective seven decades of experience in litigation allows us to move to the next phase of growth as a business. It enables us to considerably increase the number of cases that we can work on and maintains our position as a leading firm in the space.”

Neil Smith said: “I am excited to be joining this thriving legal business and look forward to playing a key role in the next phase of growth. The opportunity to support the team on its advocacy work which is varied and plentiful is an exciting prospect. I am also keen to work with junior members of the team in a mentoring capacity and develop their own advocacy skills.”

Rebecca Dale said: “It’s a great time to join the company and combine with three other senior hires in expanding the expertise of the team. Mentoring others to help them achieve their own ambition of qualifying as solicitors or Chartered Legal Executives will be incredibly rewarding.”

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Peel L&P Retail Parks, the initiators of the retail park concept in the UK, has appointed Bruce Edmondson as associate director for retail development, to drive forward the expansion and development opportunities across Peel L&P’s nationwide retail portfolio.

Bruce’s role will be instrumental in the delivery of Peel L&P’s retail parks vision to create sustainable retail destinations which bring together the best and most trusted brands in the food, lifestyle and convenience sectors. Bruce will also support implementing Peel L&P’s ESG strategy across the retail parks portfolio, continuing to develop their position as sustainable retail destinations, with greener infrastructure, carbon offsetting and the implementation of innovative, convenient and sustainable solutions for customers.

Peel L&P’s Retail Parks portfolio is made up of nine retail parks across the UK, with locations including Straiton, Stockport and Barnsley. Spanning more than two million sq ft of retail space owned and managed by Peel L&P; the Peel L&P team has built a strong and trusted reputation in the industry, successfully partnering and working closely with more than 70 occupiers within the retail parks.

Bruce Edmondson

Bruce brings more than 10 years’ experience to the role, amassed at some of the biggest property investment and development companies including St Modwen and British Land along with consultancy roles at Cushman and Wakefield and Eddisons. During his time at St Modwen, Bruce was responsible for the retail portfolio sale of Wythenshawe town centre to Manchester City Council enabling further investment and regeneration for the area.

He said: “I’m very excited to be joining the Peel L&P Retail Parks team. With such a diverse UK-wide retail portfolio and range of assets, plus their legacy within the retail sector, Peel L&P is one of the most dynamic companies to work for in the retail industry.”

Mark Whittaker, executive director for property investment and management, at Peel L&P said: “With Bruce on board we’re ready to increase momentum and use his knowledge and expertise to continue enhancing our retail parks portfolio. We are committed to unlocking even more opportunities through our partnership approach and further establishing our Peel L&P retail parks as the leading destination for food, lifestyle and convenience offerings.”

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Global festival and events marketing agency Mustard Media has announced that Sian Bennett, strategy director, has been appointed as a partner in the business. She joins the existing partners Ed Norris, Oli Hackett and Rob Masterson.

Sian has been with the Manchester-based agency since 2014, when she joined as an intern, and played a crucial role in building and developing the agency. Rising to strategy director, she has built a department which has become pivotal to the agency’s growth. She and her team have strategised launches and marketing campaigns for sell-out festivals and events worldwide.

Sian Bennett

Sian, 30, has built a new strategy department at Mustard Media and pitched, won and delivered more than £750,000 of strategy work since 2019. She has worked with more than 50 festivals, events and clubs/venues in 15 countries across Europe, US and Australia, as well as directing marketing for Annie Mac Presents: Lost & Found Festival, selling out the first five years of the festival. And she has launched a sell-out first year of Afro Nation Portugal and strategised the rollout into the US and Africa

She said: “I first met Ed, Rob and Oli where all good things begin… on the dancefloor. To have started as an intern when Mustard Media started in 2014 and eventually become a partner is a really proud moment for me.”

Managing director, Robert Masterson, said: “We are so proud to have Sian join Oli, Ed, and me as partners. It’s been amazing to see how much she has achieved in a short time – she has been pivotal in helping us build and develop the agency into what it is today. Since the start, she’s worked with dedication and determination to do the best for our company and clients. We’re all excited to move together into our next growth phase.”

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One of the North West’s leading dispute resolution lawyers has moved across Manchester to join Knights as a partner.

Alison Rocca brings more than 16 years’ experience to Knights – and a reputation as a dispute resolution specialist with experience of several high profile, high value cases.

She has vast commercial experience specialising in shareholder disputes, complex injunctions and associated investigations and probate and inheritance claims.

Alison Rocca

Alison said: “I am really excited to be joining Knights’ growing team. They have a great disputes team across the North West and I am looking forward to working with them. I’m also keen to work with Knights’ national team, and to learn from their experience.”

Alison’s arrival follows a wave of promotions among Knights’ growing team of professionals in Manchester, and across the North West, last month.

Lisa Shacklock, client services director, said: “There’s a real buzz around our teams in Manchester and Wilmslow at the moment, and Alison’s arrival will only elevate that.

“Alison adds great experience to the team here in the North West, and boosts our national team of dispute resolution lawyers across the country. We’re really pleased she’s joining us.”

The appointment of Alison in Manchester supports Knights’ focus on key markets outside London.

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Tricia Lucey, business and compliance manager at Luna Investment Management, has been appointed as the new president of the Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment Manchester and North West district branch committee. Tricia takes over from Rebecca Jones, of BNY Mellon.

Tricia has worked in financial services since 2006 and joined Luna Investment Management in 2020 as business and compliance manager where her responsibilities included liaising with Luna’s regulatory host to ensure all business, compliance and risk management processes are delivered efficiently and in the best interests of Luna clients as well as providing key support to senior management.

Tricia Lucey

She has recently completed a Master’s Degree in Management and Leadership and holds the CISI Level 3 Extended Certificate in Investment Operations. Tricia is currently studying for the CISI Investment Advice Diploma.

Tricia said: “I would like to thank the outgoing president, Rebecca, for her fantastic efforts over the previous years and she has given me excellent foundations to build upon. I am extremely excited to drive forward the valuable work our committee does and I look forward to the various CPD, social, and Young Professional Network (YPN) events ahead, as well as hopefully expanding our educational programme to the benefit of a diverse range of students.”

Tracy Vegro, CISI chief executive, said: “It’s a great pleasure to welcome Tricia to this important role. I also want to thank Rebecca for her inspirational leadership of the branch and committee over the last three years We all look forward to supporting Tricia in shaping her programme and achieving her goals for the district and to helping her and the committee expand and diversify its membership network.”

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Daresbury-based innovative warehouse automation specialist Breathe Technologies has appointed Simon Allen as engineering and delivery director to support its continued growth.

Simon has more than 25 years’ experience delivering large scale, complex warehouse automation projects across Europe. He has held senior engineering positions at industry giants Dematic and most recently TGW Logistics Group, where he was head of engineering.

A qualified electrical and electronic engineer, Simon has worked on major automaton systems for the logistics, retail and e-commerce sectors and has been technical leader on multiple Amazon fulfilment centres.

He also has a strong track record in the research and development of new controls hardware and software solutions, including creating a new conveyor product line as part of a multinational team.

Simon Allen

At Breathe Technologies Simon will lead the department responsible for the custom design, implementation, configuration and lifecycle support of a diverse range of automated materials handling systems, including robotics, autonomous guided vehicles, wearables, conveyors and sortation.

His arrival will support the rapid growth and continuing evolution of the business, which has a customer base that includes Pets At Home, GXO and QVC.

Following its rebrand from Conveyor Networks in 2021, Breathe Technologies has become increasingly recognised for delivering innovative robotics systems and developing its own suite of advanced warehouse execution software (WES) and warehouse control software (WCS).

Simon Allen said: “The business has established a reputation as a systems integrator and software provider that is independent, innovative and builds deep partnerships with customers by focusing on continuous improvement. I’m excited to use my technical engineering knowledge and diverse experience to further enhance these relationships, support my new colleagues and contribute to the next phase of Breathe Technologies’ growth.”

Claire Umney, Breathe Technologies managing director, said: “For over 25 years Simon has been successfully delivering complex, high performance automation systems for two of the world’s largest warehouse automation suppliers. He’ll play a key role in helping meet customers’ complex warehouse automation needs and ensure their solutions are designed installed, configured and integrated as quickly and cost effectively as possible.”

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