People: Back to the Garden Childcare; Nexer Digital; Maven Capital Partners; Kinaxia Logistics; Pegasus Group; Harrison Drury

Back to the Garden Childcare has appointed a new management team at its recently opened nursery on Statham Avenue in Lymm.

Alison O’Connor-Limb has been appointed nursery manager while Rimini Legge has been appointed deputy manager.

Alison is responsible for the overall day-to-day running of the nursery, managing the team and providing them with everything they need to teach, learn and care for the children. She is also tasked with maintaining statutory requirements and growing the new nursery as a business.

She hopes to enhance the nursery experience, ensuring her team is fully trained in child yoga and other holistic therapies, develop the Forest School and allotment area, introduce a grow to eat space and maintain an inspiring outdoor curriculum.

Supporting Alison is Rimini, who has worked for Back to the Garden Childcare for many years at the Altrincham nursery, starting off as an apprentice for Early Years and progressing to nursery practitioner and unit leader before being promoted to deputy manager in Lymm.

Rimini’s new role will see her assist Alison with managerial duties, as well as being in the individual rooms alongside the nursery practitioners and children to enhance the experience and guide staff in the company’s unique approach to learning.

Alison said: “I have always been a huge advocate for being a child’s voice so the Back to the Garden ethos and approach to teaching and learning really appealed to me. It’s unique and refreshing to see in a nursery setting. Since joining, I have loved growing the new nursery space into an holistic centre of children’s learning and look forward to developing this further over the course of the next 12 months.”

Rimini said: “I have been part of the Back to the Garden team in Altrincham for many years and watched the nursery grow. In Lymm, I hope to help create a safe space and high quality environment for children and our staff to learn.”

Alison has previously worked in a variety of roles from toddler room supervisor and deputy manager to manager and Early Years Trainer. She has a BA in Primary Education with Early Years specialism, plus vast training in SEN, DSL and safer recruitment, Autism and Makaton.

Through her apprenticeship and working for Back to the Garden, Rimini has achieved NVQ Level 3 in supporting teaching and learning in schools, a Level 3 diploma in children’s learning and development and Level 4 for early years advanced practitioner.

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User experience and digital accessibility agency, Nexer Digital, has appointed a new account director to kick off 2023.

Jo Dunning joins Nexer Digital’s Macclesfield office to support the company with its ambitious plans to increase the work it does in the charity sector, building on long term relationships with leading charity clients like Mind and Citizens Advice.

Jo’s career in charity communications spans more than a decade, and she has a wealth of experience in delivering via digital platforms. Her experience includes working for the LGBT Foundation producing health and mobilisation campaigns and working across website, press and print content. More recently, Jo worked at Reason Digital with some of the best known charities in the UK, helping them to deliver their digital services.

Jo Dunning

Jo said: “Nexer Digital was the perfect move for me. I was looking for a new challenge, but still wanted to work in the pro social/tech for good space where the majority of my experience lies.

“Working with Nexer Digital will give me the opportunity to collaborate with clients in the public sector as well as charities. I’m excited to explore how we can work together to make more accessible and inclusive products and services for all.”

Hilary Stephenson, managing director at Nexer Digital, said: “Jo has many years’ experience of helping clients in the charity and funding sector, and cares about the impact and social purpose of her work. She’s perfectly placed to make this move and help us focus on the health, care and non-profit sectors in the UK.”

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Maven Capital Partners has appointed James Caplan and Tom Parton as investment managers. James and Tom will work with high growth businesses that are seeking capital to develop strategic plans in Cumbria and Lancashire, respectively.

They will be working to offer finance to businesses through NPIF-Maven Equity Finance, which is part of the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund, across Maven’s North West office network in Preston, Burnley, Manchester, Liverpool and Southport.

James brings a wealth of experience in private equity and venture capital, having worked with several leading firms in the industry. He will be responsible for identifying and evaluating investment opportunities in Cumbria, and working closely with portfolio companies to support their growth and development.

Tom, who has a background in corporate finance, will focus on identifying and evaluating investment opportunities in Lancashire. He will also work closely with portfolio companies to support their growth and development, with a specific emphasis on helping them scale up and reach their full potential.

James Caplan, Ryan Bevington and Tom Parton

These two new appointments will add to the growing North West investment team at Maven and support the business in offering key funding to more businesses across the Northern Powerhouse region.

Since being appointed as fund manager of the Equity Fund in the North West by the British Business Bank in 2017, Maven has provided NPIF funding to more than 70 businesses across the North West, totalling more than £60m of investment, and creating in excess of 1,000 jobs. James and Tom’s experience will only add to the growth of deal activity and provide the team with a more focused approach to investment in Cumbria and Lancashire.

Ryan Bevington, fund manager, NPIF North West Equity Fund at Maven, said “We are thrilled to have James and Tom on board, their knowledge and expertise will be invaluable as we continue to support the growth and development of businesses in Cumbria and Lancashire through the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund. We are confident that they will help us to identify and invest in some of the most promising businesses in the regions.”

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Kinaxia Logistics has strengthened its senior management team with a series of key appointments as it positions itself for the next phase of its ambitious growth plans.

Richard Smith has joined Kinaxia as managing director of the group’s Primary sector business. He has moved from DHL Supply Chain, where he was operations director for its Jaguar Land Rover account.

During a 22-year career in the sector, Richard has previously held senior roles at a number of logistics businesses, including Kuehne + Nagel and Wincanton.

Kinaxia created its Primary sector business in a restructure last year. It includes the Mark Thompson Transport (MTT) line haul business, which has its headquarters in Appleton, Warrington, and operates nationwide with a 400-strong workforce and annual revenues of around £40m.

From left: Richard Smith, Mark Thompson, Paul Givelin, Phil McBean

Richard has succeeded Mark Thompson as managing director of the Primary sector business with a remit to continue its profitable growth and broaden its customer base. Mark has now become chairman of MTT and has taken on a group-wide procurement role.

Paul Givelin has been promoted from group projects director to take on a broader role as commercial director. He joined Kinaxia from DHL Supply Chain last year. His newly-created role sees him take responsibility for Kinaxia’s account management and project implementation.

Phil McBean has been promoted to a new role of group network director as Kinaxia continues to integrate its distribution businesses following the restructure. He was previously operations director at Kinaxia company Panic Transport, which is based in Rugby.

As a result of their appointments, Paul and Richard have joined Kinaxia’s operating board.

The group, which has its HQ in Macclesfield, has 2.7 million sq ft of warehouse facilities nationwide. Group revenues for 2022 reached a record level of more than £200m.

Chief executive, Simon Hobbs, said: “We have created a number of new senior roles in line with our growth strategy as we look to continue our expansion during the coming years. Mark will keep a watchful eye over the MTT business while focusing on procurement across the group, which is a huge opportunity to capture the economies of scale available across our 13 regional operating businesses and to bring greater flexibility and innovation into our purchasing agreements.

“Paul has assumed a broader role as we maintain our focus on our customers and service standards. He will be the voice of our customers on our operating board, and his promotion is fully deserved.

“Phil’s new position reflects our growing emphasis on collaboration across the group and our desire to bring more of our customer volumes into the business, where we can ensure a standard and traceable service throughout our own Kinaxia network.

“Richard is a tremendous addition to the group. He brings a wealth of experience of delivering consistent business growth, along with excellent leadership skills and strategic acumen. These new appointments position us well as we transition the business for future growth, with a strengthened operating board that comprises an exciting blend of entrepreneurs and experienced third party logistics leaders.”

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Development consultancy Pegasus Group has doubled its presence in Liverpool with the appointment of three senior team members, three promotions and an office expansion.

Pegasus, which has more than 400 skilled and experienced staff operating from 15 locations throughout the UK, has strengthened its 18-strong, development services team with the appointment of Paul Alderson, Emer Green, and Helen Young.

The new hires, promotions and office expansion are in response to continued rapid growth in Liverpool.

Darren Muir will head up the planning team at the Liverpool office having been promoted to planning director after two-and-a-half years with the business, with Simon Tarr, senior director (land & property) leading the office overall.

Paul Alderson is Pegasus Group’s new associate acquisition surveyor and has a background in property acquisition. His primary area of expertise is in city centre build to rent and purpose-built student accommodation.

Pegasus Group team

Emer Green joins Pegasus Group as a principal planner, with her role beginning with a client-side secondment to ASDA, where she will be working in-house as sssistant planning manager. Emer’s previous experience includes several years in planning consultancy at Watkin Jones and Indigo Planning, now WSP.

Helen Young, meanwhile, joins Pegasus Group following a move from London, where she worked as a planning consultant at Turley and also at London Borough of Newham. She has a background in brownfield urban mixed-use projects, residential developments and community facilities.

Darren said: “This is an important moment for Liverpool and our expansion and growth reflects the city’s development.

“Paul, Emer and Helen bring a wealth of skills and experience to our team and will further strengthen our planning, land and property, and design capabilities.”

Harry Travis has been promoted to principal acquisition surveyor and Lydia Jose has been promoted to associate urban designer as part of a raft of new year elevations across Pegasus Group.

Pegasus Group’s office space, at No 4 St Paul’s Square, Liverpool, has expanded from 1,400 sq ft to 2,800 sq ft. CBRE acted for the landlord.

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North West law firm Harrison Drury has strengthened its employment and HR team with the appointment of experienced solicitor Katy Parkinson.

Katy, who joins the firm as senior associate solicitor, has 15 years’ experience in the legal sector and joins the team from CG Professional in Chorley.

She will advise clients across the region on a full range of employment law matters, as well as offering strategic advice to clients on large-scale projects such as company restructuring and reorganisation.

Katy will also offer support to the firm’s corporate team to advise management teams and business owners on the employment law aspects of company disposals, mergers and acquisitions.

Katy Parkinson and Roger Spence

Roger Spence, head of the firm’s employment and HR team, said: “Katy is a talented solicitor with bags of experience in advising commercial clients.

“As well as helping clients to resolve often complex employment and HR matters, she will also help our clients take a more proactive approach to looking after their people and putting good HR management at the centre of their business growth plans.”

Katy added: “No two days are ever the same working in employment law and I love helping clients find positive solutions to the HR challenges that come with business growth.”

Katy qualified as a solicitor in 2015 having studied psychology at the University of Sheffield before passing the Graduate Diploma in Law and the Legal Practice Course with Distinction at UCLan.