People: Barings; Redrow; Curtins; Arcadis; Sync; JM Glendinning Insurance Brokers
Barings Law has appointed two trainees, who say they are proud to be representing women from ethnic minority backgrounds in the industry.
Saphina Coates Mohammed and Aisha Kazeem, say they’re “delighted” with landing the opportunity with the Manchester based firm after years of fighting fierce competition.
Based in their Cardinal House headquarters, Barings has grown since its inception in 2009 to a firm with more than 100 staff that has recovered millions in compensation for clients.
The business said it is passionate about developing future legal minds and breaking stereotypes about the legal sector by showcasing its diverse talent.
One hundred years since the first women qualified to be solicitors, the trainees speak of what securing training contracts means to them while encouraging more women, particularly ethnically diverse women, in the legal industry.
Saphina, 24, who is currently doing her LPC part-time, graduated from the University of Law, Sheffield, in 2020 and started working at the firm two years ago as a paralegal. She said: “During university I spent a year studying in Spain and had to get flights back to England for training contract interviews. A ‘no’ was always so deflating, especially when you’ve paid money for a plane ticket.
“When Barings gave me the good news, I was beyond words. It’s great to see such a forward thinking law firm that recognises how inclusivity and diversity can enrich a business. It has been a long road getting to this point, and I want to thank the firm for giving me this chance.”
Trainees get the opportunity to work for 18 months in varied areas of law, speaking with clients and receiving training from some of the most experienced solicitors in the industry.
Aisha, 23, graduated with her LLB from the University of Kent in 2019, before doing her LPC and MSc from the University of Law, Birmingham. Having completed an MBA from the University of Chester, she has been with the firm for just under a year and also started as a paralegal and litigation assistant.
She said: “Between us, we must have sent over 100 applications to different firms since my second year of university.
“When Barings gave me the opportunity, it was like a dream come true. I walked into the managing director’s office when he told me, and it felt like I was on cloud nine. It’s also refreshing to see a firm that is so inclusive in an industry that hasn’t always been the most diverse over the years.
“My advice to budding solicitors is, don’t give up.”
Managing director, Craig Cooper, said: “We are extremely proud of the opportunities we give to our future solicitors.
“Our latest cohort of trainees bring with them an abundance of skills that they’ve developed as paralegals within the firm and their hard work has been clear to see.
“While the legal market remains competitive, we’re thrilled that our firm continues to attract the very best across the industry.”
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North West housebuilder, Redrow, has appointed Garry Cornell as sustainability director, working across all aspects of its operations to amplify Redrow’s sustainability and environmental credentials as it delivers on its commitment to achieve net zero carbon by 2050.
Formerly head of environment and sustainability for Yondr Group, Garry brings 30 years of experience working in the UK and internationally. As well as working within the construction industry, Garry has worked in aviation, defence and manufacturing industries, and is a published author, allowing him to bring a wide range of expertise to the role.
Garry Cornell
Garry joined the team in December, reporting directly into group communities director, Rose Sandell. As part of his remit, Garry will be tasked with setting and delivering on Redrow’s ambitious targets to reduce its environmental impact and minimise climate change, across the businesses entire supply chain and operations. He will also be responsible for supporting Biodiversity Net Gain, through the delivery of Redrow’s Nature for People Strategy. In addition, Garry will work with partners beyond the sector on Redrow’s ESG approach, part of the housebuilder’s commitment of building responsibly.
Garry said: “Redrow has always integrated sustainability aspects into their communities, with placemaking, biodiversity and ecology at the heart of the development design. As the sustainability agenda becomes even more demanding, we’ll need to look beyond our communities to wider areas of our business and the industry to find new ways, to deliver on our sustainability commitments.”
Rose Sandell said: “Future-proofing our homes and communities sits at the heart of Redrow’s approach, and is something we have been championing for a number of years across our communities through our Nature for People strategy and placemaking principles. As we edge closer towards our 2050 commitment to achieve science-based net zero emissions there is a need to look across our entire operations, product and supply chains, and to take inspiration from other sectors to drive efficiencies for our business. Garry’s expertise will help to ensure that Redrow remains an industry leader.”
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Andy Macfarlane has been appointed to board of directors at Curtins, with overall responsibility for civil and structural engineering in both its Liverpool and
Birmingham offices.
From graduate engineer to board director, Andy Macfarlane brings a wealth of expertise to the consultancy leadership team. He joined the Curtins team in 2002, and over the past 20 years he has progressed through to business unit leader in the Liverpool office, while also supporting the Birmingham team in the West Midlands.
Andy Macfarlane
Chief executive, Rob Melling, said: “In the last couple of years, we have seen positive adjustments made to our board’s structure, which have brought a wider thinking and approach to our leadership team at Curtins – and Andy’s appointment is the natural next step in this progression.
“Andy has always been focused on finding new and better ways of doing things, supporting Curtins’ aims to be thought leaders and pioneering in our approach. I am certain that having his forward thinking outlook as part of our board of directors will be an asset to our future growth.”
Andy Macfarlane said: “Since my first day of work experience whilst at university, Curtins has supported and guided me in developing my career. I have had the opportunity to work as part of teams delivering many exciting and challenging projects across the country, and a platform to influence change in our evolving industry.”
Curtins’ board of directors now comprises Andy Macfarlane, and Rob Melling as chief executive, alongside Alex Vogt, Dan Evans, David Price, Helen Salt, Jon Moister, Neil Parkinson, Oliver Delucia-Crook, Paul Menzies, Phil Bruford, Philip Hughes, Rebecca King, and Rhiannon Carss.
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Arcadis has appointed a new Northern Cities executive, playing a crucial role in representing the organisation across the North of England.
Richard Jones, a Chartered Engineer with more than 25 years’ experience, will lead Arcadis’s Northern presence. He will also be Arcadis’s representative at the Northern Powerhouse Partnership, helping to drive the vision of rebalancing the economy and narrowing the North-South divide.
A Fellow of the Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation, Richard has successfully delivered large complex projects across the North and internationally, including Liverpool One – one of the largest regeneration projects in the UK outside London – and Stockport Interchange – one of Transport for Greater Manchester’s largest capital investment projects.
He also sits on the Rochdale Stations Alliance Board, guiding the delivery of more than 7,000 new homes along the Calder Valley rail corridor.
Richard Jones
As City Executive, Richard will work closely with local authority leaders and the business community across the region to help them navigate the urban environment landscape. From the challenges of housing delivery and the crucial need for investment in rail infrastructure, to the devolution agenda and how our cities and towns can provide quality of life for all, Richard’s focus will be on helping to shape the North and the opportunities available to make it an ideal place to live and work.
He has spent most of his working life in the North, an alumnus of The University of Salford and The University of Sheffield. His most recent Arcadis role has been as head of development-led infrastructure.
Richard said: “Having lived and worked in the North for most of my career I am excited to be taking on this role during an important period for our great Northern cities.
“With a renewed focus on the devolution agenda, there is an opportunity to play a pivotal role in allowing the North to realise its vast potential, working across the public and private sector. The opportunity, in critical areas including transport, energy and net zero, is immense and I am hugely looking forward to taking on this challenging and rewarding role.”
Peter Hogg, UK Cities Director at Arcadis, said: “Richard brings a wealth of experience, connections and passion to this role, and I look forward to working closely with him to ensure all of our cities across the country are able to thrive.”
Henri Murison, chief executive of the Northern Powerhouse Partnership, said: “Richard brings a huge amount of knowledge and experience to the role at what is a critical time for the North of England.”
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Accredited IT specialists, Sync, has onboarded six new members to its dedicated education team over the past 12 months.
Manchester-based Sync is an Apple-authorised education specialist, supporting schools, colleges and universities across the UK in the adoption of technology in the classroom. Sync’s work aids organisations in creating bespoke solutions for schools and educators alike, enabling them to enhance workflows and provide equitable outcomes for students.
Among the six new recruits is Benji Rogers, who has taken the role of higher education lead. Benji has extensive experience in the sector, and was recognised as a ‘distinguished educator’ by Apple in 2015.
Natalie Smith has also joined the Sync team as regional education manager. In her previous role, Natalie was education lead at one of the UK’s largest independent technology retailers.
Benji Rogers
Other appointments within the team have gone to Alan Doyle, Dan Gilchrist, and Charlie Place – Sync’s newest education consultants. Extended reach across the UK is just one of the benefits the expanded team brings to Sync, alongside a wealth of experience within the sector. The organisation recently announced more than £1bn in Apple sales over the past six years, and it is keen to double down on its efforts in education.
Also joining the ranks of Sync’s education team is Apple professional learning specialist, Paul Tullock. Paul’s role includes the provision of specialist training to schools on how best to utilise the technology at their disposal.
The expansion of its specialist education team comes after a plethora of new contract wins and will enable Sync to expand its reach across the country, connecting with more schools and aiding each by helping to realise digital strategy goals.
Tom Crump, head of sales at Sync, said: “The work we do with schools is fundamental to our specialist offer here at Sync. Growing the team means that we can expand the reach we already have in the education sector. The impact of the new members of the team has already made itself apparent with the number of new framework wins in the education sector over the past few months. With this in mind, we can’t wait to see what the rest of 2023 will bring with our expanding team.”
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JM Glendinning Insurance Brokers has appointed experienced account executive, Adam Khanani, to support its Blackburn-based business as it continues its growth journey.
A Chartered Insurance Institute member, Adam Khanani brings seven years’ industry experience to the role – supporting and advising clients on their insurance requirements mainly covering fleet, property, construction and cyber risks.
Adam Khanani and Matthew Stuttard
Adam said: “I am in the very privileged position of helping to protect businesses and livelihoods using the tools of insurance, advice, and risk management. I view myself as an extension of my clients’ businesses and truly get to understand them in order to tailor solutions for them.”
Matthew Stuttard, managing director of JM Glendinning Insurance Brokers’ Blackburn business, said: “We have recruited Adam to further enhance our face-to-face client offering within the Lancashire and Manchester area. We have recently entered into partnership with the Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce and Adam will support the team in assisting its members with their insurance needs.”
