People: Addleshaw Goddard; Alcedo Care Group; WBR Group; WorkNest; JJO
International law firm Addleshaw Goddard has announced four new partner promotions in its Manchester office at One St Peter’s Square.
Nadine Waters (commercial), Mark Crane (competition), Andrew Moore (employment) and Michael Corbett (real estate) will join the partnership from May 1, part of a 20-strong promotion round which will bring the firm’s total global partner headcount to 369. The number of partner promotions matches last year’s record tally.
Welcoming the new partners, Charles Penney, Addleshaw Goddard senior partner, said: “We are extremely pleased again this year to have been able to promote a talented group of individuals drawn from all our practices, sectors and locations. We look forward to working with our new partners to grow our business and to continue their development as future leaders of our firm.”
Nadine Waters joined Addleshaw Goddard in 2006 and has a wide range of general commercial, technology, telecommunications, outsourcing and non-contentious IP experience. She advises clients in diverse sectors including manufacturing, retail and consumer, and financial services, with a particular focus on large and complex IT and outsourcing projects. Her experience includes advising Volkswagen AG on one of the largest strategic alliances in the world with Ford Motor Company.
Mark Crane is a ‘go to’ contact for a range of the firm’s clients on competition, investment control and regulatory matters. He has particular experience of multi-jurisdictional merger control matters having represented clients in cross-border M&A in front of the European Commission, the Competition and Markets Authority and competition regulators globally. He is also involved in a range of the firm’s pro bono work.
Andrew Moore plays a key role in the firm’s advisory and Employment Tribunal practice, with extensive experience including appearing in the Employment Tribunal in more than 300 cases since 2001. He also advises on a full range of non-contentious employment work streams including complex disciplinary and grievance issues, discrimination, trade union/IR matters, NMW, IR35 and TUPE within both the public and private sector.
Michael Corbett is a senior member of the real estate team, having trained and qualified with Addleshaw Goddard. He has extensive experience across all sectors of commercial property, acting for a developers, institutional investors, occupational tenants, strategic land promotors and educational institutions. Michael has also been included in the Thompson Reuters’ Stand-out Lawyers list.
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Faye Fenton
Home care provider, Alcedo Care Group, has bolstered its team in Bury with the appointment of Faye Fenton as registered care manager.
In her new role, Faye is responsible for the day-to-day running of the Bury branch, contributing towards its success and future growth. She is committed to ensuring the branch works in line with CQC standards and regulations, and that both clients and staff feel safe and well cared for.
Having worked in the care sector since she was 18 years old, Faye is highly experienced in a range of roles, from care assistant and supervisor to registered care manager.
In the next 12 months Faye hopes to establish excellent relationships in the local community and work towards building up the Bury branch, watching it grow and expand.
Andy Boardman, managing director at Alcedo Care Group, welcomed Faye to the team, saying: “Her background experience and knowledge is a real asset to the company and we are confident she will excel in Bury, developing the branch and the team.”
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From left: Tom Lodge, Tom Moore, Akshay Vaghela
Bolton based WBR Group, a provider of SSAS services and tax experts, has appointed Tom Lodge to the position of tax director and Akshay Vaghela as tax manager with immediate effect.
Tom will have overall responsibility for the day-to-day management of the WBR tax function, with 11 people reporting to him, making it one of the largest tax teams in Leicester and the midlands. He will be a member of the executive board, headed by David Downie and will also report to the main board on all tax related matters.
Tom joined WBR Group in 2019 and has more than 10 years’ experience in the tax sector. He started his career within Grant Thornton’s tax compliance unit where he qualified as a tax technician before transferring to their private client and entrepreneur advisory team in Birmingham where he qualified as a Chartered Tax Adviser.
Akshay joined WBR Group in 2021 as a senior associate with a particular specialisation in restructuring. He joined the firm from Wilson Wright where he was a tax supervisor.
Tom Moore, WBR Group CEO, said: “Tom has been with the business for four years and has been an invaluable member of the team, with a strong appreciation for technical detail, taking a keen interest in case law and future developments of tax policy. The promotion of Tom and Akshay further strengthens our tax team and demonstrates our commitment to providing our clients and professional connections with the highest level of expertise and service.”
Tom Lodge said: “I am honoured and thrilled to take on the role of tax director at WBR Group. I am excited to be part of the executive board and to contribute to the continued success of WBR Group.”
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Ifti Ahmed and Gary Jones
WorkNest, the employment law, HR, and health and safety specialist, has appointed Iftikhar (Ifti) Ahmed as its new chief executive and promoted Gary Jones to chief financial officer.
Ifti has held the Chester-based WorkNest board position of chief operating officer since September 2021 with his promotion to CEO effective from April.
Ensuring the required strategic continuity for WorkNest, Ifti is the natural successor to outgoing CEO, Gavin Snell, who is making an internal move within Marlowe, to lead its governance, risk and compliance division in which WorkNest sits.
Ifti has extensive experience of scaling businesses having worked at the likes of Capita and Aon. He said: “My passion has always been to deliver real value for our customers through high quality, personalised service. Through an exciting acquisition-led strategy, WorkNest is constantly evolving and maturing, and I’ll be working with our team to ensure that the benefits of this are passed to the tens of thousands of organisations we support nationwide.”
Gary Jones succeeds Andy Gunson who also moves into a new group-level role in Marlowe’s governance, risk and compliance division.
Gary joined the business more than five years ago as a financial controller for Ellis Whittam, before its rebrand to WorkNest in October 2021.
His experience, skill and corporate heritage has allowed him to quickly rise through the ranks since joining, playing a pivotal role in transitioning Ellis Whittam to plc ownership and commencing the WorkNest growth story.
He said: “Having been part of the exciting WorkNest journey over the past five years, I’m thrilled to step up to the helm to navigate our next stage of growth. As we continue to evolve, my focus is on consistency, integrations, opportunities, and optimisations that benefit both our fantastic colleagues and customers.”
Ifti added: “I’m delighted that Gary and I are taking on our new roles in tandem. Our cohesive aim alongside our executive team, is to drive growth through excellence.”
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Jon Thelwell and Kevin Sullivan
Two new key appointments have been made to independent kitchen, bedroom and bathroom manufacturer, Lancashire-based J and J Ormerod.
Jon Thelwell is taking over as sales and marketing director and Kevin Sullivan has been appointed national sales manager.
Managing director, Stephen Greenhalgh, said: “I would like to say thank you to our sales and marketing director John Pollitt who, over the last 10 years, has done a fantastic job and cemented our position as a leading supplier of kitchens, bedrooms and bathrooms to the independent retail sector, with service that is unrivalled in the market.
“John P has decided to hang up his tape measure and we had to look for a replacement – but Jon T is a perfect fit within the culture of our business, his experience, knowledge and ideas will lead JJO not just to change direction but to change gear and to drive the business forward.
“One of Jon T’s first jobs was to appoint a national sales manager and we are delighted that, in Keith, he has brought in someone with a wealth of knowledge and national sales know how.”
John Thelwell said: “Coming here, everyone has been welcoming and I soon found out that it is an organisation that is built on people who care about the business, care about the future and value its history.”
Building a successful sales team is the priority for Kevin Sullivan who started in the industry in 1988 at Texas Homecare, moved on to Wickes and then spent 24 years with Magnet Kitchens where his last role was regional director responsible for 41 showrooms. He said: “My main philosophy is to make it easier for our sales team and customers to sell the product to the end consumer. To achieve this, we are looking to introduce new tools for the sales managers which will help them to do that.”
JJO has been in business since 1868 and is a key employer in the Rossendale Valley with bases in Bacup, Stacksteads and Rawtenstall and a workforce of more than 300.
