People: Roq; Knights; Armstrong Watson; CBRE; Bond Turner; Manchester Digital

Shirley Cooper

Chorley-based quality engineering consultancy, Roq, has appointed Shirley Cooper as a board advisor.

Shirley’s appointment will see her become an active contributor to the Roq board and leadership team, applying her wealth of expertise to guide and mentor, while supporting key initiatives to develop and grow the business, which was founded in 2009.

In addition to working as independent director of the Cabinet Office, trustee and treasurer UNWomen UK, chair of Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply Fellows, co-founder and chair of Blueprint Club, and director of SalesFilter, Shirley has a deep understanding of complex and critical business problems, operations, technology, and client engagement.

She said: “Working with such a people-centric organisation with values similar to mine made the decision to work with the Roq team easy and now I’m looking forward to contributing to the business’s success.”

Roq CEO, Stephen Johnson, said: “Shirley’s appointment is a huge step for Roq in meeting its ambitious growth plans. As a board, we will leverage Shirley’s impeccable record in business and strategic development of organisations.”

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Kath Livingstone

Dispute lawyer, Kath Linginstone, has joined Knights.

She has three decades of experience working with businesses and individuals on disputes across several areas of corporate and commercial law, and joins Knights as a partner in Manchester as the business gets ready for further growth.

Kath Livingston said: “It’s such an exciting time to join Knights, with growth planned here in Manchester and right across the country. My first few weeks have been really enjoyable and a fascinating introduction to the business. I’m looking forward to the challenge ahead.”

James Sheridan, Knights’ clients services director for Manchester, said: “Kath strengthens our team here in Manchester as we get ready for more growth across the North West. She’s a brilliant addition to the team and has loads of invaluable experience that will help our clients and the rest of our team in the office.”

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From left: Brian Rudkin, Paul Dickson, Becky Bowness

Industry expert, Brian Rudkin, has joined Armstrong Watson to head up its employment tax services.

He joins from Johnston Carmichael where he was director and head of employer services.

He has advised all types of employers, from small family businesses to large, global brands across the whole spectrum of pay-related issues and also has a number of external roles, two of which are with the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland (ICAS) where he is chair of the Employment Taxes Working Group and a member of the Tax Board. He is also a long serving member of the Chartered Institute of Taxation-sponsored Employment Taxes Forum.

Brian said: “Employment tax is such an important area for any business with employees to get right. There has been an unprecedented amount of change to tax and pay rules for employees over the last few years, with more complexity than ever for employers to contend with. The financial and reputational impact of non-compliance with regulations can be significant, and so my role is to help our clients to manage the risks around this.”

Becky Bowness, head of tax, said: “Brian is a highly respected specialist bringing a wealth of knowledge and experience in this very complex area of tax that impacts many of our clients. It has been one of our strategic goals to grow this service offering and Brian’s expertise and passion for client service make him the ideal person to drive this forward.”

Paul Dickson, chief executive and managing partner, said: “Employment taxes can be a complex area where many of our clients need expert help and guidance. Having Brian join our already very strong tax team to lead on this very niche, specialist and often complex area of being in business ensures we are better able to support our clients.”

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Nick Marsden, left, and Mark Hayes

CBRE has announced a new leadership structure for its rating service across the North following the decision by David Cownie to step back from leading the Northern team after 25 years.

Leeds-based Nick Marsden takes up the role as head of rating North and Mark Hayes has been named as head of the Manchester rating team. Cownie’s new remit will be focused on specific mandates for CBRE.

Marsden has spent more than 15 years in rating, working on behalf of occupiers, landlords and investors throughout the North to manage and mitigate their business rates. Nick has a proven track record in the sector including rating advice across large, complex national property portfolios and office developments, as well as extensive investor relations expertise.

He said: “Having worked at CBRE for 13 years, I am proud to be part of the incredibly talented team across the North. I look forward to providing our client base with first class rates advice and growing the team further.”

Mark Hayes brings an extensive track record built up over a 14 year career, having provided rating advice to some of the largest occupier and investor clients in the UK. He said: “It will be an honour to lead the team in Manchester, who are a talented group of individuals and among the best in our industry. My focus going forward will be to ensure that our clients receive the best possible service at a time when the Business Rates system is seeing huge change.”

John Ogden, MD, CBRE North said: “We would like to thank David for his dedication to the business and leadership of an exceptionally high performing rating team in Manchester and, more latterly, the Northern region over his considerable tenure with CBRE.

“We congratulate Nick on his promotion to head of rating North and to Mark as head of the Manchester team. With David’s continued support, Nick and Mark will progress the plan for growth of the rating business throughout the next era and we look forward to celebrating the continued success of the service line under the new leadership structure.”

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From left: Lisa Birchall,, Sara Stanger, Alum Ullah

Law firm Bond Turner has recruited a number of candidates through The Anexo Academy training programme as part of its aim to nurture the next generation of skilled lawyers in the North West.

The firm, part of the Liverpool-based Anexo Group, has selected 13 individuals as the first cohort of trainees under the scheme, which includes roles across its office locations in Liverpool and Bolton. Candidates were selected as part of an application process which included interviews and an on-site assessment day in Liverpool. In addition to the new candidates, The Anexo Academy will also encompass the firm’s 14 existing trainees as part of this new era for the business.

The successful applicants will begin their contracts in September 2023, across roles including training contracts, supported SQE and apprenticeships, all designed to support aspiring lawyers in gaining formal legal qualifications. Candidates will work alongside the firm’s dedicated training coordinator Lisa Birchall and director, solicitor and training principal, Sara Stanger, to support them throughout their training period.

Solicitor Alum Ullah has also recently been promoted to deputy training principal and will play an active role in the development of Anexo Academy trainees.

Lisa Birchall said: “It has been fantastic to be involved in the initiation of The Anexo Academy and we’re very much looking forward to welcoming candidates to the firm this autumn.”

Sara Stanger said: “As a firm, we are continuing to invest in our training provisions and are delighted to welcome valued Bond Turner solicitor Alum Ullah as deputy training principal. Alum will bring a wealth of experience and knowledge to the role making his support invaluable, while enabling us to further develop future training opportunities.”

Director at Bond Turner, Samantha Moss, said: “Bond Turner prides itself on offering a supportive work environment, developing successful people across our teams. On behalf of Bond Turner, we would like to congratulate the successful Anexo Academy applicants and look forward to working alongside them in the coming months.”

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Rachel Tsang and Ben Davies

Trade body Manchester Digital has announced two new board members – Rachel Tsang and Ben Davies.

They were nominated and voted in during Manchester Digital’s Annual General Meeting on June 22.

Alison Ross, chair of Manchester Digital’s board and chief people and operations director at Auto Trader, said: “Both Rachel and Ben bring with them very strong skill sets and multiple strengths to complement our existing board members, so we’re very pleased to welcome them to the board.”

Rachel Tsang is currently deputy director for digital identity at the Government Digital Service, responsible for live service operations. Prior to this, Rachel was a deputy director for GOV.UK at GDS, enabling support on a range of critical national priorities including COVID-19, and Brexit.

Ben Davies, group marketing director at tech and life sciences-focused VC Praetura Ventures, will add a valuable perspective to the board with his extensive experience in the funding space. Ben oversees all aspects of Praetura’s marketing output and strategy, while also working closely with their portfolio companies.

Rachel said: “As the sector continues to grow in the region, so does Manchester Digital’s significance and impact in these areas. Manchester Digital is a positive force for good and with so much growth and potential in Manchester, so it’s a privilege to join the board at this time.”

Ben said: “Having worked with similar organisations, Manchester Digital’s reputation within the public and private sector has always been exceptional and I’m looking forward to being part of the story.”

Rachel and Ben join the following existing board members: Alison Ross, Auto Trader (chair); Tom Amies-Cull, Dentsu Aegis (vice chair); Katie Gallagher, Manchester Digital (managing director); Shaun Fensom (secretary); Hilary Stephenson, Nexer Digital; Paul Bason, Manchester Metropolitan University; James Wilkinson, Zuto.

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