People: Prosperity Law; Ascend Properties; Glaisyers ETL; Wondrwall; Together; Fairmont Recruiting
Fast-growing law firm, Prosperity Law, with offices in Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds and a serviced office in London, has made appointed Karen Piontek as its new Partner and Head of Real Estate.
The move comes less than a year after the firm appointed three new partners in an act of diversification for the business, bringing in fresh expertise to offer new services to its clients across the UK.
Karen’s appointment also brings an array of new experience to the team and continues the firm’s strong growth trajectory. Having worked in commercial property for more than 20 years, Karen has garnered expertise representing some of the country’s most successful companies, as well as private investors, institutional landlords, liquidators, lenders, and charities.
She said: “My professional approach is to be direct, available, and fully understand each of my clients’ objectives and risk profiles and build lasting relationships. And with that I find myself entirely aligned with Prosperity’s ethos and values. It’s an entrepreneurial firm that gives partners the freedom to lead within their own discipline – and understands the needs of its people.”
While Karen will be based in Prosperity Law’s Manchester office, she will also operate across the firm’s other offices and represent clients across England and Wales.
Managing Partner, Ed Smethurst, said: “Welcoming Karen to head up our Real Estate department further exemplifies our commitment to growth, and to securing the very best talent for our team. By bringing in capable and experienced legal professionals like Karen, we can bring new services to our clients and continue Prosperity’s journey to scalable success.”
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Lee Hill
Manchester-based Ascend Properties, a lettings and property manager of institutional single-family build-to-rent homes, has recruited Lee Hill as Commercial Director.
Lee’s arrival follows the appointment of Paul Borrmann as Managing Director in Autumn 2023, and completes an executive team that includes Finance Director Fiona Ashworth and Operations Director Adam Stephenson.
Formerly at JLL, Lee has significant experience across the entire residential sector. Most recently, he was Head of BTR at the firm, advising major institutional investors on development, letting and management, with responsibility for a national portfolio of 2,500 units across 13 sites.
Paul Borrmann said: “The level of investment in all areas of BTR is driving increasing demand for genuinely expert lettings and management services, something that our technology and capabilities put us in an excellent position to capitalise on. Lee is a fantastic addition to the strong and well established Ascend team and his significant experience – not just of BTR but of the wider residential sector, too – will be a big asset as we look to cement and grow our position as the leading provider of operational services to both single-family and multifamily platforms.”
Lee Hill said: “Ascend’s position as the manager of choice for SFR homes – with the potential for growth in the multifamily sector – makes this an exciting time to be joining the firm. I look forward to helping the team develop new opportunities and capabilities to achieve even greater success in what is one of the UK’s most dynamic property sectors.”
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Russell Brown
Glaisyers ETL, the Manchester-based national law firm, has appointed Russell Brown as its new managing partner.
Mr Brown will work closely with Glaisyers ETL’s executive partner David Jones, with whom he will share responsibility for the management and strategic direction of the firm. He will also continue in his role as head of the firm’s Legal 500-listed employment practice.
Mr Brown trained as a solicitor at Glaisyers, qualifying in 2000, and has remained with the firm for the duration of his career. He was made a partner in 2006.
He said, “Since joining the ETL GLOBAL network five years ago we have strengthened and consolidated our position in the market as a leading specialist providing legal advice to independent and mid-market businesses and their shareholders.
“Over the past year or so we have built on that, with a number of exciting developments, and I look forward to working with David to deliver the many other initiatives we have in the pipeline, along with the day-to-day work of leading a fantastic group of colleagues who are achieving great results for clients.”
During the last 12 months Glaisyers ETL has launched a digital, media and marketing practice, led by partner Steve Kuncewicz, and opened its first office in Liverpool, headed by corporate partner Adrian Rogers.
David Jones said, “Last year was one of significant expansion and development, but also of great sadness for our firm following the loss of our managing partner, Dave Marlor. Russell stepped up and helped us navigate both the highs and the lows. I am proud that we have now been able to formalise his position, and I look forward to working closely with him over the years ahead.”
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Steve Young
Wondrwall, the intelligent home technology provider, has appointed Steve Young as its new Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) to spearhead its ambitious sustainable housing growth plans.
The appointment comes shortly after Wondrwall secured a £100m investment programme to support the next phase of its expansion across Britain, as the Manchester-based company rapidly scales up its groundbreaking home energy management and decarbonisation solution.
Founder and CEO, Daniel Burton, said: “I’m thrilled to welcome Steve to the team. His proven commercial track record, alongside over 40 years of heating industry experience, makes him perfectly placed to drive rapid uptake of our transformative home energy management systems.
“I am determined to leave the planet in a better place than its current state and with a brighter future. Hiring a team that shares that drive and vision will help us accelerate our ambitions. Steve is a brilliant asset and key to this goal. I am looking forward to working alongside him.”
Steve Young said: “I’m excited to be joining Wondrwall at such a pivotal moment in its growth journey. Its innovative home energy technology is reshaping the future of housebuilding in Britain for the better. I look forward to working closely with major UK housebuilders to accelerate the adoption of these transformative sustainable solutions.”
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David Broadbent
Specialist lender Together has appointed financial services expert David Broadbent as the new Chief Executive Officer to lead its personal finance division.
David, who has more than 25 years’ experience in financial services, will head up all aspects of personal finance lending for Cheadle-based Together – a group which has a total loan book of £6.6bn – when he joins in March, subject to approval by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).
Mr Broadbent said: “I’m really excited to join Together as CEO of the Personal Finance division. I’ve known the business for some time as a lender which challenges and disrupts the status quo, and have been really impressed with its growth to become one of the UK’s biggest non-bank lenders.”
He takes up his new role at Together from AIM-listed LendInvest, where he was Chief Financial Officer. He was previously co-founder, CFO and Deputy CEO at Bank North, where he played a key role in launching the challenger bank.
Subject to regulatory approval, David will replace Pete Ball who is leaving Together Personal Finance in the spring after seven years with the company.
Richard Gregory, Chairman of Together Personal Finance, said: “David brings extensive financial services experience, including holding a number of executive and board roles with listed and private financial services businesses.”
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Jack Donohue and Manjinder Mann
Experienced tech recruitment specialist, Manjinder Mann has joined Manchester-based Fairmont Recruitment.
He joins as the new director of recruitment, having held a similar role at another Manchester recruiter, Maxwell Bond, for just over three years.
Jack Donohue, CEO and founder at Fairmont Recruitment, said: “I’ve known Manny for a number of years and he did a really good job at Maxwell Bond. For us he’s a bit of a marquee signing and can help us take that next step up the ladder.
“As a business, Fairmont is six years old in 2024 and we can only benefit from Manny’s experience and passion for excellence. I’m confident that his strategic vision and leadership skills will be invaluable assets as we continue to grow and elevate our services.”
Mann said: “I’m really excited to be joining Fairmont at the stage they are in their journey. It was an opportunity I couldn’t turn down.
“When I joined Maxwell Bond I was employee number 11 and we grew it to 40+ staff. Fairmont is at a similar size in its operations and has some really good clients and an established leadership team. The tech sector is all I know and I’ve built up some good relationships and loved seeing people’s careers grow.
“The early signs for 2024 are really encouraging. Although the traditional big hirers slowed down a bit in 2023, there were still some amazing start-ups doing great things.”
