People: Worknest; Digitaloft; Gillespies; Butcher & Barlow; Urban Chain; Azets; Tritax Symmetry; Knights
WorkNest, the Chester-based Employment Law, HR, and Health & Safety specialist, has appointed Angela Carter and Jo O’Brien to spearhead its Legal Advisory Services.
WorkNest’s 400-strong team includes more than 50 qualified employment law solicitors, along with qualified HR consultants and advisers, and more than 50 qualified health & safety consultants. The leadership promotions mark a pivotal moment, with the legal department’s senior team now predominantly female, with eight women in 13 senior roles. This change underscores WorkNest’s commitment to gender diversity and the empowerment of female professionals within the legal sector.
Angela Carter, appointed as Legal Services Director, will focus on delivering exemplary services across all aspects of the company’s employment law support. Angela honed her skills as a Paralegal at an American law firm in London for a decade before joining Ellis Whittam in 2005 as its second Employment Law Advisor, subsequently qualifying as a lawyer with Ellis Whittam.
Jo O’Brien steps into the role of Legal Services Operations Director, bringing a wealth of experience from her background across the NHS and in the retail sector. Starting as an assistant to the Managing Director 15 years ago, Jo’s journey with WorkNest (formerly Ellis Whittam) began as an employment law adviser before taking responsibility for managing the legal team and overseeing team operations including the implementation of new systems. She progressed to Head of Operations and Legal Operations Director, before being appointed to her new role.
Iftikhar Ahmed, WorkNest CEO, said: “I am thrilled to see two highly experienced female professionals leading WorkNest’s employment law division. Angela and Jo’s promotions are a significant stride in gender diversity within the legal sector, a field often dominated by male leadership.”
Angela said: “My passion has always been to deliver real value for our clients through high quality, commercial, pragmatic and, importantly, personalised service. I remain dedicated to these principles as I focus on new challenges ahead.”
Jo said: “I am very proud to take on this new leadership role and I’m delighted that Angela and I are doing so in tandem. We have worked together for so long, our combined strengths and experiences form a powerful synergy.”
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Amy Irvine
Organic performance agency Digitaloft said Amy Irvine will be joining its senior leadership team as Digital PR Director.
Amy will join James Brockbank (Managing Director) and Nina Edwards (Commercial Director) in leading the agency as they continue their work across SEO, Digital PR and Content in both the UK and international markets.
James Brockbank said: “Amy has been pivotal in contributing to the growth of the agency over the past few years. We’re incredibly proud of how far she has come and can’t wait to see what she does next in this new role.”
This move follows Amy’s win at The Drum Awards in December 2023, where she was awarded PR Leader of the Year.
Amy Irvine said: “Since rejoining Digitaloft in 2020 I’ve progressed from leading on the agency’s biggest budget clients to now overseeing the whole Digital PR offering at the agency. We’ve grown the Digital PR team to over 45 talented individuals and we’re showing no signs of slowing down.
“We’re also bringing our Digital PR Summit in person to Manchester for the first time in April and it’s a really exciting time to be working at the agency.”
Digitaloft has offices in the Lake District, as well as Manchester and London.
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Sam Hutchison
Global landscape architecture and urban design consultancy, Gillespies, has strengthened its northern leadership with the promotion of Sam Hutchison to Associate Partner.
In his new role, Sam will support the leadership team in Leeds and Manchester to drive new UK and international business, establish and nurture client relationships and continue to create exceptional places which generate human stories.
Sam joined Gillespies’ London studio in 2013 as a Landscape Architect. He was promoted to Senior Landscape Architect in 2016 and became a Principal in 2018, before relocating to the practice’s Leeds studio. Two years later he was promoted to Associate.
In Stockport, Sam is leading the on-site delivery of Stockport Interchange, building on the previous work undertaken by Gillespies to deliver an exceptional public realm that promotes wellbeing, sustainability and active travel. He’s also leading the team to deliver the multimillion-pound Heart of Africa habitat and overnight lodges at Chester Zoo.
Tom Walker, Partner at Gillespies’ Leeds studio, said: “Sam is a brilliant leader and imaginative designer who has shown an unwavering commitment to delivering exceptional projects that focus on enhancing quality of life. His projects are characterised by immersive settings and enriched by compelling narratives.
“He has also played a key role in driving new business and developing key client relationships for the Leeds and Hale studio. We are really proud to support Sam in this next chapter of his story at Gillespies.”
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Mohammed Balal
Butcher & Barlow, a Legal 500 North West law firm, has appointed Solicitor Mohammed Balal to its team. With more than seven years of experience in employment law, Mohammed joins Butcher & Barlow from Aticus Law in Manchester, bringing a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the Firm.
Mohammed’s appointment comes at a crucial time for Butcher & Barlow, as it witnesses a marked increase in the demand for employment and HR-related legal services and will provide additional specialist support to the employment team.
Head of the Employment Team, Justin Kelly, said: “Mohammed’s extensive experience positions him as an invaluable asset to the firm and the expansion of the employment team. The introduction of Mohammed reinforces our commitment to providing top-tier legal support to our clients.”
Mohammed Balal said: “I am thrilled to be part of the Butcher & Barlow team. Their collaborative approach to client engagement resonates with my own values, and I believe it is an essential component for success in the legal profession.”
Butcher & Barlow’s Senior Partner, Jonathan Aldersley, said: “Mohammed’s arrival comes at a pivotal time for our Firm. His extensive experience and proven track record in employment law make him an excellent fit for our team. We are excited about the positive impact he will undoubtedly have on our clients and our practice as a whole.”
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Clive Barton
Energy market disruptor, UrbanChain, has ramped up its scalability ambitions with a pivotal appointment. Clive Barton has joined the provider of peer-to-peer energy exchange services as new group finance director.
He has a rich background in business transformation across multiple sectors, including in tech and energy.
Manchester-based UrbanChain, backed by global investment firm Eurazeo, is on course to turn over £22m over the next 12 months and recently revealed its plan to acquire European businesses ahead of a planned IPO within the next five years.
Clive said: “I’m a great believer in doing things differently and not following the crowd. This is what UrbanChain co-founders Somayeh Taheri and Mo Hajhashem have done by thinking about things deeply. Establishing technology in a bid to make renewables mainstream is a really big thing in itself and then to engage with the market and get investment, it’s huge and I understand that.”
Clive’s career includes a series of high profile appointments, including as Interim Change Director at OVO, Chief Operating Officer at Talk Straight Group and Chief Financial Officer at Fleetondemand.
Outlining UrbanChain’s acquisitive strategy earlier this month, CEO Somayeh Taheri said companies with strong fundamentals and management teams, particularly in Ireland, Spain, France, Switzerland and Portugal, will be the target.
Somayeh said: “Clive’s career speaks for itself and his appointment represents another landmark in UrbanChain’s journey since entering the energy market in 2017. Strong team culture and customer service excellence, with coherency at the heart, is what we strive for each day. Clive will help us take this to new levels.”
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From left: David Houghton, Kate Beckett, James Hamilton and Aaron Pegg
Azets, the Top 10 UK accountancy firm, has announced three senior hires in the Forensic Accounting and Valuations team.
Partners David Houghton and Kate Beckett, and Director Aaron Pegg join from DSW Bridge Houghton Forensic. The appointments form part of Azets’s ambitious plans to scale the national forensic accounting team, in response to growing demand for expert evidence, independent analysis and advice across a variety of legal claims.
With expertise ranging from loss of profits evaluation to preparation and presentation of financial and accounting evidence in relation to criminal prosecutions and regulatory investigations, the trio’s experience spans a variety of sectors from energy and transport, to FMCG and construction. In their new roles, they’ll be advising new and existing clients across the UK, with Kate Beckett being based in Azets’ Leeds office, and David Houghton and Aaron Pegg being based in Azets’ Manchester office.
James Hamilton, Head of Forensic Accounting at Azets, said: “The appointments of David, Kate and Aaron sees us expand our presence and deepen our forensic and valuation expertise. We’re looking forward to embedding all three new experts into the existing Azets’ Forensic and Valuations team, allowing us to continue delivering exceptional results for our clients, and further establishing ourselves as a market leader in the North of England.”
David Houghton said: “Having built a successful practice with DSW, the opportunity to come together with the Azets Forensic and Valuations team allows us to take the business to the next level, creating one of the largest forensic accounting and valuation offerings in the North of England. The quality and reach of the national team will provide opportunities for us to further enhance the services that we have provided to our clients, and we are really looking forward to working with great colleagues throughout Azets.”
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From left: James Cannon, Andrew Dickman, David Travis
National logistics developer Tritax Symmetry has appointed David Travis as the new head of the company’s Manchester office and James Cannon as regional construction director for the North.
David Travis joins from Hargreaves Land, where he held the position of development director and head of region for its central office in Leeds. He has more than 16 years’ experience in full-cycle property development, strategic land promotion, property regeneration and asset/investment management across all major real estate asset classes, predominantly throughout the Midlands, North of England, Scotland and Wales. Travis will start at the end of February.
After four years at Rider Levett Bucknall, James Cannon has been appointed to oversee the project teams of Tritax Symmetry’s logistics developments across the North. James has managed many multi-disciplinary projects including greenfield and brownfield development and has worked with the Northampton office as a consultant for the past two years.
The appointments form part of Tritax Symmetry’s three-year growth strategy, recruiting the best talent and helping it to secure its position as a Tier one UK industrial and logistics developer.
Andrew Dickman, Managing Director at Tritax Symmetry, said: “We’re building an exceptional team of highly skilled professionals who understand the changing needs of our clients, are aligned with our values and are attracted to the culture we are striving to create.
“The newly created position of head of the Manchester office will enable us to drive further growth across the North and achieve our targets. This role requires a figurehead who is driven, has experience of working with larger organisations and can effectively lead and shape our teams to create a collaborative culture. David possesses all these attributes and, with his wealth of experience in strategic land and logistics development will complement the skill sets that we already have in the team.
“It’s also great to welcome James to the business, strengthening our leadership team across the North as we continue to bring forward exceptional developments.”
David Travis said: “This is an incredibly exciting opportunity working with a company whose values very much mirror my own. Tritax Symmetry has grown to be one of the most respected and ambitious tier one logistics companies in the UK. Its ambition to continually push the boundaries in ESG really appealed to me and I look forward to working with the team to deliver large scale schemes of national importance whilst simultaneously creating a positive sustainable legacy for the communities in which we develop.”
Tritax Symmetry is part of Tritax Big Box REIT plc.
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From left: Lois Huntington, Lisa Shacklock, Sam Lyon
A corporate partner has joined Knights as the business continues its growth in Carlisle.
Sam Lyon, partner, brings more than 20 years of experience, bolstering Knights’ corporate team, which is now the largest in Cumbria.
Previously head of corporate at a regional firm, Sam also spent more than six years in-house at Cumberland Building Society and brings a wealth of expertise to Knights as a result.
Sam Lyon said: “Knights is a growing business and it’s a great time to join. I’m looking forward to being part of a national team with great experience in all the key regions of the country – including here in Cumbria. I can’t wait to get started.”
Sam’s arrival coincides with the appointment of real estate solicitor Lois Huntington.
They both join a growing team in Carlisle that works alongside Knights’ 1,500-strong team of colleagues in the largest regional legal and professional services business operating outside London.
Lisa Shacklock, client services director, said: “Sam and Lois are brilliant additions to our team. We’re so pleased that within eight months of arriving in Carlisle we’re already growing – and we’re keen to add more talented people. It’s an exciting time as we get ready for further growth.”
The business’s team in Carlisle is based on Merchants Drive at Kingstown.
