People: BDO; ICT Reverse; Together; LDS; LGH & Rotrex Group; Electricity North West
Accountancy and business advisory firm, BDO is recruiting more than 130 apprentices across its UK offices, including nine in the North West across the firm’s Manchester and Liverpool offices.
Applications for the apprenticeship programme, designed for students who have completed their A-level studies (or equivalent), are now open until March 24, 2024. Successful candidates will start at BDO in September 2024.
In addition to the apprenticeship hires, September will also see the firm welcome more than 650 people to its graduate trainee programme across the UK and more than 112 industrial placement students who will spend a year working at BDO in between their second and third year of university.
BDO is welcoming 46 graduate trainees and 41 industrial placement students across the North West.
As part of its commitments to increasing access to accountancy, BDO is also hiring candidates for its summer work experience and insight programmes. Now in its third year, ‘Explore BDO’ is a three-day insight programme aimed at improving social mobility and access to accountancy for those from less privileged backgrounds.
Angela Cross, head of BDO in the North West, said: “This investment reflects the firm’s commitment to attracting and developing the brightest talent, whilst also striving to make the accountancy profession more accessible for everyone, no matter what their background.”
Rachel Jackson, a tax trainee, started her apprenticeship with BDO in 2022 after taking part in the Explore BDO programmeShe said: “Explore BDO gave me an insight into what a career at BDO and in accountancy might be like, as well as giving me the opportunity to be fast tracked into applying for an apprenticeship at BDO.
“Of course, for many, university is about more than just the qualification but for me an apprenticeship has meant gaining real experience of the working world as soon as I finished school, whilst also getting the chance to gain a respected professional qualification.”
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Jean-Pierre Naylor
ICT Reverse, a player in secure IT & mobile disposal, has appointed Jean-Pierre Naylor as Head of Business Development.
J-P has joined the Lancaster-based senior management team and will lead the company’s exciting growth strategy heading up the Sales and Marketing department.
With a distinguished career J-P brings more than 23 years of experience in the ITAD industry having previously founded Computer Disposals Ltd (CDL) based in Runcorn.
Managing Director, Craig Smith, said: “I am thrilled to welcome J-P to the team. His credentials and background in the ITAD industry made him the perfect choice for the role. His dynamic vision and strategic insights in this expanding sector align wonderfully with ICT Reverse’s future direction.”
J-P said: “I am delighted to join the company at such an exciting time in it’s impressive growth journey. They are an incredible brand with a solid team of expertise which I’ve always admired.”
With 20 years’ experience in reverse logistics and information assurance, ICT Reverse offers IT asset management and complete compliance to our clients with the guarantee of quality, data and environmental excellence at every stage of the process.
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Chris Evans
Property lender Together has announced the appointment of two new roving underwriters, Chris Evans and Emma Ogilvie, to its intermediary sales team.
Chris will be taking up the role of head of roving underwriters, managing the team of commercial rovers, while continuing to underwrite commercial applications for Together.
He brings a wealth of experience in the industry across 20 years. He worked for 10 years at Legal & General in their intermediary wealth departments and eight years as a mortgage, second charge and bridging finance broker. He also spent nearly three years at Pepper Money as Head of Referrals.
Chris said: “The opportunity presented to me was exciting. I worked with Together in my time as a broker and I love how it operates, so to be a part of that culture was a big draw to me.”
Emma joins Cheadle-based Together as commercial finance roving underwriter. She will be on hand to help brokers achieve the best possible outcomes for their clients, managing accounts across the south of the UK, communicating and providing specific feedback on individual cases.
She has nearly nine years’ experience in the industry, beginning her career as a trainee broker at The Buy to Let Business before moving on to a broker support role at Dynamo for Intermediaries, formerly Buy to Let Club. During her time at Dynamo, she took on a specialist underwriting role within the business dedicated to Together applications. She also spent a year with criteria sourcing platform Knowledge Bank in a central functions role.
Emma said: “Good quality business saves time, boosts productivity, improves efficiency and results in a better customer journey, which is where I come in, aiding the brokers get their clients from A-to-B in the most proficient and seamless way possible.”
The two new appointments come as Together moves to combine its roving underwriter teams, for commercial and personal finance, into one, sitting within the lender’s Intermediaries team.
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Mark Kilgallon
Bolton-based LDS Sales Guarantees has appointed Mark Kilgallon as chief financial officer to support its ongoing growth and ambitions.
Mark is a seasoned finance professional with many years’ experience in leadership roles across a variety of successful financial services companies.
He joins from Fluent Money, one of the largest intermediaries in the country, where he held the Group Finance Director role. During his time at Fluent, Mark played a vital role in the sale of Fluent to Mortgage Advice Bureau.
Mark has a track record of overseeing rapid growth strategies and successful shareholders exits, PE to PE, PE to IPO, and PE to Trade. Prior to Fluent, Mark was at On The Beach which achieved IPO after two successful private equity investments.
He said: “I’m a believer in the product and the people at LDS, the opportunity is clear and the market is rapidly adopting. The team ended 2023 with record numbers and 2024 has started in the same vein, I’m looking forward to being part of the journey and success.”
CEO, Mark Hawthorn, said: “The CFO role in a finance centric business like LDS is of critical importance which has been reflected in the fact we have had this search live for over two years. Mark has the experience, skillset and growth mindset required to help drive LDS to where we know it can go.
“Our lender partnerships continue to grow and produce deals with ever more adoption of LDS by housebuilders and developers – they just get it. Mark is already contributing and I especially look forward to working together.”
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Russell Boswell-Munday
LGH & Rotrex Group has appointed Russell Boswell-Munday as its new Sales Director for Europe and the UK.
Russell has more than 25 years of experience in the hire industry and has managed various sales teams during his career. As well as Russell’s appointment, the Atherton-based group has also announced other changes to the board.
In his new role, Russell will be managing all aspects of LGH’s sales division across the whole of Europe, including continuing its growth in additional territories. He will be leading on strategy and structure as well as budgets and turnover development. Prior to joining LGH, Russell worked at Andrew Sykes Group as a Major Account Director.
Russell said: “I have long admired LGH, so I am excited to be joining at what is a time of real growth for the business. After my first meeting with Andy Mault – CEO – I quickly realised that our thoughts and ambitions were aligned. I am now looking forward to building on the group’s strong reputation and adding commercial value by driving sales and our market share right across Europe.”
Also joining the LGH and Rotrex Group’s board of directors are Don Wilkinson, who has been promoted to Rotrex’s Sales Director; and Phil Smith, who has been promoted to Group Operations Director.
All three now sit on the board alongside Andy Mault and Rob Halliwell who was recently been named as Support Services Director. They are responsible for the group’s entire operations across Europe and the UK.
Andy Mault said: “Russell brings with him a wealth of experience, so we are delighted that he has joined us. I am confident that he will make a real difference and will play a crucial part in driving our sales strategy and its implementation to the next level.
He added: “It has also been fantastic to welcome Don and Phil to the board alongside Russell and, of course, Rob. Over the past few years, they have both proved themselves to be an asset and their promotions are richly deserved. I know that this motivated and talented senior leadership team will help me lead the group to even greater success.”
LGH & Rotrex Group is still privately owned by the Parkinson family. It is a lifting equipment hire company, while Rotrex delivers winch hire, sales, and services.
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Dave Roberts and Paul Killilea
Power network operator Electricity North West has strengthened its executive leadership team with two new strategic appointments.
Paul Killilea joins the Stockport-based organisation as asset and investment director. Dave Roberts joins as the new digital and technology director.
The two newly-created strategic roles complete a refresh of Electricity North West’s leadership team as the business continues to grow and invest, delivering a £2bn plan to ensure the region’s net zero ambitions are met.
Chief executive, Ian Smyth, said: “We operate one of the most reliable power networks in the world and provide excellent value for money with customers contributing just 30p-a-day for a safe, reliable supply of electricity As the region embarks on the journey to net zero the electrification of plant and transport will increase at pace. Electricity North West will invest significantly over the coming years to support that electrification, creating new jobs and supporting the regional economy.
“Working in tandem with the rest of the executive team, Paul and Dave will ensure our systems and services are aligned to the needs of our domestic and business customers so that we can deliver the sustainable economic growth our consumers and stakeholders demand and deserve.”
Paul joins the business from engineering firm Wood Power Solutions and will play a crucial role in the planning and delivery of the ongoing investment programme. Paul also has significant experience in utilities, having worked for United Utilities, Balfour Beatty and Carillion Utilities.
Dave will ensure the firm’s digital vision is developed and delivered to ensure the service remains the lowest cost, most reliable and most innovative in the country. He joins from UK Power Networks, who operate the power networks in London, the South East and East of England. He will focus on both operational and internal IT systems to ensure maximum effectiveness, security and visibility of the network. Dave held senior positions at Aviva and RSA Insurance.
These new appointments complement the recent appointments of CFO, Chris Johns, and Strategy and Growth Director, Ben Grunfeld.
