People: Cedarwood Digital; Cheshire Community Foundation; Acumen; EMS Healthcare; Hugh James; Professional Liverpool
Manchester-based performance marketing agency, Cedarwood Digital, has appointed Anna Simpson as its Head of Paid Media & Operations.
Her role will focus on improving operational efficiencies across the business and PPC team, in addition to strengthening the service offering to current and future clients.
Anna joined Cedarwood in 2018 as a digital marketing executive and brings more than six years’ experience in PPC to the role, having worked across a range of verticals including legal, medical, ecommerce and B2B for clients including Hayes Garden World, Watches2U, Patient Claim Line & Certas Energy.
“I’m excited to get stuck into my new role at Cedarwood,” said Anna.
Amanda Walls, founder of Cedarwood Digital, said: “Adding Anna to our senior team enhances our depth of expertise and allows us to really focus on driving efficiencies and continuing to improve our service levels across the board. As a business, we’re focused on investing in expertise to continue to deliver strong performance for our clients.”
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Melanie Sproston
Cheshire Community Foundation has appointed Melanie Sproston as its new CEO, effective from February 1, 2024.
With an impressive background in senior leadership, fundraising, and community development, Melanie brings a wealth of experience to lead the dedicated team. As an important source of funding for grassroots charities, CCF’s leadership has a strategic role in the shaping of Cheshire and Warrington’s future communities, through building partnerships to enable positive change.
Melanie is an accomplished senior leader with a successful track record in growing organisations, having secured funding and new business exceeding £50m in her most recent roles. Melanie is currently a Trustee and Chair of City Learning Trust, where the team has recently secured a multimillion-pound donation for a Character and Arts Foundation, showcasing her commitment to community enrichment.
Howard Platt, Chair of Trustees, welcomed Melanie, saying: “Her outstanding achievements and dedication to community development make her an ideal leader for our organisation. We look forward to working together to further our mission and positively impact the lives of those in our community.”
Melanie said: “I am honoured and excited to take on the role of CEO at Cheshire Community Foundation. Leading an organisation that aligns with my passion for community development and social impact has always been a dream of mine. I look forward to working alongside the dedicated team at Cheshire Community Foundation to make a meaningful and lasting difference to our community.”
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Craig Carlton
A former British soldier is the latest recruit to a West Lancashire based financial firm. Craig Carlton joins Acumen Financial Partnership, whose head office is in Burscough, as a financial planning co-ordinator, supporting the team of senior advisers.
This latest appointment comes as Celia Evans, who first joined the company 16 years ago, is promoted to a director alongside founder Angela Maher and director Jon Landy.
Director, Jon Landy, said: “Both these appointments mark a sustained period of growth for the business as we attract more clients from across the region. With a 22-strong team managing around £420m of client investments we’re confident about our ability to provide a personal approach that changes people’s lives.”
Director, Celia Evans, said: “I joined the firm in an administrative role on a part-time basis in 2007 and it was the support I received which encouraged me to become a financial adviser before qualifying as a Chartered Financial Planner. My journey is proof of how Acumen invests in its people to deliver the best outcomes for its clients.”
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Dr Clare Grace
EMS Healthcare, a provider of flexible medical and clinical research facilities, has appointed Dr Clare Grace as Chief Executive. Dr Grace joined Cheshire-based EMS on February 1, 2024 from Parexel International, where she served as Chief Patient Officer.
This appointment is part of the company’s long term succession planning. Keith Austin, who founded the company in 2000, will continue on the board of directors and will focus on developing population health initiatives that will support EMS Healthcare’s ambitious growth plans.
He said: “As our business continues to rapidly evolve, her strategic and operational experience in all phases of clinical development, including patient engagement and clinical trial diversity, aligns with our ambitions to put innovation and patients at the core of our organisation.”
Dr Grace said: “I am thrilled to be joining EMS Healthcare at such an exciting moment in the company’s evolution. Addressing key health equity challenges by bringing healthcare and clinical research services to communities across the country is a huge passion of mine which aligns perfectly with EMS’s vision of a future where good health is within everyone’s reach.”
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Nina Roland
Law firm, Hugh James, has welcomed Nina Roland to the firm, founding partner of The Roland Partnership, which has been acquired by the firm.
Set up by Nina Roland in January 1997, with her brother Trevor Roland joining her two years later, the Chester-based serious injury and clinical negligence firm is ranked for its expertise by the Legal 500 and Chambers guides to the UK’s leading law firms.
As the two firms join forces, Trevor is set to retire following 24 years at the helm alongside co-managing partner Nina, who joins Hugh James’s Manchester practice on a consultancy basis with immediate effect.
Nina brings decades of experience to the firm’s top ranked serious injury and clinical negligence department. She is regarded as being at the very top of the profession with a ‘Hall of Fame’ ranking in the Legal 500. The move sees fellow former Roland Partnership legal professionals relocating to the Manchester office alongside Nina, supporting a smooth transition for their clients.
Head of the Individual Client Services Division at Hugh James, Stephen Webber, said: “The Roland Partnership is an excellent and well run firm, with great expertise and a friendly culture that closely aligns with our own. I’d like to wish Trevor all the best as he steps down from his successful role at The Roland Partnership and express my gratitude for all the hard work both he and Nina have put in to make this transaction go so smoothly.”
Nina Roland said: “I am thrilled to be joining such a prestigious and forward-thinking firm. I know our ethos of ‘client first’ is mirrored in the way Hugh James conducts its cases, and having already met several of their team, it is clear that my colleagues from The Roland Partnership and I are going to very much enjoy working with them.”
Hugh James’s Managing Partner, Alun Jones, said: “We believe the acquisition is a perfect strategic fit for us – continuing the excellent work we do for our clients and strengthening our presence across England and Wales.”
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From left: Keri Stanistreet, Phil Adams, Clare Brookfield
Professional Liverpool has appointed one of its longest-standing board members as its new CEO.
Phil Adams took over from Andrew Ruffler on February 5, and brings a wealth of experience and a proven track record in leadership roles within the Liverpool City Region business community. He will remain in his role as a Client Services Director at independent firm of Chartered Accountants, Langtons.
He said: “I am honoured to be appointed as the next CEO of Professional Liverpool. I look forward to building upon the strong foundations laid by Andrew and working with the talented team to continue advancing the organisation’s objectives. The city continues on an upward trajectory but there remain obstacles to overcome. I hope to encourage collaboration rather than competition and innovation rather than imitation.”
The Professional Liverpool team has also been strengthened with Clare Brookfield being promoted to Head of Engagement, supported by Keri Stanistreet as Marketing and Events Executive.
Andrew Ruffler said: “It has been a privilege to serve as the CEO of Professional Liverpool. I am immensely proud of what we have achieved together, and the organisation is in a strong, sound position. I am confident that with the existing solid foundation, the organisation will continue to flourish under Phil’s leadership.”
