People: Aitchison Raffety; LCRCA; Formby Hall Golf Club; Christie & Co; TLC: Talk, Listen, Change; Fruition IT
Aitchison Raffety, a national property consultancy, welcomes several key appointments in its Business Rates team as part of its continued expansion within the UK.
Faye Turner has been recruited to the firm’s Manchester office as an Associate Director, with a wealth of experience in business rates having worked in the industry for just more than 10 years.
Previously, Faye worked for a large real estate development company and is experienced in handling all types of appeals in relation to offices, warehouses and retail properties and has extensive knowledge relating to business rates mitigation strategies.
Faye will be supporting Aitchison Raffety’s regional team and its growth in this key area.
Rick Gibala, Head of Business Rates, said: “It’s fantastic to welcome Faye to the team and to expand our presence across the UK.”
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Jamie Ross
The Liverpool City Region Combined Authority (CA) has announced the appointment of Jamie Ross to the newly created post of Director of Transport.
Ross, who previously held the role of Interim Director of Rail at the CA, will be responsible for leading on the commissioning and delivery of Mayor Steve Rotheram’s plans for a fully integrated, London-style public transport network that’s faster, cheaper, cleaner and better connected.
This includes implementing the new bus franchising model for the city region as well as progressing ambitions for further devolution of the region’s rail network and other transport infrastructure.
Jamie Ross said: “I am thrilled to be appointed to this new position. Having worked in transport delivery and strategy development for more than 20 years, I am keenly aware of the importance of public transport to communities as well as the crucial part it plays in economic growth.
“There has never been a better time to take up a role like this, given the exciting vision for the Liverpool City Region that we are in the process of implementing, the investment that we are securing to improve networks, the potential for further devolution and the constructive partnerships that we already have with both public and private sector partners. I’m eager to get started on the job in hand.”
Richard McGuckin, Executive Director for Place at the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority said: “Jamie is an exceptional transport professional whose expertise and experience will be invaluable in delivering the modern, effective transport system our city region residents and businesses need and deserve.”
Ross has more than two decades of experience in senior leadership roles across the transport sector.
Prior to joining the combined authority, he was Global Commercial Director and a member of the Executive Management Board of Menzies Aviation, one of the largest aviation services businesses in the world.
Beginning his career in the ferries sector, Ross has extensive experience working with major transport companies including GNER, Northern Rail and the Go Ahead Group.
In the public sector, he previously spent four years as a senior civil servant in the Scottish Government, initially with responsibility for a wide range of transport activities including aviation, bus, concessionary travel, freight and public transport funding and latterly, national transport strategy.
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David Goscombe
Formby Hall Golf Resort & Spa has announced that David Goscombe, former Head PGA Instructor and Assistant Golf Operations Manager at the north Liverpool resort, has returned as Director of Golf and Leisure.
Originally from Liverpool, David’s 15-year golf career includes coaching and management roles at DeVere Golf, High Legh Park Golf Club, Kirkby Valley Golf Club, five years at Formby Hall and most recently as Director of Golf at Greencircle Leisure in Liverpool, where David led golf operations at three courses across Merseyside.
David said: “Formby Hall is well established as one of the best golf resorts in the North West and it’s a privilege to return to a place that has played such an important part in my career. Our members and visitors will testify that our facilities are some of the very best on the golf coast, and we’re a really welcoming and friendly place to play as well.
“I’ve got a lot of ideas for the club from resort packages to golf events and will be working closely with our members and the resort team to bring them to life.”
Shima Djedidi, General Manager at Formby Hall, said: “In David we have brilliant experience combined with deep knowledge of our resort and our members. He was an obvious choice for the role, and we’re excited to have David back at the resort and support him in bringing his great ideas for the club to life.”
Formby Hall Golf Club saw a surge in visitors last summer after Tommy Fleetwood’s success in the Ryder Cup, with a 20% increase in footfall to the driving range and a 43% increase in rounds played on the Woodhey Dunes course.
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Oliver Potts
Specialist business property adviser, Christie & Co, has appointed Associate Director, Oliver Potts, to its medical valuation services team.
Oliver Potts, who has worked as a qualified MRICS member and RICS-registered valuer for more than eight years and also as an APC Assessor, joins the company with a wealth of experience.
In his new role, Oliver will work as part of Christie & Co’s esteemed medical valuation services team, where he will take on valuations of pharmacies, dental businesses, GP surgeries and veterinary practices, predominantly in the North West.
Oliver said: “I am very happy to have joined the Medical Valuation Services division at Christie & Co – the team has a stellar track record for being the market leader for specialist valuation projects in the UK. I look forward to building on my previous valuation experience through the expansion of the company’s brand into the North West and taking on a variety of interesting medical valuation projects.”
Christopher Vowles, Head of Medical Valuation Services at Christie & Co, said: “Oliver will be a great asset to the medical valuation team, and he brings with him a wealth of experience and contacts across the region.”
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From left: Caroline Osler, Carolyn Blunt, Nicholas Williams. John Sless. Michelle Hill
One of the UK’s leading domestic abuse, separation and counselling charities, TLC: Talk, Listen, Change, has added a raft of senior experience to the board of its new commercial operation, Now You’re Talking Therapy.
The new appointees bring a wealth of experience that will help to grow the new subsidiary, providing a reliable income stream to support the Manchester-based charity’s wider work.
Heading the new board will be John Sless, a decorated international consultant who previously served on the board of directors at TLC: Talk, Listen, Change. With more than 30 years of management experience across the globe and having had a key role in expanding the charity in the past decade, John has been appointed to lead the growth and development of the new operation.
Joining him on the board as a non-executive director will be Carolyn Blunt, a trustee of TLC: Talk, Listen, Change who has previously founded a selection of successful businesses over the past two decades.
Caroline Osler is also joining Carolyn and John as a non-executive board member, bringing her experience of running her own consultancy business, specialising in creating impactful company strategy, vision and values, and coaching senior executives new into roles, as well as Chief People Officer for two UK airlines where she helped to set up both organisations, scaled for growth, and delivered transformation programmes.
The final new appointment, Nicholas Williams, joins TLC to bring his knowledge and skillset forged with one of the largest financial services organisations in the UK, where he leads teams of engineers developing digital products. He also holds a university lecturer position where he shares his passion for science and technology with the next generation.
Now You’re Talking Therapy is a paid-for counselling service which will be available for individuals and businesses, with profit generated being fed back into TLC: Talk, Listen, Change to help offer support for domestic abuse, mental health, separation and other issues. It launches nationally both online and in-person on April 1, 2024.
Michelle Hill, CEO for TLC: Talk, Listen, Change, said: “With the launch of our first commercial subsidiary on the horizon, I’m pleased to be welcoming a group of true professionals to the boardroom. Bringing in such a group of highly experienced business leaders is vital for our long term success, and will be crucial to our mission of supporting every family that needs it across the country.”
Board Chairman, John Sless, said; “Having been involved with TLC and seeing how safe healthy, and happy relationships can benefit everyone, I was delighted to be asked to be the first Chair of Now You’re Talking so we can increase the help to people and communities as a Profit for Purpose company.”
Caroline Osler said: “I am thrilled to join the new board of Now You’re Talking. It is exciting to be here at the start of the venture and have the opportunity to support the company to grow and I’ve seen firsthand the positive impact, on both individuals and those around them, that the services that we deliver can bring.”
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Sarah Pawson and Joshua Ripley
Fruition IT, the Leeds-based leading IT recruitment company, has opened a Manchester office as the brand enters their next phase of growth, hiring Joshua Ripley as Practice Lead, to open, run and manage the office alongside founder and CEO, Sarah Pawson.
After receiving significant, majority investment in November 2023 from private equity firm Erisbeg, both Fruition IT, and sister company Fruition Consulting, have ambitious expansion plans to enter new markets and wider global territories.
The first phase of growth following this injection of capital is the Manchester office, at Lincoln Square, Brazennose Street.
Joshua will spearhead the launch into the clean technology space as the brand diversifies its offering into new sectors. The business has already recruited three heads into the clean technology team giving this new division 17 years’ experience combined, ready to welcome new clients immediately.
Sarah Pawson said: “Manchester is ripe with exceptional talent, innovative businesses and a brilliant dynamic culture. This will be our second office, with more in the pipeline. The office and new hires will allow Fruition IT to penetrate the clean technology sector, whilst offering the same quality of service, niche-expertise and tailored talent solutions, as we do our IT client base today.”
