People: Broadway Insurance Brokers; Capify; Brabners; Sport Resolutions Panel; robinson+co; Fisher German
Broadway Insurance Brokers has announced another senior appointment in its booming Corporate division.
The arrival of the hugely experienced Claire Murphy as Client Executive coincides with further evidence of its continued growth.
Chief Executive Daniel Lloyd-John said that a series of major new client accounts across its Corporate, Healthcare and Private Clients teams generated more than £1m in new Gross Written Premiums (GWPs) in the last quarter alone.
He added that Ms Murphy would play a pivotal role in helping Broadway’s business clients cope with a raft of considerable commercial challenges.
He said: “Claire is an immensely talented and experienced individual, and is another valuable addition to our team.”
Ms Murphy joins after five years at Manchester-based Bridge Insurance Brokers and almost a decade with Philip Williams Insurance Management of Warrington.
She is the latest senior figure recruited by the firm following a string of appointments during 2023.
Emma Wood became Broadway’s new Director of Healthcare in October, while Louisa Roberts was recruited as Senior Client Executive after almost two decades working for some of the biggest brokers in healthcare insurance.
Michelle Neary also came in as Head of Client Money and Credit Control following the arrival of Gary Ward as the firm’s Director of Operations, Internal Audit, Risk and Compliance in July.
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Ash Yazdani
Altrincham-based online SME lender, Capify, has appointed Ash Yazdani to oversee its marketing and customer experience functions in both the UK and Australia.
Yazdani joins from Stockholm-based Hoist Finance, where he spent four years as Global Head of Marketing, Product and Customer Experience.
Having worked previously for two of the largest global media networks WPP and Dentsu Aegis, Yazdani first made the move into financial services with Think Money Group, before joining Hoist.
He said: “To be joining Capify at this stage of its growth journey is a massively exciting opportunity. This is a hugely ambitious business, with an innovative vision to improve access to SME finance for under-supplied areas of the economy.”
Capify was launched in the UK in 2008, against the backdrop of the global financial crisis, when many small and medium-sized businesses were struggling to access funding from banks.
John Rozenbroek, COO/CFO at Capify, said: “In these volatile trading times, the funding needs of business change fast. Having someone with Ash’s experience will enable us to ensure that SMEs know about – and understand – our funding options.”
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Nik White
North West independent law firm, Brabners, has announced that Nik White has been re-elected as its managing partner following an uncontested election.
Nik, who was recently named ‘Management Partner of the Year’ at the Legal 500 Northern Powerhouse Awards, will serve a third three-year term to start on May 1. As he nears the 30th year of his career with Brabners, he will continue to lead the purpose-led firm alongside CEO Robert White who joined in 2017.
He said: “I am very happy and grateful to be continuing in my role, acting as a custodian for Brabners, a firm which naturally means a great deal to me having been here throughout the entirety of my career so far.
“I believe the past few years have been among the best in our more than 200-year history – growing our team and expanding our reach, investing in flagship new spaces, as well as becoming a B Corp and strengthening our culture that genuinely makes the difference for our clients, our colleagues and the communities we serve and, critically, makes Brabners a business that people are proud to be part of.”
CEO, Robert White, said: “The past six years has been characterised by our firm going from strength to strength – which is just reward for all the hard work, engagement and continued support of all our colleagues, and is reflective of the trust that our clients increasingly place in us to understand and deliver on their needs.”
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Gareth Farrelly
Gareth Farrelly has been reappointed to the Sport Resolutions Panel for the period 2024-2027.
Sport Resolutions is a UK-based independent, not-for-profit dispute resolution service for sports that operates globally, offering arbitration, mediation, tribunal and investigation services.
Mr Farrelly, who was first appointed to the panel in 2018, is a former Republic of Ireland, Everton, Bolton Wanderers and Aston Villa footballer who retrained as a solicitor following his retirement from professional football. He is a senior associate at the Manchester-based national law firm Glaisyers ETL, specialising in commercial litigation and sports law.2
He said: “It is an honour to have been appointed once again to the Sport Resolutions Panel. It carries out vital work ensuring that all parties are treated fairly when, as inevitably happens in all fields, disputes arise in the world of sport, and I am proud to be able to play my part in resolving these matters equitably.”
Glaisyers ETL, whose Legal 500-listed commercial litigation practice Mr Farrelly joined in 2023, advises a wide range of clients throughout the sports sector, including some of the biggest football clubs in the world, and overseas investors requiring corporate advice on the acquisition of UK sports clubs. It also advises individual players and athletes on a range of contractual, intellectual property and tax regulation matters.
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Matthew Welsh
Cumbrian accountancy practice, robinson+co, has promoted a senior member of staff to a Partner.
The firm, which has offices across West Cumbria, has announced Matthew Welsh has been promoted to Partner, effective this April.
As an associate of the firm, Matthew is ACA-qualified and has been with robinson+co for almost a decade based at the Workington office. Matthew is a VAT specialist and works with many of robinson+co’s larger audit clients.
Matthew said: “I’m thrilled to begin this new chapter at robinson+co in a partnership role after a nearly decade of service. I look forward to continuing to work alongside colleagues servicing the diverse range of great clients we have across West Cumbria and beyond.”
Managing Partner, Peter Ellwood, said: “Matthew has shown his dedication not only to the profession but to our clients over the 10 years he’s worked with us, it’s a well-deserved promotion.”
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Five NW promotions
Property consultancy, Fisher German, has announced five promotions in the North West after a strong period of success.
It has promoted Alex Broad to associate partner, Katie Turner and David Simpson Jones to senior surveyor and Toby Gale-Hasleham to senior sales negotiator at the firm’s Chester office, while in Liverpool, Gabriel Davies has been promoted to associate.
The promotions are among 46 that Fisher German has made across its 26 offices after an excellent six months for the firm.
Chartered building surveyor Alex Broad joined in 2012 and now leads a team of building surveyors in the North West. He said: “I’m very pleased to receive this promotion in recognition of my work. It is also fantastic to see a number of other colleagues across the North West have their achievements recognised.”
Richard Benson, Senior Partner, said: “Promotions are an opportunity to reflect and recognise the fantastic achievements of our people and to celebrate their progression in the business.”
