People: Vulse; digitaltravel.io; Sedulo Group; FW Capital; Azets; NWBLT; Baltic Creative
Vulse, a LinkedIn employee advocacy platform based in Manchester, has appointed Katie Gallagher, Managing Director of Manchester Digital, to its board.
With a distinguished career spanning more than two decades in the digital and tech sectors, Katie will provide industry insights as Vulse continues its rapid growth.
Katie, a well-respected leader in the digital industry, has played a pivotal role in advancing Manchester’s tech ecosystem through her leadership at Manchester Digital, the largest trade body for digital and tech businesses in the North West.
She said: “I am thrilled to join the board of Vulse, a company that is at the forefront of enhancing how businesses engage with their employees and amplify their voices on LinkedIn.
“The team at Vulse, led by Rob and Annika, has developed an innovative platform that empowers employees to advocate for their organisations. I look forward to contributing to Vulse’s mission and helping the company to become the next British unicorn.”
Annika Sanderson, co-founder of Vulse, said: “We are incredibly excited to welcome Katie to our board. Her extensive experience in the digital industry and her leadership at Manchester Digital will be invaluable as we continue to grow and evolve.
“Having a female mentor like Katie, who has such a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities within the digital sector, will be an incredible asset to Vulse.”
Katie Gallagher joins dotDigital founder, David Ivy, on the board, with Vulse having announced the hiring of Manchester Metropolitan University graduate, Paschal Asobirionwu as Associate Software Engineer alongside completing a £250,000 SEIS investment round.
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Husnain Tahir
Fast growing North West travel tech company, digitaltravel.io, has further strengthened its team with two key appointments.
Liam Hynes has taken a role as head of project management, joining from Liverpool digital consultancy Mando Group where he was digital project manager for four years following five years as a software project manager and analyst at Warrington’s MDS Global.
Husnain Tahir, is a senior react native developer with more than six years’ experience of creating cross-platform mobile applications with Anthrophi Technologies in Manchester and Loosid App in New York.
Established in Liverpool in 2021, digitaltravel.io provides digital travel solutions to travel and tourism businesses, with a particular focus on cruise, including some of the biggest brands in the sector.
Liam Hynes
Peter Whittle, co-founder and chief executive, said: “As a young business, making the right appointments is crucial if we are to realise our early promise, especially as 59% of our customers are overseas meaning we have to follow the sun around the clock.
“Liam is a top operator and we are very fortunate that he was looking for a new challenge and that we were able to excite him with our company’s vision. Husnain is a computer scientist who has rapidly gained a reputation as a talented developer of engaging mobile experiences of high performance and quality. Both he and Liam are already proving themselves to be exceptional assets to digitaltravel.io.”
Liam said: “This is an excellent move for me. I aim to bring my proven ability to realise clients’ visions quickly and successfully.”
Husnain said: “My passion is transforming ideas into cross platform excellence and I thrive in fast moving, agile and collaborative environments which, alongside the huge growth potential, is the real appeal in working for digitaltravel.io.
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Tom Rose
Business advisory firm, Sedulo Group, has appointed Tom Rose as an Associate in the firm’s Deal Advisory team continuing its growth in the division across 2024.
Rose joins the firm, which has operations in Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham and London, with experience as a Commercial Analyst in the Asset Based Lending industry. He worked to provide both working capital and ABL solutions to SMEs, while also facilitating M&A transactions with debt funding, with the value commonly ranging between £1m-£25m.
This appointment follows the director-level appointments of Logan Rowan and as National Head of Transaction Services from KPMG and Amit Rungta as Transaction Services Director from PWC UK this year.
Sedulo’s National Head of Transaction Services, Logan Rowan, said: “Tom is a great fit for the team and brings a wealth of experience of financial modelling and analysis of complex data sets representing skills which are invaluable to our service offering.
“Tom is the latest in a number of hires we are making into the team as we seek to become a significant player in the mid-market M&A space.“
Tom Rose said: “I am thrilled to join Sedulo Group, which is an ambitious and dynamic firm that offers a full range of advisory services to its clients. I look forward to working with the talented Deal Advisory team and contributing to the firm’s growth and success.”
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Steve Molyneux
Fund Manager FW Capital is celebrating the promotion of Steve Molyneux in its North West team. Steve has been promoted to Senior Investment Executive and will continue to support SMEs across Lancashire and the North West.
Based in FW Capital’s Preston office, Steve has been following FW Capital’s ‘Career Path’ programme which delivers a structured approach for staff to gain relevant experience and future progression. Steve joined FW Capital in 2023 and has worked in the banking sector for more than 26 years as a Relationship Manager for both RBS and Handelsbanken.
Loz O’Connor, FW Capital Fund Manager, said: “Supporting colleagues to develop and progress in their career is something we are passionate about at FW Capital. Investing in our talent is vital for future success which is why we developed the Career Path Programme. Steve is a valued team member and plays a critical role in helping local businesses to obtain finance. He should be congratulated for reaching the next stage in his career.”
Steve Molyneux said: “Since joining FW Capital last year I’ve worked with a variety of North West-based businesses to assist them with growth funding. It’s a rewarding and important role, and with the recent launch of the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II, I’m looking forward to helping more ambitious Lancashire and North West SME’s realise their potential, creating new jobs and boosting the local economy.”
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Damien Russell
Azets, the international advisory, outsourcing and compliance Group, has welcomed 333 new graduates and school leavers across its UK business in the past 12 months, with 201 joining in Autumn 2024 – 34 of those from the 2024 intake will be based in the North West, where Azets has offices in Bolton, Burnley, Lancaster, Manchester, Preston, Shrewsbury, St Asaph, and Stockport.
In total, Azets UK will have 817 colleagues studying towards a professional qualification.
Damien Russell, Azets UK Chief People Officer said: “At Azets, we believe that nurturing young talent is fundamental to the future of our business and the success of our clients. Welcoming 333 new graduates and school leavers this year is a testament to our commitment to building a diverse and dynamic workforce.”
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Jane Healey-Brown
North West Business Leadership Team (NWBLT) has appointed two new members.
Chris Mayne, from Forsberg, and Jane Healey Brown, from Arup, bring with them a wealth of experience and expertise that further NWBLT’s mission of supporting economic growth and development in the region.
Chris Mayne, Managing Director of Forsberg, has been selected to join the NWBLT as part of its ‘Digital Disruptor’ initiative. This initiative aims to support start-up and scale-up businesses by providing them with a 12-month membership to the organisation.
Chris Mayne
Jane Healey Brown will be replacing Mike Wilton as the Arup representative on the NWBLT. This change brings fresh perspective and insights, as Jane shares her wealth of knowledge and experience in the industry.
Simone Peppi, Chair of the NWBLT, said: “We are thrilled to welcome Chris and Jane to the NWBLT. Their diverse backgrounds and expertise will contribute greatly to our work in supporting economic growth and innovation in the North West.
“Chris’s experience in precision technologies and Jane’s commitment to professional development make them both valuable assets to our team.”
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From left:Julian Woods, Adrien Mogenet, Dr Paul Jones,, Liz Edwards
Baltic Creative CIC has strengthened its board of directors with the appointment of four new members from across the digital, creative and property sectors.
The breadth of experience across the new appointments will enable Baltic Creative to continue to drive the growth of the creative and digital industries in the Liverpool City Region, developing and supporting a thriving ecosystem of start-ups, micro-businesses, SMEs, freelancers and entrepreneurs.
Entrepreneurship specialist, Julian Woods, arrives with a background in consumer technology, including gaming, and extensive experience in mentoring business owners. He is joined by Liz Edwards, an HR consultant who is currently studying for a PhD in community-owned infrastructure.
The third appointment, Adrien Mogenet, is a specialist in data science and engineering who supports teams to optimise their business data to boost revenue and maximise efficiencies. He is joined by Dr Paul Jones, a research practitioner, professional consultant in urban regeneration and lecturer at University of Salford.
The arrival of the four new board members coincides with the departure of Dr Fiona Armstrong-Gibbs, Programme Leader in Executive Education at LJMU, as chair of the board. Fiona was a founding director of Baltic Creative and her involvement over the past 15 years has been instrumental in creating a nurturing environment for creative and digital businesses to flourish in the Liverpool City Region.
Karen Beddow, who joined the board in 2018, has now taken on the interim chair position.
CEO of Baltic Creative, Lynn Haime, said: “I’m very pleased to welcome four new members to the Baltic Creative board of directors. So much of the work we do wouldn’t be possible without the support of our non-executive directors, and this new cohort bring with them a wealth of diverse experience from across the creative and digital sectors, and the built environment.
“After 15 years as part of our board, we’re sad to see Dr Fiona Armstrong-Gibbs step down in her role as chair, but we’re incredibly thankful for the work she’s undertaken with us and the invaluable contributions she has made to the creation and growth of Baltic Creative.”
Dr Fiona Armstrong-Gibbs said: “I’ve had an incredible journey with Baltic Creative over the last 15 years. It’s a journey that has profoundly impacted both my professional and personal life and has introduced me to several brilliant people who have become colleagues and good friends.
“I’m confident in handing over the reins to Lynn, Karen, the board and the wider team to guide us through the next 15 years – continuing to foster a great sense of community, support the growth of our creative and digital economy, and champion innovation at every opportunity.”
