People: Hello Earth; Juice Academy; TLT; Salix Homes; Ripe; BIG Partnership; IPOS; Kimpton
Hello Earth, the Liverpool-based performance-driven digital agency that specialises in serving socially responsible brands, has made two new appointments and announced five internal promotions.
The first new starter is Ema Zabotka who has joined as a paid media manager. Ema will be handling media planning and buying across various social platforms, managing and monitoring campaign performance, formulating and testing roadmaps to achieve and exceed KPIs, and leading technical innovation from a paid social perspective. Her previous role was at The7stars in London where she worked for two years.
Emma said: “I felt that Hello Earth was perfect for me as it is an agency that is committed to sustainability which directly aligns with my own values. I am now looking forward to working across a diverse range of clients, and with a brilliant team of people who support each other based on their individual strengths and interests.”
Naomi Wright Watkinson is Hello Earth’s newest performance content executive. Naomi has joined from Pixated where she was a content manager. She has also worked at Wave and Wriggle Marketing. In her new role, she will be focusing on strategic content planning, content management and creation, client relationship management, organic social media strategy, collaborative partnerships and content coordination.
Alongside the two new appointments, Hello Earth has confirmed five internal promotions: Ella Redden has been promoted to content lead; Millie Gore to brand manager; Megan Taylor to paid social strategist; Zuzy Yazadzhi to CRM marketing lead; and Sarah King to senior digital account manager.
Stephanie Fisher, founder and CEO of Hello Earth, said: “Welcoming Ema and Naomi is a great way to kick-start the last few months of 2024. They both bring some great experience and ideas so I am confident they will thrive and become an integral part of Hello Earth.
“Myself and the senior leadership team are also delighted to promote Ella, Millie, Megan, Zuzy and Sarah. They all add immense value to the business – and their talents are appreciated by their clients – so seeing their careers grow and flourish is fantastic.”
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SallyAnn Coleman
Further education and apprenticeships organisation, The Juice Academy, has appointed SallyAnn Coleman as Managing Director effective immediately as it eyes up its next phase of rapid growth in creative apprenticeships.
Most recently, SallyAnn was Commercial Director at Apprentify, where she was instrumental in the expansion of the company following its launch six years ago. During her time, she has created and nurtured apprenticeship partnerships with major UK brands that have contributed towards the careers of hundreds of people.
Jonathan Fitchew, CEO at Apprentify Group said: “SallyAnn brings a wealth of relevant experience as well as a valued understanding of the group and industry as a whole. Following the acquisition of The Juice Academy last year, the team has expanded its apprenticeship offering and now is the time for the next stage of the expansion plan. SallyAnn’s trusted perspective along with her ability to lead is essential for the Group and a tremendous asset for Juice.”
As Managing Director of The Juice Academy, SallyAnn will work closely with Commercial Director Georgia Fitzgerald who will play a significant role in the growth of services and partnerships moving forward.
SallyAnn said: “I have had the privilege of watching Apprentify go from strength to strength, and I’m thrilled to now lead one of Manchester’s most respected businesses, with its strong brand, impressive track record and outstanding leadership team. I will work closely with the team to build on the company’s success and expand the range of creative apprenticeships we offer to existing and new customers.”
The Juice Academy, which is owned by training and apprenticeship provider, Apprentify Group, was launched in 2013 by marketing consultancy Tangerine Communications and has created more than 700 roles to date.
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Alex Murdie
Law firm TLT has hired infrastructure specialist Alex Murdie as a partner in the projects, infrastructure and construction (PIC) team. Alex will be based in the firm’s Manchester office.
Alex qualified at TLT in 2011 and has been re-appointed after having worked at Pinsent Masons and DLA Piper.
Alex has a particular focus in the clean energy sector, having acted for a range of developers and funders on grid-scale solar, onshore wind developments and battery storage projects.
He said: “I am excited to be joining TLT at their new Eden office and look forward to playing an important role in continuing to grow and expand TLT’s offering in the infrastructure and future energy sectors.”
James Chadwick, partner and head of location for Manchester said: “Alex’s appointment is the latest demonstration of our strength and ambition in Manchester, as we continue to attract some of the finest legal talent in the region. It is also a move that recognises the legal landscape of the North West and the increasing demand for legal advisors with experience in advising on major infrastructure projects.”
Simon Goss, partner and head of TLT’s PIC team said: “When we embarked on the strategic hire process to bolster and drive forward our expanding infrastructure practice, I don’t think I could have hoped for a better outcome than the appointment of Alex. Not only is he one of the best lawyers in his field significantly enhancing our infrastructure capability, he is a colleague who has lived and breathed TLT’s people and client focused values and one who is welcomed back by the TLT community.”
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Martin Warhurst
Salford housing association, Salix Homes, has appointed a new Chair of its board as its CEO announces her retirement after a 25-year career in housing.
Salix Homes has appointed Martin Warhurst as its new Chair of the board. Martin takes over the post from outgoing Chair Jim Battle, who reached the end of his term this month.
Martin has been a board member at Salix Homes since 2023 when he was appointed as Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee. He is a Chartered Accountant and has more than two decades’ experience in the social housing sector. He is currently Chief Financial Officer at Habinteg Housing Association.
He said: “I’m honoured to be appointed as Chair of the board at such a pivotal moment for Salix Homes, particularly as we prepare for the upcoming change in CEO, and I look forward to building on the outstanding achievements made under my predecessor Jim Battle’s leadership.”
Recruitment for the CEO position will start in October.
Sue Sutton first joined Salix Homes back in 2008, initially on a three-month contract. She’s worked in various roles across the organisation before taking on the role of CEO in 2021, in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic.
She said: “After an incredible 25 years in the housing sector, and having had the privilege of leading Salix Homes for the past few years, I’ve decided the time is right for me to retire. It’s been an honour to work with such a dedicated team that consistently goes above and beyond to deliver for our customers and communities. I also want to pay tribute to Jim Battle, whose leadership as Chair has been vital in shaping the Salix Homes we know today.”
Jim said: “It’s been an honour to serve as Chair and be part of an organisation that truly puts customers at the heart of everything we do. As I step down, I’m confident that with Martin Warhurst as Chair, Salix Homes will continue to thrive.”
At the AGM, new board member, Jason Ridley, was also appointed as the new Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee. Jason is a Chartered Accountant with extensive housing sector experience and is the current Director of Finance and IT at Leeds Federated Housing Association.
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Jason Stockwood
Manchester-based UK Digital MGA, Ripe, has appointed Jason Stockwood as a Non-Executive Director.
An experienced leader in technology businesses, Jason has held senior roles at lastminute.com, match.com, Skyscanner, Travelocity, and most recently served as group CEO and Vice Chairman of Simply Business.
His appointment comes less than a month after new Ripe CEO, Alan Thomas, also joined the insurtech from Simply Business.
Jason Stockwood said: “Joining Ripe at this juncture is extremely exciting, with the fusion of technology and insurance presenting a landscape primed for innovation. I’m looking forward to being part of this journey, bringing my experience from the tech, insurance and community sectors to help steer Ripe through its next phase of growth.”
Alan Thomas, Ripe’s CEO, said: “I am thrilled to see Jason join the Ripe team. My experience working with him at Simply Business has shown me how crucial his contributions are to the thoughtful expansion of a company. His unique blend of tech entrepreneurship, community engagement and strategic insight will be an enormous asset to the company board as we look to grow and expand further.”
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Joel Bransfield
Independent UK marketing and communications agency, BIG Partnership, has appointed Joel Bransfield as its commercial operations director as the agency continues to experience sustained growth while focusing on its integrated offering.
Joel, formerly of Mediaworks, has joined as commercial operations director and will help to drive ambitious growth plans for the agency’s marketing, design and digital services. Joel will also focus on service integration, as more clients seek a joined-up approach to their marketing strategies.
Joel said: “I am looking forward to working with the wider team to explore how we can best support new and existing clients.”
As part of its focus on retaining and recruiting the best possible talent, BIG recently confirmed several senior promotions including Gayle Grant as head of Aberdeen, Richard Crighton as head of energy, and Shona Hendry and Jenni Bamford as head of PR in Aberdeen and Manchester, respectively. Fraser Paterson also joined the agency as head of public affairs.
Allan Barr, BIG Partnership chief executive, said: “Joel’s extensive experience offers a new perspective on business development and client growth, and he is well-versed in delivering strong results. I’m looking forward to seeing the impact across the agency.”
BIG partnership has offices in Manchester, Aberdeen, Glasgow and Edinburgh. Rob McCann, Manchester office head, said: “This is an exciting time at BIG, we are securing accounts that require a rounded approach and use the range of expertise we have in-house. Joel’s appointment gives a focus to our efforts.”
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Natasha Oluye Muchura
Stockport-based creative agency, IPOS, has signed a new content creator to its ENGAGE & Talent division, welcoming Natasha Oluye Muchura to its growing roster and taking the agency’s combined reach of content creators to 3.5 million people.
IPOS ENGAGE & Talent first worked with Natasha – known as @oyulemuchura – on a gifting campaign in 2023 which received an engagement of 82.3%, far above the industry average.
The campaign for the brand The Slow Love went viral and as a result, the agency was able to negotiate an ambassador partnership between Natasha and the brand.
Izzy Field, head of IPOS ENGAGE & Talent, said: “Natasha is still at the start of her career as a content creator, but she has already worked with global brands and created incredible campaigns that have reached huge audiences. By representing Natasha, we will build on this impressive start and introduce her to relevant brands and opportunities that will help her to grow her influence even further.”
Natasha said: “‘Izzy was one of the first people who saw the hard work I was putting in at the start of my content creation journey and believed in me, so I am thrilled to join the IPOS ENGAGE & Talent community.”
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Kimpton has welcomed six new apprentices to its team, taking the total number to 16 across the business.
Caitlin Irvine, George Morris, Ajay Sturdy, Stephen Collins, Joel Breen and Alex Littler have all joined the Bromborough-based firm, which provides heating and ventilation, mechanical and engineering services, facilities maintenance and full commercial fit-out services for clients across the UK.
“Meanwhile, four apprentices – Grace Roberts, Fionn Tierney, Josh Anderson and Harrison Jones – will all graduate this year.”
Grace becomes Kimpton’s first female engineering apprentice, having initially joined the firm aged 18 on completion of her A Levels and graduates with an HNC in Building Services Engineering.
The latest cohort of apprentices come from a diverse range of qualification pathways and will enter a variety of roles. George and Caitlin will both train as commercial heating service engineers, having both completed technical plumbing diploma Level 3 at local colleges – Caitlin at City of Liverpool College and George at Hugh Baird.
Ajay joins following a successful placement on a shared apprenticeship scheme in Birmingham and will remain living in his native West Midlands while employed by Kimpton, travelling to support the firm’s work on large apartment and student accommodation projects around the UK.
Alex and Stephen both completed work experience placements having also obtained a technical diploma in plumbing and were subsequently offered an apprenticeship role.
Joel, a new technical apprentice, was part of the first cohort of students in the city region to complete a T Level in Building Services, at City of Liverpool College. The T-Level qualification provides a specialised route into the industry and Joel’s chosen career as a contract manager.
Matt Breakwell, business development manager at Kimpton, said: “We have spent the past few years devising a robust and inclusive apprenticeship strategy that truly works, both for our business and for local young people.
“By engaging with local schools and colleges to offer industry insight and work experience placements, our further education partners recognise us as responsible employers of choice and we enjoy working collaboratively with them to identify and nurture that pipeline of young talent.
“In a sector where women are traditionally under-represented, we are also committed to creating equal opportunities for everyone, from all parts of society to begin a career creating the sustainable building environments of tomorrow.”
