People: SEVEN BRO7HERS; Parfetts; Slater Heelis; Vernon Building Society; PushON; Leasing Options; MHA; WHN; Green Shield
SEVEN BRO7HERS BREWING CO has teamed up with Juice Academy to take on a ‘Social media and Content Creation’ apprentice.
Eliza McAvoy, 20, joins the Salford-based brewery this month as part of a 16-month apprenticeship programme.
Working with the in-house marketing team, Eliza will be supporting across brand artwork and design, as well as implementing content across TikTok and Instagram, as part of an on-going strategy to grow Gen Z social audiences and following.
Daughter of CEO, Keith McAvoy, Eliza will join her father, uncles, aunties and cousins as part of Europe’s largest family-run alcohol business, and she will attend training sessions every fortnight at the Castlefield-based Juice Academy HQ.
Eliza said: “Juice Academy is a great opportunity for me to learn on the job, I was exploring lots of avenues to get into content creation and then an opening came up in the family business and I jumped at the chance to get involved.”
Keith McAvoy said: “When we first set up SEVEN BRO7HERS it was about making great beer and working together as brothers. As the business grows and expands it is fantastic to bring in the next generation and provide learning opportunities that will in turn grow the business.”
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John O’Neill
Stockport-based cash and carry firm, Parfetts, has promoted John O’Neill to the new role of retail operations controller to support the continued growth of the Go Local fascia.
Guy Swindell, joint managing director of Parfetts, said: “John has been with the company for over 17 years. He brings a passion for how we work at Parfetts and puts retailers at the heart of everything he does. As an employee-owned business, it is great to be able to promote key team members from within the business and recognise their commitment and hard work.”
John O’Neill will work closely with national sales controllers Steve Miller and Joe Tindle. Reporting directly to the board, the team will continue the unprecedented growth of the symbol group, with the aim of reaching 2,000 retailers.
The retail team will also see Steve Moore, head of retail, leave the business in January after three and a half years.
“We thank Steve for his efforts over a significant period of growth for Parfetts. We’ve seen the expansion of our geographical reach with the launch of our Birmingham depot and have invested in digital technology to ensure retailers can easily buy online or via the app with free next-day delivery,” said Guy Swindell.
Parfetts operates depots in Aintree, Anfield, Birmingham, Halifax, Middlesbrough, Sheffield, Somercotes and Stockport. Its operations cover England and Wales.
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Zohaib Masood
Manchester-based law firm, Slater Heelis, has announced the addition of Zohaib Masood to its 210+ strong team.
Zohaib joins the firm’s busy and growing Corporate Commercial team as a Solicitor, having qualified in 2022 at Knights. Based at the firms Manchester office on Deansgate, Zohaib joins the team which has bold ambitions for growth over the next 12 months and which has just celebrated becoming a Band 1 Corporate team in the coveted Chambers rankings.
Simon Wallwork, Partner and Head of the Corporate team, said: “Zohaib is a real asset to us and he joins the firm at a really pivotal and exciting time so I really look forward to seeing what we can achieve together. His experience to date is second to none and with our support and the opportunities I know we can give him; I am confident he will carve himself an enviable career in the field.”
Zohaib brings a wealth of experience to the team including his work on private company and private equity merger and acquisition transactions on both buy and sell sides; as well as assisting with legal due diligence, shareholder agreements, group reorganisations, share buybacks, EMI option schemes, non-disclosure agreements and company secretarial work.
Slater Heelis is part of legal services business Lawfront. Axel Koelsch, COO from Lawfront, said: “We invest in our partner firms to support their growth, most importantly in attracting additional talent. The addition of Zohaib to the Corporate Commercial team demonstrates our commitment to growing a full service practice, for business and individuals.”
With its head office in Sale, and a large office in Manchester, the firm offers a range of legal services to both private and business clients.
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Darren Ditchburn
Vernon Building Society has announced its Chief Executive, Steve Fletcher, will retire in December 2024 and be replaced by Darren Ditchburn from Leek Building Society.
Steve joined the Stockport mutual in January 2018 and steps down after a successful 43-year career in the financial services industry.
During his six-year tenure, Steve has overseen the £1.2m modernisation of the Vernon’s branch network, ensured strong business performance in turbulent economic times and helped the Mutual celebrate 100 years of serving its Members.
Steve said: “I feel the Society is in great shape and we have really exciting plans for the next five years. Now is the right time to move aside and allow Darren to drive the organisation forward with the same passion and energy I brought with me seven years ago.”
Steve Fletcher
Darren Ditchburn, currently Deputy Chief Executive at Leek Building Society, brings 20 years of experience within the building society sector, having worked his way up at Darlington Building Society. His extensive experience gives him a deep understanding of the industry and broad expertise across key areas, including customer service, operations, products and marketing, technology and change, risk management and leadership.
He said: “Steve leaves behind a brilliant legacy and I am incredibly proud to be joining Vernon Building Society as Chief Executive at such an exciting time. I can’t wait to pick up the mantle and continue taking the Vernon forward. In doing so, I will continue to put great importance on what really matters; our members, local communities, colleagues and their futures.”
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New hires, L-R Connor, Daniela and Ryan
PushON, the Manchester-based eCommerce consultancy, has expanded its marketing team, bringing in three senior appointments to enhance its Paid Media capabilities.
The hires are a result of an increased demand for PushON’s digital marketing services, particularly in PPC and paid social media.
The new appointments include Ryan Ip, Connor Martyn, and Daniela Popovici, who all bring a wealth of experience to PushON’s Paid Media team.
Ryan and Daniela, both Senior PPC Consultants, will be leading on Pay-Per-Click strategy, while Connor Martyn, the new Paid Social Account Manager, will focus on managing high performing campaigns across platforms like Meta.
Managing Director, Sam Rutley, said: “As more eCommerce businesses shift their focus to digital marketing, recognising they need to adapt to stay ahead, we’ve experienced a significant rise in demand for strategic, results-driven marketing solutions, such as paid media.
“The expansion of our team ensures we can continue to offer the expert support our clients need as they scale their operations. These new hires bring invaluable expertise and will allow us to keep delivering exceptional PPC and paid social campaigns that help our clients grow in an increasingly competitive space.”
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Sanjay Gorsia and Harrison Walsh
Leasing Options, the Manchester-based car leasing firm, has announced its latest promotion – Sanjay Gorsia has been promoted to Pricing Manager.
Sanjay’s promotion means he will now officially take charge of managing pricing for the business, along with other related teams.
Sanjay has been with Leasing Options for six years.
Chief Operating Officer, Mike Thompson, said: “Sanjay is an incredible asset for Leasing Options and this promotion is well deserved. Sanjay consistently goes above and beyond to support the management team and has successfully established himself as an integral part of our pricing and operational function.”
Harrison Walsh, Head of Procurement, said: “Sanjay will continue to be at the forefront of our pricing strategy, with his team ensuring that our prices are not only up-to-date but also competitive in the market. His keen insights will help us maintain our edge and deliver exceptional value to our customers.”
Sanjay Gorsia said: “I’m so proud of my promotion and the opportunity to support the senior management team in this exciting chapter for Leasing Options.”
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From left: Andy Feeke, Rowan Portert, Rob Dawes, Rob Richardson
National accountancy and business advisory firm, MHA, has strengthened its North West corporate finance team with the appointment of a new transaction services director based out of its Liverpool office.
Rowan Porter will spearhead MHA’s transaction services offering in the Liverpool City Region as well as supporting the wider North West and national corporate finance team.
He joins the firm following a 26-year career in financial services, having trained at a big four firm when he first came to Liverpool and having subsequently spent more than 20 years at Grant Thornton, most recently as transaction advisory services associate director.
The appointment brings MHA’s North West corporate finance team to a total of 16 members of staff.
Andrew Feeke, partner and head of corporate finance, MHA, said: “Over the past five years, MHA’s North West corporate finance team has gone from strength to strength and last year we appointed Rob Dawes to lead a dedicated transaction services offering, complementing our M&A, fundraising and valuations specialisms across the region.
“Rowan’s appointment represents a strengthening of that transaction services expertise, particularly in the Liverpool City Region. He has nearly 20 years’ experience in transaction services in the North West and is the ideal person to lead the team in Liverpool.”
Rowan, who is a member of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants, said: “I have known some of my MHA colleagues for several years before joining the firm, and I was particularly struck by their passion and enthusiasm for MHA. I feel fortunate to be working with an incredible team, both in Liverpool and the North West.”
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From left:Melan Muchegwa, Eleanor Longworth, Lauren Moffat, Katie Wright, Joanne Hindsley, Lucie Rushton
North West law firm Woodcocks Haworth and Nuttall Solicitors (WHN) has strengthened its litigation team with two new appointments in Lancashire.
Joanne Hindsley has joined the team as a solicitor. Having worked in legal practice as a solicitor in Lancashire for more than 20 years, she will serve WHN’s clients from its Clitheroe and Accrington offices.
Lauren Moffat has also joined WHN as a trainee solicitor, after completing her Masters in Law in Professional Legal Practice (LLM) at the University of Law. Based at WHN’s Clitheroe office, Lauren’s role will involve client interaction and liaising with members of the other side, as well as preparing court papers and conducting research into legal and factual issues.
The new appointments further strengthen WHN’s growing litigation team, which also saw Melan Muchegwa join as litigation paralegal at the firm’s Bury office in June, as well as Lucie Rushton’s qualification as solicitor in recent weeks.
Originally from Zimbabwe, Melan now resides in Greater Manchester and supports the WHN litigation team in its Bury office, dealing with commercial debt recovery and commercial dispute resolution. Melan is currently undertaking her Legal Practice Course (LPC) through the University of Law.
Lucie has completed her Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practice at Leeds Beckett University, having joined WHN in June 2021. She specialises in resolving commercial disputes and both residential and commercial property disputes.
Michael Shroot, CEO, said: “The feedback in this year’s Legal 500 is testament to how our team builds long-term client relationships and I’m looking forward to seeing Joanne, Lauren, Melan, Lucie, Katie and Eleanor combine their deep knowledge with a personal approach to grow and develop these relationships over the coming years.”
Joanne Hindsley said: “WHN has a strong reputation across Lancashire for exceptional client care, which really attracted me to the firm.”
Lauren Moffat said: “The litigation team at WHN are real experts, with deep client relationships. It’s clear that working for WHN is the perfect environment to train to increase my knowledge and experience while training to become a solicitor.”
WHN has also recently promoted associate solicitor and litigation specialist Katie Wright to head of the civil litigation team and Eleanor Longworth, also part of the litigation team, to associate director.
WHN employs more than 100 staff from offices in Accrington, Bacup, Bury, Blackburn, Clitheroe, Haslingden, Great Harwood, Rawtenstall and Salford.
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David Summerfield and Phil Walker
Ribchester-based Green Shield Group has announced two new hires to manage the increased demand for renewable energy and consultancy, expanding to add further expertise to the team.
The business has added David Summerfield and Phil Walker to bolster the already 16-strong team.
David Summerfield, previously Sales Director of an international battery firm, has joined as the brand’s Commercial Director. He arrives with vast experience in the commercial battery energy storage sector and holds extensive links with commercial and military operations throughout the UK, a key growth area for Green Shield Group.
Phil Walker has joined the team as a Designer, to expand the internal technical expertise and delivery team further. With more than 15 years in the field, Phil has extensive experience in technical design, previously working in fire detection, and is well-versed in the importance of sustainability and its role in the future of UK business.
David said: “Green Shield Group is already well positioned as an ambassador for green transformation, and I’ve joined to assist in making additional technologies even more accessible.”
Phil added: “Sustainability and technology have always been personal passions; I’m excited to integrate these values into my role here at Green Shield Group.”
Managing Director, Jonathan Harrison, said: “As we enter our fourth year since launching Green Shield Group, we feel the business is entering its next growth phase. The announcement of several large projects has allowed us to expand rapidly. We have a solid team supporting us, and we look forward to fully harnessing these new team members skills in the coming months.”
