People: Duckhams; Codatech; DTE Corporate Finance; Breck; JS; WorkNest; BSG Solicitors
Duckhams, the Bolton-based original British motor oil since 1899, has appointed Graham Lane and Shweta Singh to its Strategic Leadership Team.
Graham Lane
Graham Lane has joined the business as Head of Commercial. With 25 years of experience in the lubricants industry, Graham has worked in marketing and commercial roles for Comma Oil and Moove Europe.
Shweta Singh has been appointed Head Of Human Resources. With more than 13 years of experience in strategic leadership, organisational development, and talent management, Shweta has a proven track record of aligning HR strategies with business goals, fostering strong employee relations, and executing effective change management. She has worked as HR Manager at Gulf Petrochem, ASPAM Indian International School and MAG Lubricants.
During the year Duckhams has strengthened its senior leadership team by welcoming new CEO Mike Bewsey, Head of Marketing Rajat Moitra, Head of Technical and Procurement Chris Clarkson, and new Head of Sales in EAME Henrik Hansen.
Mike Bewsey said: “Graham has a wealth of experience, having worked in Customer Services, Commercial and Product Marketing roles before specialising in Financial Planning and Analysis.
“I am confident Shweta will provide boundless support in managing our greatest asset, our people, as we grow our business. Her expertise in HR practices has driven innovation and enhanced organisational effectiveness. She is a strong communicator and collaborative leader dedicated to creating a positive and thriving workplace culture.”
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Sam Radion
Codatech, the Manchester-based provider of recruitment back-office software, has announced two senior hires as it targets major growth in 2025.
With more than two decades’ experience in the recruitment technology sector, including 16 years at Merit Software, Sam Radion joins Codatech as Head of Sales.
He said: “Joining a forward thinking company that’s all about solving customer challenges with cutting edge tech felt like the natural next step for me.”
George Bendle
Alongside Sam, George Bendle has joined the senior team as Product Lead. George brings with him more than three years at EdenGroup (now WorkWell) and five years of experience at Omnia Outsourcing, giving him direct exposure to back-office systems in the recruitment sector.
He said: “I’m thrilled to be joining Codatech at such an exciting time. The company’s commitment to innovation in the recruitment sector aligns perfectly with my own passion for developing solutions that enhance efficiency and simplify complex processes for our clients.”
Managing director, Varun Monteiro, said: “As a business already well established in the recruitment sector, the appointment of Sam and George marks an important milestone for us, as we embark on a steep and exciting upward growth trajectory.”
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Lewis Pearson
Manchester accountancy firm, DTE, has promoted Lewis Pearson to director of the Corporate Finance division, after a decade of dedication with the group, it said.
The news comes 11 months after DTE joined top 50 accountancy group, DJH, in December 2023.
Lewis said: “I’m absolutely thrilled to step into this role. Working with such a talented team and getting to know our clients over the years has been fantastic. I’m looking forward to helping us grow even further and building those strong, lasting relationships that make this work so rewarding.”
Recent highlights for Lewis include his work on the sale of RJ Urmson Group to HSL Compliance, where his guidance was key in matching the client with the right buyer and ensuring a smooth process, as well as supporting Innov8 Technology Limited with financial due diligence services for the acquisition of Acorn IT Solutions marking a significant milestone in Innov8’s growth journey.
Head of DTE Corporate Finance, Partner, Matt Beckley, said: “Lewis’s journey here has been incredible to watch. This promotion is a huge milestone for him and us, and it’s very well deserved.”
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Alex Lee
North West property developer, Breck, has appointed Alex Lee as a new associate land director.
He has more than 15 years’ experience in land acquisition for property developers and housebuilders across the North West.
He joins Breck from Miller Homes where he was senior land manager.
Alex joins a land team at Breck which now consists of three people and his appointment brings the total number of staff to 28. He is the ninth person to join the firm since its move from Blackpool to its current headquarters at Sceptre Court, Bamber Bridge in June 2023.
Andy Garnett, director, Breck said: “Finding and securing high quality development land through to purchase stage is key to fuelling the growth we expect and Alex’s knowledge, experience and contacts across the North West development industry make him the perfect candidate to lead our land team over the coming years.”
In addition to Alex, Breck has recruited new engineer, Mark Hughes, in recent weeks. He has joined the firm from Bellway.
Alex Lee said: “Breck Homes has a strong reputation in the development industry for being fast-paced, honest and straightforward to interact with. I was well aware of Andy’s impressive background in the sector and have followed Breck’s journey over the past four years.”
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Andrew Pilling, left, Rory Fothergill
Accountancy and advisory firm, JS, has announced a series of key appointments, marking a significant phase of growth and development following its successful management buyout earlier this year.
Since completing the MBO in April, JS has grown through the arrival of 11 new hires.
As part of this strategic growth, Andrew Pilling has joined JS as audit and accounts director. His appointment helps to bolster the firm’s capacity to meet the rising demand for audit services.
Rory Fothergill has joined as a tax advisory and R&D senior manager. Rory’s extensive background in R&D tax relief and other innovative tax reliefs enhances JS’s tax advisory services.
In line with its growth strategy, JS is also deepening its investment in future talent. The firm now has 24 apprentices and four trainees, supporting them with their professional studies through both college and university.
James Wood, accounts partner at JS, said: “The MBO was a transformative moment for our firm, setting the stage for our ambitious growth plans. Our latest appointments reflect our dedication to enhancing our service offerings.”
Lucy Williams, managing partner at JS, said: “Transitioning to a corporate structure empowered us to accelerate our growth while remaining true to our core values. As we continue to grow, we are focused on delivering even more value to our clients, without compromising on the personal service we’re known for.”
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Iain McGregor, left, and Len Curtis
WorkNest, a provider of Employment Law, HR, Health & Safety and CQC Compliance solutions, has appointed two senior leaders.
Len Curtis, who joins WorkNest as Chief Sales Officer, brings a wealth of experience in driving revenue growth and expanding market reach. With more than 25 years’ knowledge of media, digital marketing, SaaS, recruitment and financial service sectors, Len has a proven ability to lead fast-paced sales operations.
He said: “I am excited to have joined WorkNest during a period of growth and innovation. I am eager to work with the sales team to build on the company’s success, drive our sales strategy forward, and continue delivering exceptional results for our clients.”
In addition, Iain McGregor, has stepped into the role of Chief Operating Officer, overseeing the operational side of WorkNest’s services. Iain has a proven track record of leading operational transformations having spent the past 15 years focused on building relationships with customers and supporting operational teams.
Iain said: “I am passionate about providing a first class service to clients which I firmly believe is only possible when we have the most motivated and dedicated colleagues.”
CEO, Ifti Ahmed, said: “Their extensive expertise and strong leadership will be instrumental as we evolve and expand our offerings. With their combined experience and fresh perspectives, we are well positioned to further enhance our services and maintain our position at the forefront of Employment Law, HR, Health and Safety and compliance solutions.”
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BSG Partners, Fiona Jolleys, Pippa Weld-Blundell, Rebecca Lauder, Hannah Forsyth,
Emma Edwards
BSG Solicitors has promoted Hannah Forsyth to Partner within the Family Law Department.
Hannah specialises in Children Law and is a member of the Law Society’s Children Panel. Her expertise includes advice on care proceedings, special guardianship and child arrangement orders.
She qualified as a Solicitor in 2019 and is experienced in dealing with highly complex matters and has run cases through the High Courts. Hannah is also a Legal Aid Supervisor, which involves all aspects of compliance and file management, supervision of staff, dealing with Legal Aid Agency audits and improving efficiency.
She said: “I’m thrilled to be joining the Partnership at BSG Solicitors. The firm is committed to providing the best possible advice and support to clients and our family law team has a strength in depth covering all aspects of family law, both private matters and legal aid cases.”
Rebecca Lauder, Partner at BSG Solicitors, said: “Hannah is a hugely talented Solicitor and her promotion is thoroughly deserved. She has made a valued contribution to the family law department and the firm’s continued success as a whole. I look forward to seeing her flourish in her new role as partner.”
