People: Bee Network; Matalan; GigPig; Shape Engineering; University of Salford Business School; Logros Advisory Partners

Greater Manchester’s Bee Network Committee has appointed its first ever Disability Advocate.

Cllr Tracey Rawlins has taken up the role to advocate for the needs and experiences of disabled people, ensuring they are represented on the committee, which is responsible for taking key decisions on transport and active travel in the city region.

Cllr Rawlins said: “Looking back over the past decades it is easier than ever for someone to get from point A to point B. However, in our increasingly mobile society it is vital that people living with disabilities are not left behind.

“Whether that is ensuring that public transport is accessible for everyone, to making cycle lanes easier to get to and travel on, we owe it to ourselves not to exclude people when we develop our transport plans for the future.”

Greater Manchester Mayor, Andy Burnham, who is also Chair of the Bee Network Committee, said: “This is a key appointment and one that underlines our commitment to accessibility in Greater Manchester.”

Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson, Chair of the Accessible Transport Policy Commission, said: “I would like to congratulate Cllr Rawlins on her appointment and thank Mayor Burnham for his commitment to making transport accessible for all.

“This will make Greater Manchester a far better and more accessible place for disabled people to live and thrive. I call on other local and regional authorities across the UK to follow Greater Manchester’s example.”

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James Dorling

Matalan, the Knowsley-based fashion and homeware omnichannel value retailer, has strengthened its senior team with two new hires.

James Dorling has been appointed Director of Property and will be responsible for overseeing Matalan’s network of more than 220 UK stores. James will ensure that Matalan’s property strategy is optimised, forward-looking and contributing to the business’s wider transformation strategy.

He joins Matalan with extensive experience in property management and leadership, having held positions at Gymshark, Wilko, Walgreens and Walmart, following a 10-year property career at Tesco.

Keith Down

Meanwhile, Keith Down has joined Matalan’s board as a non-executive director and chair of the audit committee following Paul Copley’s decision to step down from the board. He has extensive experience in retail and finance and brings valuable expertise from leadership roles at Selfridges Group, Dunelm, Tesco, and Topps Tiles.

He will continue to sit on the boards of Tortilla and Topps Tiles, in addition to his new non-executive role at Matalan.

Karl-Heinz Holland, Matalan’s Executive Chair, said: “We are thrilled to welcome James and Keith to the business, who both join with relevant expertise that will prove highly valuable as we continue to execute our strategic plan. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Paul Copley for his significant contribution to the business, particularly during his time as Chair.”

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Luke Geoghegan

GigPig, the Manchester-based fast-growing live music marketplace, has appointed its first Music Operations Director in Luke Geoghegan, who joins from The New World Trading Company (NWTC), which operates a nationwide estate of well known hospitality brands including The Botanist.

Geoghegan’s appointment also cements the GigPig and NWTC partnership, with all 31 NWTC sites now accessing the GigPig platform to book live entertainment as part of the move.

Luke Geoghegan said: “I’m excited to be joining GigPig as Music Operations Director, bringing my experience and passion to support the growth of GigPig by working closely with their incredible community of artists and venues. Music and hospitality have been central to my career to date, they are two industries I’m really enthusiastic about.”

Michael Forster, CEO of GigPig, said: “We’re really excited to welcome Luke to the team, he’s highly respected in the music and hospitality sectors, seamlessly making sure live entertainment is high quality when delivered at scale while adding real value to hospitality venues.

“Luke will give GigPig the opportunity to build on our already-established relationships and help us to open even more doors as we continue to scale-up our business.”

Amber Wood, Managing Director of NWTC, said: “Through our partnership with GigPig, we can’t wait to make live music even bigger and better than it’s been before at NWTC.” 

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Nick McGorry

Nick McGorry (37) has joined Liverpool-based Shape Engineering as a director to head up its national civil engineering team.

He joins from SCP, where he was North West regional director, bringing more than 20 years of industry experience to the table.

Nick will lead the growth ambitions of the firm’s civils teams in its Liverpool and Milton Keynes offices, while extending Shape’s reach from housing, education and commercial into the healthcare, leisure, and energy sectors.

Managing director, Barry Wilson, said: “Nick has an outstanding reputation. He shares our ambition to drive quality and delivery, and brings with him a wealth of experience that we can utilise to grow our presence in new sectors.”

Nick said: “I aim to bring my own experiences and skills, which uniquely complement those held by the team at Shape, expanding their offering across a range of multi-discipline projects with flood risk, highways improvements and site support.”

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Prof Vahid Vahidinasab

University of Salford’s Business School has appointed Prof Vahid Vahidinasab as Professor of Sustainability, affirming the institution’s continued commitment to improving the environment and reducing the impact of climate change.

Vahid, who joins from Nottingham Trent University, will commence his role on December 1, 2024. He will lead on a wide range of research and innovation activities, relating to the sustainable future and the road to net zero.
Vahid is a globally-renowned pioneer of research, teaching and leadership with expertise in sustainable power and energy systems.

He said: “I am excited to join the University of Salford, a triple-intensive institution with ambitious goals in research, innovation and teaching.

“It is a real privilege to also be appointed as the Chair of Sustainability at Salford Business School and to be joining a team that is already paving the way on the road to net zero.”
Prof Katy Mason, PVC Dean of Salford Business School, said: “As a leading and respected voice on driving sustainability, Vahid’s future-centric vision very much aligns with the university’s goals of helping to reduce society’s environmental footprint through research and education.”
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Ron Hully

Logros Advisory Partners (LAP) welcomes Ron Hully to its growing Northern team in Manchester.

Ron started his career at Deloittes and will cover the Midlands region, focusing on providing corporate finance advice to the lower-mid market, owner-managers, and the property sector.
Lee Dinsdale, of Logros Advisory Partners, said: “Ron´s background in property, working for a family office, and direct industry experience are great assets to our growing team, and we look forward to working together.”

Ron Hully said: “Logros provides the ideal platform for like-minded, entrepreneurial, and seasoned practitioners to join. Having spent several years working in the property industry.”

Logros Advisory Partners specialises in providing value-led corporate, commercial, and business advice, working closely with owners committed to buying or selling a business, and raising finance to transform, grow, and scale.