People: EY; Kinaxia Logistics; THG Ingenuity; BGF; Club L London; Roxtec; Berkson Family Law; Glaisyers ETL

Hilary Heap

EY has appointed Hilary Heap, a Partner with 30 years of experience in professional services, as the firm’s new North Market Leader.

Hilary will also take on the Manchester Office Managing Partner role as part of her new position, taking over from Stephen Church, who has led EY North since 2020.

Originally from Preston, Hilary has worked across the North throughout her career, most recently as EY’s Strategy and Transactions Leader for the North of England.

She brings a wealth of business experience and North market connections to the role having worked with a wide range of major clients in the region.

Hilary joined EY in 2016, before being promoted to Partner in the summer of 2017, and has previously led the firm’s Valuation Practice in the North of England.

EY has a strong presence in the North of England, with offices in Manchester, Leeds, Newcastle and Liverpool, and a team of more than 2,000 people across the region.

Stephen Church

Stephen Church has been appointed as EY’s new UK&I Private and Mid-Market Leader, which will see him continue to work with colleagues and clients in the North of England and across the wider UK market.

Hilary Heap said: “We have a dedicated and talented team of professionals right across the region, and we are continuing to grow to meet the needs of a diverse and strong client base.

“Stephen Church has done a remarkable job over the last five years in leading our North practice and I’m looking forward to working with our people to build on this success going forward.”

Stephen Church said: “I have absolutely loved my time as EY’s North Market Leader and Manchester Office Managing Partner, and I am very proud of all we have accomplished in the region over the last five years, particularly how we navigated the pandemic and the growth we have achieved together across the North.

“Hilary is a wonderful appointment, who brings a wealth of experience, knowledge and relationships to the role. I have every confidence that she will continue to be an excellent ambassador for our business, ensuring that EY remains a great place for our people to build their careers.”

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Gareth Jenkins

Macclesfield-based Kinaxia Logistics has begun 2025 on the front foot with new appointments to strengthen its senior team as it unveils investment plans for key areas of the business to drive forward its transformation strategy.

Gareth Jenkins, who has extensive experience across the manufacturing and retail sectors, has joined Kinaxia’s board as executive chairman. He succeeds Graham Norfolk in the role and will support the delivery of Kinaxia’s medium and long term strategy.

Allan Blakeley has become chief operating officer. Allan has more than 30 years’ experience in UK and European logistics and ecommerce fulfilment, and will drive business efficiencies and prioritise operational excellence for customers.

Simon Nelson moves from COO to the new post of managing director, contract logistics. His role will be to develop and expand Kinaxia’s key customer base and contract logistics services.

The appointments come as Kinaxia takes a step forward in the delivery of its strategic plans with details of its investment programme for 2025.

Gareth said: “I’m excited to join Kinaxia at this time as the team starts to build a robust platform for the future. In a short period of time, I have been able to meet many people throughout the organisation who I know will help build a business we are all rightly proud of.

“We also welcome Allan to the senior team. His arrival ensures we have the experience, expertise and leadership to consolidate our market position, develop our customer proposition and deliver the highest quality logistics services to our existing and new clients.”

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Lucy Cooper

THG Ingenuity has appointed Lucy Cooper as Chief Commercial Officer, effective January 20, 2025. Lucy will play a pivotal role in driving THG Ingenuity’s ambitious growth agenda as it embarks on its next chapter following the demerger from Manchester-based THG PLC.

Lucy brings more than 15 years of experience in growth strategy, transformation, and technology commercialisation. Having worked with leading global organisations such as Microsoft and Accenture, Lucy has a track record of identifying and delivering innovative growth opportunities. Her expertise spans AI, digital platforms, and M&A, coupled with a strong focus on customer-centric strategies.

Lucy said: “I am thrilled to join THG Ingenuity at such an exciting time. I look forward to working with the team to drive innovation and growth for our clients, partners, and stakeholders.”

John Gallemore, Executive President, THG Ingenuity, said: “Lucy’s expertise and leadership across commercial strategy and technology adoption make her a perfect fit for our vision of scaling THG Ingenuity. We are excited to have her on board as we continue to redefine the future of digital commerce.”

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Barry Jackson

BGF has announced several Northern appointments as part of its transition to Partner titles within its Investment and Portfolio teams. This strategic development reinforces BGF’s commitment to recognising individual contributions and driving long term value and growth.

Barry Jackson has been promoted to Regional Partner, building on his leadership across Yorkshire and the North West, with his expanded role now including the Midlands. Since joining BGF, Barry has played a central role in the growth of BGF’s portfolio.

Harry Jones and Pinesh Mehta have been promoted to Partner and will lead the investment team and activity in the North West.  

Jill Williams and Spencer Woods, who cover portfolio company activity across the North of England, have also been promoted to Partner. 

BGF’s teams in Yorkshire and the North West have led on a number of high profile investments including Kids Planet and DriveWorks (North West) and Tevalis and Springfield Healthcare (Yorkshire).

Each of these individuals has played a critical role in supporting BGF’s investment approach and relationships with portfolio companies. Their combined expertise covers sectors such as technology, healthcare, and professional services, ensuring support for businesses at every stage of their growth journey.

Barry Jackson said: “I am pleased to step into this role and continue our work in driving growth and innovation across UK businesses. Our team’s dedication and deep regional and sector connections are key to delivering exceptional support to our portfolio businesses.”

Andy Gregory, CEO of BGF, said: “The transition to Partner titles is an important evolution for BGF’s Investment and Portfolio teams, designed to enhance transparency in career progression and foster further collaboration across the UK. This initiative underscores BGF’s commitment to empowering our teams and recognising the vital role they play in achieving shared success.”

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Dan Lorenson

Manchester-based global womenswear and lifestyle brand, Club L London, has appointed Dan Lorenson as its new Chief Marketing Officer (CMO).

Dan has been a key figure in the brand’s evolution since 2018, initially collaborating as the founder of boutique marketing agency ‘Flying People’. His agency secured Club L London as its first client and played a pivotal role in supporting the brand’s direct-to-consumer launch, where Dan’s expertise was integral to its early success.

Over the past two years, Dan transitioned into a lead consulting role as Digital and Trading Director, overseeing e-commerce, marketing, and trading operations for the brand. Now joining the business as CMO, Dan brings more than a decade of digital marketing experience, including his previous role as Senior Marketing Manager at The Very Group, where he led cross-channel strategies across fashion and electronics, as well as managing paid search and advertising campaigns.

Katie Randev, founder and CEO of Club L London, said: “Dan’s contributions have been transformative, particularly in driving our international growth. He led the launch of three new sites last year and has orchestrated two more roll-outs for Q1 2025. His role in our first ever collaboration with global Influencer Leonie Hanne has significantly boosted visibility, ad recall, and brand recognition, while strengthening our wholesale partnerships.

“Dan is an integral part of the Club L family, and I’m thrilled to have him as part of our senior leadership team.”

Dan said: “Club L London is a brand I’m extremely passionate about, and working alongside Katie and the team has been a rewarding experience.

“I’ve been invested from the very beginning, and watching the brand grow to where it is today is something I’m incredibly proud to be a part of. I’m grateful for the trust Katie has placed in me, and I’m focused on leveraging our current momentum to drive growth and innovation, ensuring 2025 is our most successful and internationally impactful year yet.”

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Bryan O’Loughlin

Cable and pipe seal manufacturer, Roxtec, is further strengthening ts presence in Ireland with the appointment of Bryan O’Loughlin as Technical Sales Manager, Energy and Infrastructure.

This follows the appointment of Ian Gunn to a similar role last year. In this new position, Bryan will spearhead Roxtec’s growth strategy in Ireland across various industries, ranging from pharmaceutical to marine nd offshore and wind and solar power.

Roxtec is also expanding in Ireland’s large-scale data centre market. Bryan’s role will involve managing client relationships, overseeing installations, ensuring testing and compliance in line with industry safety standards and contributing to Roxtec’s overarching mission to protect lives and assets.

Bryan, who is from County Clare, has a strong background in engineering and sales and a wealth of experience gained by working in a wide range of industries over the course of his 10-year career.

Roxtec’s Managing Director, Clive Sharp, said: “We’ve seen significant demand in data centres over the last 10 years and that is being supercharged by AI. As a result we’re already working with some of the biggest tech firms in the world across multiple data centre projects in Ireland, which Bryan will be supporting.

“This experience is giving Roxtec a real edge in the data centre industry as our products protect them against fire, flooding, air or gas leakage, humidity and electromagnetic disturbances to ensure non-stop operations.”

Bryan said: “I wanted a career change and was attracted to the position by Roxtec’s ambition, its genuinely fascinating product offering and how I could apply my existing skillset to the role. Enormous opportunities exist for the business in Ireland and the scope I have to help grow its team and presence here is truly exciting.”

Roxtec UK and Ireland, which is headquartered in Bury, is also working with several leading technology providers in the green hydrogen sector, providing its unique solutions for cable and pipe sealing.

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Ellie Knight

Berkson Family Law is marking a new chapter of growth with the addition of five new members to the team to its Stanley Street headquarters in Liverpool.

The new team members – Rachael Hynds, Ellie Knight, Ellie Worthington, Caoimhe Melaugh, and Hannah Playdon – bring valuable life experience and fresh perspectives, further enhancing the firm’s ability to support clients across a wide range of family law matters.

With a mix of backgrounds and experience levels, from early-career team members to those seeking qualification as a solicitor, the new appointments will strengthen Berkson Family Law’s ability to handle a variety of family law challenges with professionalism and care.

Adele Schofield, Director and Children’s Law Solicitor at Berkson Family Law, said: “We’ve been around since the 1930s, and while much has changed over the years, our focus on building a strong and supportive team remains the same. We believe that combining different levels of experience and viewpoints helps us deliver practical, straightforward advice for our clients. We’re very pleased to welcome Rachael, Ellie Knight, Ellie Worthington, Caoimhe and Hannah to Berkson Family Law.”

L-R: Caoimhe Melaugh, Rachael Hynds, Ellie Worthington, Hannah Playdon

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Commercial law firm Glaisyers ETL has announced its latest round of promotions, strengthening its Legal 500-listed litigation, insolvency, corporate and employment practices.

In all, six fee-earners have been promoted at the beginning of the year.

Hannah Vachre, a long standing member of the firm’s commercial litigation practice has been promoted from senior associate to partner.

Natalie Howitt, Niki Polymeridou, Nermin Suleman, Hannah Vachre

Within the litigation team, disputes and insolvency specialist Steve Sutton, who joined the firm as a solicitor in April 2024, has also been promoted to the position of senior associate. Meanwhile, Nermin Suleman, who joined the litigation team at Glaisyers ETL in 2022, has been promoted from solicitor to associate.

Ms Vachre said: “I am incredibly honoured and excited to be promoted to partner at Glaisyers ETL. This milestone is a reflection of the hard work, dedication, and collaboration I’ve experienced working with an incredible team, and I’m eager to continue contributing to the firm’s success in my new role.”

The firm’s employment practice has also seen two promotions this month. Associate Jennifer Johnson has been promoted to senior associate, while solicitor Natalie Howitt has become an associate.

In the corporate team, meanwhile, associate Niki Polymeridou has become a senior associate.

The six newly promoted lawyers are all based at the firm’s Manchester head office.

Russell Brown, managing partner and head of employment at Glaisyers ETL, said, “All six of the promotions announced this month are very well deserved and reflect both their contributions to-date and the potential that I have no doubt they will all fulfil in the future.”

Glaisyers ETL has offices in Spinningfields, Manchester, and Exchange Flags, Liverpool.

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