People: Eddisons; BDO; University of Central Lancashire; Blueprintx; Clough & Willis; Warden Construction; WHN Solicitors

Property consultancy, Eddisons, has expanded its transport planning and design team with the appointment of two new graduate transport planners.
Sheffield Hallam University graduate Rhiannon Cowan, who has a Master’s Degree in Urban Planning, joins the team having previously undertaken a placement period with Eddisons, while Hanna Wyn Jones, with a First-Class Degree in Urban Planning from the University of Liverpool, also joins the transport planning team, which is based in Eddisons’ Manchester office.
Associate director, Mark Cleary, said: “We are really pleased to welcome our new transport planners Hanna and Rhiannon to the team. Eddisons prides itself on continuously attracting and developing the best young talent and their enthusiasm and fresh thinking are essential to the firm’s ongoing success.
“In the past couple of months alone, we were delighted to see our clients gain planning consents for three particular projects across the North West and Yorkshire that we provided transport and infrastructure advice on, and it’s great to be starting 2025 with momentum and a busy pipeline of work for the coming months.”
Now a 17-strong team, Eddisons’ growing transport planning and highway design consultancy provides detailed highways design, transport and traffic advice to predominantly private sector clients, helping them maximise the commercial value of land and assets throughout the planning and design process.
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Paula Holland
Accountancy and business advisory firm BDO has strengthened its audit team with the appointment of Paula Holland as partner in its Manchester office.
Paula joins from KPMG, where she was audit partner in the firm’s Aberdeen office. In her new role, she will be relocating back to Manchester after a decade north of the border.
At BDO she will be responsible for working alongside a broad range of regional audited entities, including listed and privately-owned businesses. Paula has built up significant experience across a wide range of sectors, developing a strong reputation in the manufacturing and construction sectors.
Angela Cross, Regional Managing Partner at BDO in the North West, said: “As a firm we are always looking to attract the best talent across all areas of our business, investing significantly in both our people and the regional marketplace.
“Paula’s appointment signals our growth intentions and ambitions for 2025 and I have no doubt that her expertise, passion and commitment will make her a real asset to the region and wider partner team at BDO.”
Paula said: “I’m a very people-focused person, so I’m itching to jump straight back into the market to help strengthen our regional network. I’m also keen to utilise my experience and skills when it comes to supporting the team on their own career journeys, as well as getting involved in the important work we do around audit quality.”
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Anne McCarthy
Proud Lancastrian, Anne McCarthy, has been named as the new Chair of the University of Central Lancashire Board.
University alumni Anne, who graduated with a degree in business, has been a member of the board since 2018 and for the past year has been Deputy Chair.
Anne said: “I was born and raised in Lancashire and live in Lancashire so being Chair of the board of a university that plays such a pivotal role in the county and beyond is a huge honour.”
Jon Baldwin will succeed Anne as Deputy Chair of the University Board.
The University of Central Lancashire’s Vice-Chancellor, Prof Graham Baldwin, said: “I am looking forward to working with Anne as the new Chair of the University’s Board at this significant time, with a number of key projects coming to fruition.
“I would also like to say thank you to our outgoing Chair, Dame Sue Ion, for all her support during her time as Chair as we navigated some of the biggest challenges the University and the Higher Education sector has faced in many years.”
Dame Sue Ion said: “I have enjoyed my time as Chair of the Board of the University, seeing it go from strength to strength and look forward to more progress over the coming years. The university plays a vital role as an anchor institution in Lancashire and as well as major partnerships with industry possesses a significant research profile in key sectors nationally.
“I would like to wish Anne well in her new role and I know she will be an excellent Chair for the University going forward.”
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Vikki Sly
Global digital transformation services provider, Bluprintx, has strengthened its leadership team through the appointment of Vikki Sly as Chief People Officer. This new role will support the company’s growth objectives by maximizing Bluprintx’s expanding team, underpinning customer experiences through organisational culture, and improving onboarding as the business pursues an ambitious acquisition strategy.
In her new role, Vikki will focus on building an environment in which the extensive talent at Liverpool-based Bluprintx can deliver at their best and produce exceptional outcomes for customers.
Vikki said: “I am thrilled to be joining Bluprintx at such an important moment in its expansion. From meeting the leadership team and investors, it’s clear that creating a compelling culture is taken seriously and I am excited to work with the team to further fuel productivity and growth.”
Bluprintx CEO, Lee Hackett, said: “Vikki has a unique perspective on culture and productivity that will drive growth while making Bluprintx an exceptional place to work. We are a rapidly growing team targeting global expansion, and I know that Vikki’s skillset will ensure cultural performance while keeping Bluprintx compliant internationally.”
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Gary Hall
Bury and Bolton-based law firm, Clough & Willis, has appointed Gary Hall as a litigation solicitor. His appointment follows the recent retirement of Graham Henry who had worked at the firm since 2013.
Gary’s 28-year career has included positions at Rothwell and Evans, Waddington and Son and Joe Egan Solicitors. He joins Clough & Willis from Pearson Solicitors.
He said: “I am now looking forward to developing the practice over the coming years.”
Lee Marston, managing partner at Clough & Willis, said: “Gary is a highly talented litigation specialist, and I am confident that he will help to expand the department by building on what is already a solid foundation and by identifying new growth areas.”
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James Flitcroft
Warden Construction has strengthened its leadership team with the promotion of James Flitcroft to the role of construction director.
James has been promoted from his previous role as operations manager, making him the Kirkham-based firm’s fourth director alongside managing director Ian Williams, commercial director Adrian Atkinson, and financial director Dan Culshaw.
The wider management team also includes HSEQ manager, Edwin Esevohare, and business development manager, Susie Harrison-Serella.
Ian Williams, managing director, said: “This promotion reflects James’s dedication, hard work, and significant contribution to the business over the past two years.
“It also highlights Warden’s ongoing commitment to people development, nurturing talent and supporting the continued growth of the company. We are confident that his expertise and vision will further strengthen our position as a leading SME in the construction industry.”
James adds: “I’m excited to step into the role of construction director. It’s been an amazing journey so far, with plenty of exciting projects in the pipeline, and I’m proud to be part of such a strong team.
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Amy Bellis
North West law firm, Woodcocks Haworth and Nuttall (WHN) Solicitors, has strengthened its commercial property team with the appointment of an experienced new solicitor at its Blackburn office.
Amy Bellis has more than 10 years’ experience of advising clients on both residential and commercial property matters across the North West.
She previously worked at Bolton-based Russell and Russell Solicitors, first joining the firm in 2014 as a conveyancing assistant, before qualifying as a solicitor in 2018.
Amy’s role at WHN will involve advising clients across the North West in all aspects of commercial property including new leases, lease renewals, land transactions for commercial developments, overage agreements and refinancing.
In addition to Amy’s arrival, Emily Newton has also joined WHN as a paralegal at the firm’s Blackburn office. Emily will help the firm’s commercial property team to prepare legal documents and support the team to provide exceptional client service.
Daniel Boulton, director in WHN’s commercial property team, said: “Amy has a strong reputation for developing robust working relationships with clients and she holds a deep working knowledge and understanding of the North West property market. Emily’s appointment illustrates our desire to innovate in development and retention of talent and will support our service delivery, allowing our experts to focus on providing high-quality commercial property advice.”
Amy Bellis said: “WHN is known across the North West for building long term relationships with clients – this is what attracted me to the company. The commercial property team is hugely experienced, advising on some of the most significant property transactions in the North West and I’m looking forward to working with them.”