People: Matalan; BCN; Warden Construction; Bluebay Building Products; Rickitt Mitchell; Royal Court Liverpool
Sarah Welsh has been appointed to the new role of chief product, brand and commercial officer by Knowsley-based out-of-town discount retailer, Matalan.
The promotion is effective from today (March 10).
Sarah joins Matalan with nearly 30 years’ experience in the retail industry, having worked for numerous high street retailers across omnichannel, wholesale, franchise and e-commerce models.
During her extensive career, Sarah has built and transformed various retail frameworks, leading departments within trading, buying, design and marketing to drive brand relevance and business performance.
Before joining Matalan, Sarah spent five years as retail CEO at N Brown Group, the Manchester-based digital clothing retailer, where she transformed the group’s traditional catalogue offer and moved the business to a more agile digital footing.
Prior to this, Sarah was managing director of Oasis Fashion and held senior buying roles at Miss Selfridge and River Island, having started her career at Laura Ashley.
Matalan executive chair, Karl-Heinz Holland, said: “Sarah has deep experience in driving transformation within retail businesses, and we are delighted to welcome her to Matalan. Her passion for the customer proposition coupled with her sharp commercial insight and extensive leadership experience makes her a great fit for our senior team.”
Sarah Welsh said: “Matalan has strong foundations and a fantastic team, and I look forward to driving Matalan’s transformation forward as we seek to deliver sustainable, profitable growth.”
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Mike Sanderson
Manchester-based managed services provider, BCN, has appointed Mike Sanderson as its new chief operating officer.
He joins BCN from the renowned technology and engineering consultancy, BJSS.
CEO, Rob Davies, said: “As SMEs increasingly seek to collaborate with MSPs for digital transformation and IT management, we recognised the need for a leader with the right operational expertise and drive. Mike Sanderson is that leader. His extensive experience will be instrumental in supporting our business growth while ensuring we continue to provide outstanding service to our customers.
“Mike brings a wealth of knowledge in delivering complex, high quality, and cost effective cloud solutions and services. His impressive career, spanning various roles in both the private and public sectors across the UK and Europe, makes him a valuable addition to our team.”
Mike Sanderson said: “My priority is to exceed customer expectations by ensuring we deliver a unified and coherent service across all digital transformation projects and managed services, while increasing operational efficiency. I look forward to helping enable even more companies to benefit from our services, allowing them to concentrate on their core business growth.”
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Heather Thompson
Warden Construction, based in Kirkham, Lancashire, has appointed a new social value lead. Heather Thompson has joined the company, ensuring that meaningful social value continues to be embedded at the highest level in every project Warden delivers, the company said.
Drawing on 18 years of experience in the hospitality industry, Heather brings a strong background in stakeholder engagement, community outreach, and project coordination, with proven expertise in managing community-focused initiatives.
Managing director, Ian Williams, said: “At Warden, our philosophy of building something greater goes beyond constructing buildings, it’s about improving lives and enriching communities.
“Heather’s background is a perfect match for our commitment to social responsibility. She will help to ensure our projects create real, measurable benefits within our communities while driving sustainable growth and lasting success.
“We’re excited to see the fresh ideas she brings to the team and trust her approach will set a new standard for community focused business practices across all our projects.”
Heather said: “I’m excited to step into my new role and make a meaningful difference, building on the great work Warden has achieved over the years.”
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Lucy Furnival
Bluebay Building Products, the Warrington-based independent distributor of specialist civil engineering and construction products, – has appointed Lucy Furnival as managing director.
Sale-based Lucy will oversee operations across the country, steering the business into its next phase of growth, and her appointment follows a significant milestone for Bluebay, which was acquired last month by the Wolseley Group.
Now part of Wolseley’s infrastructure division, Bluebay is set to strengthen its position in the market, delivering enhanced service levels from its bases in not only in Warrington, but in Cardiff, Gateshead, and Luton, where it distributes a portfolio of more than 2,000 specialist building products.
Furnival joins Bluebay from Leeds-based ACS Stainless Steel and has also held senior roles at Hilti, SIG PLC, and Speedy Hire.
She said: “With a two-decade legacy and the backing of Wolseley Group, we’re entering a new era of growth, and it’s an honour to lead the business forward.
“We have a fantastic team of 50 dedicated professionals across our depots, all eager to embrace this next chapter. As a woman in construction, I am particularly passionate about fostering a diverse and inclusive workforce that reflects the evolving industry.”
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From left: Joe Powell, Charlotte Potts, James Kidner
Independent M&A advisory firm, Rickitt Mitchell, has bolstered its team with three senior promotions as it looks to realise value for more high growth businesses.
After joining Manchester-based Rickitt Mitchell in 2021, Joe Powell has been promoted to director. He has played a significant role in originating and leading several transactions, particularly in the industrials and healthcare sectors.
The firm has also promoted both Charlotte Potts and James Kidner to assistant director. Charlotte, who joined Rickitt Mitchell in 2019, has extensive experience in private equity and trade buyer transactions.
James joined the firm in 2021 and brings more than four years of M&A experience, predominantly in TMT and business services. He has advised on both publicly listed and private clients seeking strategic acquirers and private equity investment. Managing partner, Neil Mitchell, said: “These promotions are very well deserved and underline our commitment to developing the next generation of corporate finance talent. I look forward to working with Joe, Charlotte and James as we continue to build enduring relationships with high-growth businesses across the UK and overseas.”
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Some of the women of Liverpool’s Royal Court. CEO Gillian Miler, centre, alongside Kate Haldane
The Royal Court Liverpool, which oversees Liverpool’s Royal Court Theatre, has confirmed Kate Haldane as the new chair of the board.
Kate Haldane replaces Chris Pavlou who has stepped down from the role.
She helms Kate Haldane Management, a new literary-light-entertainment agency, representing writers for tv, film, theatre, radio and award-winning broadcasters.
She said: “The Royal Court is a vital part of the cultural make-up of Liverpool, and a bit of an unsung hero of theatre.
“Not content with producing new writing year in and year out that plays to packed houses of happy, laughing people, it does the most amazing community work.”
“I am so proud to be able to offer it all the support I can as the new chair of the charitable board. I’m really looking forward to working with the brilliant team in the theatre to make sure it keeps going and keeps getting better.”
