People: UA92; Huddled; Roxtec; Glen Dimplex Home Appliances; NWBLT; Beyond Corporate; LK Group
University Academy 92 (UA92) has appointed Emma Neville as its first women’s health ambassador.
Emma is a counsellor, philanthropist and champion of women’s health and UA92 plans to collaborate closely to leverage her platform to support the awareness of women’s health issues for staff and students.
Her role will also include helping UA92 to update their own women’s health policies, driving awareness and support for students and providing insight into plans for women’s health research carried out by the UA92 teams.
Sara Prowse, UA92 CEO, said: “The UK has the largest women’s health gap across the G20 countries and it is incumbent on businesses and society to invest properly in this area. As an educational institution we need to take a lead to educate the next generation and Emma will be instrumental in driving our agenda.
“Her personal experience, empathy and influential community will be an invaluable asset in this journey. Emma will be helping us redraft and reshape our Women’s Health agenda for our colleagues, students and wider partners.”
Emma, wife of former Manchester United and England footballer Gary Neville, will be leading health education awareness and driving new initiatives and support for UA92 students. She will also be facilitating conversations with academics about potential research and courses that will help UA92 attract more female students into underrepresented areas.
She said: “Working with UA92 is very exciting because of their pioneering and innovative approach to education which dovetails with my work educating people about women’s health and menopause. It’s been a huge part of my family’s life in the last eight years and it’s been inspiring seeing the university thrive from its origin.”
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Leigh-based e-commerce business Huddled Group has appointed Paul Simpson and Mike Ashley.
Paul Simpson, co-founder of Nutricircle, which it acquired in April 2024, has been appointed as Chief Operating Officer, where he will oversee the entirety of the group’s operations.
Experienced retailer Mike Ashley, not to be confused with his namesake, the Sports Direct founder, will be a non-executive director of the AIM-listed business.
Huddled was formed last year by entrepreneur Martin Higginson by acquiring Leigh-based Discount Dragon, and using the stock market listing of Let’s Explore, a virtual reality headset business, and acquiring further online retail brands including Nutricircle and Boop Beauty.
James Barthorpe, who co-founded Nutricircle with Paul Simpson (pictured, right), will continue to manage the division as Managing Director.
Mike Ashley has held key leadership roles, through CEO, commercial, marketing and strategy, for Boots, Argos, Dixons Retail Group, Travis Perkins, Holland & Barrett, and Magnet Kitchens. Most recently, he was Commercial Director of Nobia UK, which includes Magnet Kitchens. Prior to this, he held the role of Chief Commercial Officer at Holland & Barrett.
Martin Higginson, Huddled Group plc chief executive, said: “Paul and Mike’s appointments are testament to the strength of our business and the growth opportunity we have ahead of us.
“We have been very impressed with Paul since we welcomed him to the group through the acquisition of Nutricircle and his appointment as chief operating officer recognises his exceptional contribution since joining. His expanded role will help us drive operational performance across the entire group.
“Mike’s appointment brings fresh strategic insight from his impressive retail career and we look forward to benefiting from his expertise in retail strategy, marketing, and commercial leadership.
“Alongside the executive team, Paul and Mike will work with us to drive the next phase of sustainable growth, strengthen our operational excellence and deliver for our shareholders.”
Paul Simpson said: “Co-founding Nutricircle and growing it into what it is today has been an incredible journey. Seeing it become part of Huddled Group was a huge milestone and now joining the Board is another exciting step.
“I am passionate about tackling surplus food waste, and can’t wait to work more closely across all three brands to keep pushing things forward, driving efficiency and growth with our extremely talented team.”
Mike Ashley said: “I’m very much looking forward to working with Martin and the team to deliver their ambitious plans.”
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Stephen Neville
Roxtec, the Bury-based manufacturer of cable and pipe seals, is reinforcing its commitment to southern England by welcoming Stephen Neville as the new technical sales manager for infrastructure and industry.
Based near London in Benfleet, Essex, Stephen will be instrumental in driving Roxtec’s growth strategy across the region.
Stephen has a strong background in construction and a wealth of experience gained by working in a wide range of industries over the course of his 18-year career, where he honed his skills as a regional specification manager and sales specification manager.
Roxtec managing director, Clive Sharp, said: “We’re looking forward to building our presence in the south of England with the strategic appointment of Stephen to drive growth across industry. We’ve seen demand across infrastructure increase in this region in recent years, with London being a real gateway for vast amounts of projects, which Stephen will be instrumental in supporting.”
Stephen said: “I hope that my expertise – aligned with a commitment to sustainability – propels the organisation’s mission to be a true frontrunner in the infrastructure domain. I’m dedicated to driving growth and sparking innovation with impactful solutions.”
Swedish-owned Roxtec entered the marketplace in 1990 and is now active in more than 80 markets worldwide. The group has a turnover of more than £220m and a team of 29 in Bury.
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Peter Spencer
Glen Dimplex Home Appliances (GDHA) has announced the appointment of Peter Spencer as its new managing director.
He brings extensive experience to GDHA, having held senior leadership positions at several companies, most recently at Electrolux.
GDHA has recently undertaken significant changes to its operations, including a strategic partnership with Pacifica, the independent provider of domestic appliance repairs, to enhance its after-sales service and consumer experience.
The company has also appointed a new manufacturing partner and has invested heavily in bespoke tooling to recently launch a suite of new products under its Stoves and Belling brands.
The business has relocated its UK head office to new premises on the Birchwood Science Park, Warrington, after it shut its previous base in Stoney Lane, Whiston and outsourced manufacturing to China, Italy, Slovenia, and Turkey.
Peter Spencer said: I’m excited to work with the team to build on our recent progress and drive further commercial success, ensuring we deliver exceptional experiences for our customers.”
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L-R Chris Woodroofe, Hilary Heap, Prof Richard Jones
The North West Business Leadership Team (NWBLT) has appointed Chris Woodroofe, the Managing Director of Manchester Airport, to its board.
Chris joined Manchester Airport in June 2022 having previously served as Chief Operating Officer at London Gatwick Airport, where he led numerous successful people, process and system change programmes.
Speaking about his appointment to the NWBLT’s board of directors, Chris Woodroofe commented: “My membership of the NWBLT has been invaluable to me as a leader and to Manchester Airport as a business, and I’m delighted to deepen this relationship by joining the board.
“At Manchester Airport we often talk about how proud we are to connect the North to the world, because connectivity is at the heart of everything we do. The same is true of the NWBLT. As a connected business community, we can achieve so much more for this region than we can in isolation.”
Meanwhile Hilary Heap of EY and Professor Richard Jones from the University of Manchester have joined the organisation as representatives.
Hilary Heap is EY’s North Market Leader and Managing Partner of the company’s Manchester office, from where she leads a team of more than 2,000 people across the north of England.
Professor Richard Jones is Vice President for Regional Innovation and Civic Engagement at the University of Manchester. He has written extensively about the role of science and innovation policy in supporting productivity growth and addressing regional economic disparities.
He is also the independent science advisor to Innovation Greater Manchester, which brings together business, the Greater Manchester Combined Authority and the region’s universities with the goal of developing Greater Manchester’s innovation ecosystem.
He said: “It is a great privilege to become the University of Manchester’s representative for the NWBLT. Universities play a vital role in shaping the future of our region, and the NWBLT provides us with a unique opportunity to collaborate across the region to drive innovation, skills development, and economic growth.”
Welcoming the appointments, NWBLT chair Simone Peppi said “We are very pleased to welcome Chris to our board. The success of Manchester Airport underpins so much of the prosperity of our region and Chris brings tremendous insight, expertise and commitment to our region and the NWBLT. We are looking forward to his contribution to the board.
“We’re also pleased to welcome Hilary and Richard as new representatives to the NWBLT from EY and University of Manchester. We’re looking forward to benefiting from their perspectives as we continue to drive innovation, collaboration, and prosperity across the North West,” she added.
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James Corlett, James Shallcross and Jim Truscott
Beyond Corporate has appointed James Shallcross as a corporate partner.
James’ arrival marks a significant milestone in Beyond Corporate’s continued expansion and its commitment to delivering outstanding legal expertise to a growing portfolio of clients.
He’s the fourth partner to join the team, which operates as a boutique practice and will work alongside Jim Truscott (Head of Corporate), Mark Lupton and Stephen Chadwick. He’s previously worked as the head of Legal (Strategic Transactions) at a listed PLC and Group General Counsel at a social housing investment platform.
Beyond Corporate is the specialist corporate and commercial practice of Beyond Law Group, which currently boasts three practices: Beyond Corporate Law, McAlister Family Law and Home Property Law. The plan is to establish a national boutique across corporate/commercial and consumer legal services.
James Corlett, Managing Partner of Beyond Corporate, said: “James’ appointment is a significant step forward in the team’s continued growth, and we are confident that he will add huge value to our clients.”
James Shallcross added: “I am delighted to be joining Beyond Corporate at such an exciting time. The practice has established an enviable reputation for delivering exceptional legal services and achieving the very best results for its clients. The corporate team’s ability to execute high-calibre strategic transactions while maintaining a boutique, client-centric approach is extremely impressive. I look forward to working alongside this talented team to support our clients in achieving their business ambitions.”
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L-R: Nick Riding, Andy Kuehl, Conor Leyden
Manchester-based geo-environmental consultancy and contractor, LK Group, has expanded its services by launching LK Structures, a dedicated structural survey solution.
Andy Kuehl, director of LK Structures, has been brought in to lead the service. A highly experienced structural engineer, he brings extensive knowledge of building inspections, structural appraisals, defect diagnosis, and remedial work schemes.
Kuehl began his career as a draughtsman before steadily progressing through the ranks. His dedication and expertise were recognised in 2022 when he achieved IEng status with the Institution of Civil Engineers.
Conor Leyden, LK Group managing director, said: “We are always looking to create innovative and practical solutions that will help solve industry problems and simplify complex regulations for our clients. We’re excited to introduce our new structural survey service.
“We are also thrilled to welcome Andy to the team, whose knowledge and experience will strengthen our capabilities and enhance the support we provide to our clients.”
Andy Kuehl said: “LK Group is a solutions-driven business, and LK Structures has come out of a direct need to serve the growing needs of the group’s client base.
“I’m excited to play a vital role in this next chapter, working closely with the team and LK Group’s existing partners to ensure the structural viability of projects for our clients nationwide.”
The LK Group recently strengthened its team with a trio of hires, including a new director, associate director and remediation manager.
