People: Karrev; Jones Hargreaves; Charity Commission; Candidsky; PHX Training; Weightmans; P3; Legat Owen
Property developer Karrev, which specialises in transforming historic buildings, has appointed Louise Dean as its new Director of Property Management. This strategic hire comes as the company prepares for the practical completion of Sunlight House following a £35 million refurbishment project.
She joins Karrev from Re:volve, where she served as Director and Head of Property Management, overseeing Harworth Group’s portfolio of over 10 million sq. ft. of industrial and logistics assets. Her tenure included the management of flagship estates such as Logistics North (Bolton) and the Advanced Manufacturing Park (Rotherham), as well as consultancy on major new build developments including Gateway 36 and Bardon Hill.
Previously, Louise spent six years at CBRE, leading the management of some of Manchester and Birmingham’s most prestigious office developments, including Hardman Square, Two and Three Snowhill and 2 St Peter’s Square. Her achievements span everything from overseeing multi-million pound refurbishment programmes and M&E upgrades, to delivering successful occupier engagement initiatives, including the launch of the popular Christmas Ice Rink at First Street.
Louise Dean said: “I’m excited to be joining the Karrev team at such a transformational time. The relaunch of Sunlight House is a milestone project not just for Manchester, but for the future of heritage-led, sustainable workspaces. I look forward to helping shape an outstanding occupier experience across the building and the wider portfolio.”
Richard Morgan, Director of Leasing and Asset Management, said: “Louise’s appointment reflects our continued focus on delivering best-in-class operations and occupier experience. We are delighted to have her on the Karrev team.”
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David Alty
The Manchester office of building surveyors Jones Hargreaves has appointed David Alty as an Associate Partner in response to a raft of high-profile instructions in the city centre and across the North West.
He joins from from Anderton Gables’ Manchester office, where he held a Senior Associate Director role. He has 13 years’ experience across commercial, industrial, healthcare and public sector environments.
The appointment comes as instructions for Jones Hargreaves’ Manchester office increased by 50% in the last 12 months. Projects on site in the city centre include the office fit out of Gilbanks’ 34,000 sq ft, No. 1 St Michaels development and the external refurbishment of the multi-tenanted Hyphen Building on Mosley Street.
Projects recently completed by Jones Hargreaves include an office fit-out at the grade two-listed 52 Princess Street for a retained client and a Category A+ office fit out of two floors at Trinity on John Dalton Street, totalling £1m. Outside of the city centre, the team has recently completed the £900,000 refurbishment of four industrial units totalling 18,000 sq ft at Broadoak Business Park at Trafford Park.
Jones Hargreaves’ technical due diligence building surveying services have also been in high demand with surveys for two industrial units totalling 1 million sq ft in Warrington and Crewe, plus Formby Golf Club, Hotel and Spa, amongst others, completed in recent months. Dilapidations instructions have also grown, with over 1m sq ft advised upon for both landlords and tenants over the past six months.
David Alty, associate partner at Jones Hargreaves, said: “Jones Hargreaves is a forward-thinking and agile consultancy with a great client base and a large amount of high quality projects. I’m excited to work with the team to deliver a great service to new and existing clients and continue to build on the firm’s fantastic reputation in Manchester and the North West.”
Nick Twigg, partner at Jones Hargreaves, added: “His in-depth knowledge and experience of the fast-paced North West commercial property market will be invaluable to clients across the region. We’ve had a strong start to the year, working on a variety of high spec logistics and office instructions, as demand for modern, flexible workspaces continues to grow. I know David will help us to build on that success in the months to come.”
Jones Hargreaves is a national independent commercial building, project and sustainability consultancy with offices in Manchester, London, Leeds, Bristol, Glasgow and Cardiff. The firm recently opened its seventh office in Birmingham.
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Tasnim Khalid
The Department of Culture, Media and Sport has appointed Tasnim Khalid, the founder and Managing Partner of Private Client Solicitors (PCS), to the board of the Charity Commission.
Her selection by Secretary of State Lisa Nandy is as one of two new faces on the Commission’s board.
David Vernon
Digital marketing agency, Candidsky, has appointed David Vernon as its new managing director, marking a significant milestone following a period of rapid growth and transformation.
David first joined Salford-based Candidsky in 2019 as a senior account manager, where he led campaigns for clients including Yamaha Music Europe, PGL, and brands under the Citation Group.
Rising through the ranks to account director and most recently operations director, he has been instrumental in the agency’s turnaround since 2020 – guiding Candidsky from a three-person team to 14 today.
David takes over from Aaron Cullen, who acquired the agency in 2022 and led its post-pandemic recovery. Aaron now steps into a new role as non-executive director, where he will support David through the leadership transition while pursuing other ventures.
David Vernon said: “I couldn’t be happier to step into the managing director role. I’ve backed Candidsky through both tough and exciting times – and never stopped believing in what we’re building.”
Aaron Cullen said: “From day one I built a clear transition plan with David to make sure Candidsky’s future was in the right hands. I always believed we’d go far – but what we’ve achieved together has gone beyond even my expectations.
“His leadership has already delivered real results, and I couldn’t be prouder of where we are now and where we’re heading. I’m excited to continue supporting David while also gaining the freedom to pursue new ventures.”
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Louise Kirby
Vocational training provider, PHX Training, has appointed Louise Kirby as one of its new business leaders.
Louise joins the Blackpool office and has more than two decades of expertise in the welfare-to-work and employability sector from her time at Ingeus Working Well Work and Health in Manchester, where she played a pivotal role in supporting learners with complex needs.
Louise will lead the delivery of the Skills and Restart contracts in Blackpool, focusing on performance, quality, and team development to enhance the impact Carlisle-based PHX Training has on local communities through tailored support and meaningful outcomes.
Managing director, Briony Fawcett, said: “We are happy to welcome Louise to the PHX team. Her experience and passion for delivering outstanding outcomes for learners make her the perfect fit to lead our Blackpool centre.”
Louise said: “My passion has always been centred around the participant and learner. I want every individual who walks through our doors to have the best possible experience and feel supported in achieving their goals.”
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Duncan Finch
A new non-executive has joined the board of Liverpool-based national law firm, Weightmans.
Former managing director at L&G Insurance, Duncan Finch has 30 years’ experience in the insurance industry in both general and life sectors in the UK and overseas, as well as holding several NED positions for the past eight years.
Duncan Finch said: “Weightmans continues to evolve to meet the ever-changing expectations of its clients and its people. It never stands still, and it is that mindset that is propelling it to its vision of being a top 30 law firm. I’m looking forward to working with the board and using my experience to support them with the firm’s ambitious growth strategy.”
Managing partner, Sarah Walton, said:“I’d like to welcome Duncan to Weightmans. He joins at a time when we are experiencing significant growth, and his decades-long experience will prove hugely beneficial in our evolution as we head to top 30 status.
“He has a deep understanding of our markets, products and services, and is fully behind our strategy that champions innovation, collaboration and client excellence.”
In other changes, Stuart Jones has been appointed as client relationships director, Dewi Ap-Thomas will take on the role of regulatory and litigation director, and Ben Daniel will serve as transaction and advisory director.
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Charlotte Clark and Charlotte Dean
HR and people management company, P3, has appointed a new consultant to join its team of HR specialists.
Charlotte Clark, from Cheshire, has joined the Altrincham-based consultancy and will be supporting P3’s clients across the UK.
Charlotte graduated from Manchester University 12 years ago with a Degree in International Marketing, and has built a career in fashion retail, working in HR management, training, and HR business partner roles for several major fashion brands in the UK and Australia.
Founded 20 years ago by managing director, Charlotte Dean, P3 People Management specialises in offering outsourced HR support and learning solutions to small and medium sized businesses across a range of sectors.
Charlotte Dean said: “Charlotte is a great fit for our small and passionate team of HR experts. She is very talented and has built a wealth of experience that will be a huge asset to us and our clients, so we are very pleased to welcome her to our team.”
Charlotte Clark said: “P3’s culture and ethos really appealed to me and so I am very excited to be back in the North West and taking on my first role in consultancy.”
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L-R: Mark Hopley, Samantha Sleigh (associate director), Alice Holt, Natalie Tansey (director)
Commercial property consultancy, Legat Owen, has appointed Alice Holt as senior property manager based at the firm’s Chester office.
In her newly appointed position, Alice will be working in the property and asset management department, liaising with clients and overseeing tenant relationships to enhance the properties.
Alice qualified as a Chartered Surveyor in 2017 and brings a wealth of experience to the role, having previously managed a mix of commercial assets on behalf of national clients and private investors at LSH.
She said: “I am thrilled to join Legat Owen and be part of such a dedicated, client-focused team. I look forward to contributing to the firm’s growth and success.”
Director, Mark Hopley, said: “A warm welcome to Alice, who will further strengthen our property management team. Alice brings relevant experience and enthusiasm to our team and we are excited to have her on board. I am confident her breadth of knowledge in commercial property management will be invaluable as we continue to grow and provide exceptional service to our clients.”
From offices in Chester and Nantwich, Legat Owen’s management team advises more than 140 clients across the UK, maximising the value of their property assets.
