People: Addleshaw Goddard; Slater Heelis; Evelyn Partners; FRP; Social; Ward Hadaway; PM+M; Livv Housing Group
International law firm, Addleshaw Goddard, has announced a new partner in its Manchester office as part of its 2025 round of promotions.
Frances Proctor, who joined the firm in 2017, is part of the firm’s top ranked real estate team based in St Peter’s Square.
Roger Hart, head of the Manchester office, said: “Frances has played a key role in her team’s success, and I am excited to see her career continue to flourish as she contributes to achieving excellent outcomes for our clients.”
The new partners span all four of the firm’s core groups – corporate and commercial, disputes, finance and projects – as it continues to invest in growth across its practice areas and key markets.
Ten of the promotions are in the UK, including six in the City of London, three in continental Europe and two in the Middle East.
A further nine partners join the firm in Warsaw as AG adds Linklaters’ Poland office to the firm in the latest step of its international expansion.
Addleshaw Goddard has also welcomed 31 lateral hire partners from law firms and financial institutions during the past 12 months, including 12 in London and 14 outside the UK in Europe, the Middle East and Asia.
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Debbie Coyne
Debbie Coyne, partner and head of employment law at Sale-based Slater Heelis, has been appointed to the TiE UK North Women’s Advisory Board.
TiE (The Indus Entrepreneurs) is a global non-profit organisation that fosters entrepreneurship through its five key pillars – mentoring, networking, education, incubation, and funding. The TiE UK North Women’s Advisory Board plays a critical role in advancing initiatives that empower and inspire female entrepreneurs of all ages and in all sectors across the North of England.
Debbie Coyne brings more than 21 years of experience in employment law and is accredited as a Leading Associate in the Legal 500 rankings.
She said: “It’s a real privilege to join the TiE UK North Women’s Advisory Board and contribute to an organisation that is truly making a difference.”
Chris Kelly, Chair, TiE UK North Women’s Advisory Board, said: “We are thrilled to welcome Debbie to the board. Her legal expertise, passion for equality, and long-standing commitment to professional mentoring make her a valuable addition.”
Rachel Fletcher, managing partner at Slater Heelis, said: ”Debbie is an exceptional leader, both within our firm and the wider business community. Her appointment to the TiE UK North Women’s Advisory Board is a natural reflection of the impact she continues to make. We’re incredibly proud of her.”
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Sean Hagerty
Evelyn Partners, the UK wealth manager, has appointed Sean Hagerty as an independent non-executive director.
Sean is an experienced senior executive in the financial services industry, whose career has spanned chief executive positions, senior strategy roles, product development, sales and marketing.
He spent 27 years at the Vanguard Group, latterly serving as managing director and head of Vanguard Europe for eight years before stepping down in December 2024.
As an industry leader he has also served on the FCA Practitioner Panel, the HM Treasury Asset Management Taskforce and was vice chair of the board of the Investment Association.
Prior to joining Vanguard, Sean worked for PNC Bank and Peat, Marwick Mitchell & Co. (now KPMG).
Chris Grigg, chair of Evelyn Partners, said: “Sean brings a wealth of financial services experience to the board, having successfully led Vanguard’s business in Europe through a period of impressive growth. His insights will prove invaluable to us as we look to the next stage of growth and development for Evelyn Partners as a focused wealth management business.”
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Daniel Brecker
Specialist business advisory firm, FRP, has added three colleagues to its partnership as it continues to invest in its team across the UK.
As part of its latest round of promotions, Thomas Edwards (Cardiff) and Daniel Brecker (Manchester) have been named partners in FRP’s corporate finance practice, while Tony Keehan (Brentwood) has been named partner in its restructuring advisory team.
Meanwhile, Claire Huartson (Brentwood) has been named appointment-taking director and Mick Naumann (Leigh on Sea) director in the business’s restructuring practice. Alexis Ioannides, based in FRP’s office in Cyprus, has been made director in its financial advisory team.
Ninety six further colleagues have been promoted across the business’s restructuring advisory, corporate finance and financial advisory pillars, along with its central services team.
In total, 27 colleagues have been promoted in FRP’s London offices, 12 in Manchester, nine in Sheffield, eight in Brighton, seven in Brentwood, four in Cyprus, as well as others across the UK.
Jeremy French, chief operating officer at FRP, said: “These promotions recognise the dedication, expertise and ambition of our colleagues across the firm, who deliver outstanding service to our clients day-in, day-out.”
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Richard Kenyon, left, with Social leadership team
The former chief commercial and communications officer at Everton FC has joined North West communications agency Social.
Richard Kenyon will play a pivotal role in helping develop and lead Social’s consultation and communications work in sports-led regeneration, while also providing broader strategic support for the agency’s growth plans.
While at Everton Richard led the public and political engagement for Everton’s new stadium on Bramley Moore Dock. More than 65,000 fans and members of the public took part, making it the city of Liverpool’s largest ever private sector public consultation.
Social has an established track record supporting clients in the world of sport and sports-led regeneration. The team is currently helping to lead the public consultation on expanding Hull Kingston Rovers’ Sewell Group Craven Park stadium which includes new sports and leisure facilities, training pitches, public open space and an expanded retail offer in the local area.
The agency has also previously supported Everton in the Community on public engagement and worked on projects for UK Sport, showcasing athletes funded by the National Lottery.
Richard said: “I’ve known Social for many years and they’ve rightly earned a reputation for doing exceptional and important work. It’s an exciting time to come on board as a non-executive director as Pete and the team look to build on the agency’s strength and move into new markets.
“I am incredibly passionate about the role sport can play within a community and the impact regeneration works of all sizes and scales can have. I am very proud of the work I was able to lead on Everton’s new stadium and look forward to sharing that experience and insight with Social’s clients.”
Prior to his role at Everton, Richard spent more than ten years at the helm of a multinational creative, marketing and communications agency.
Social managing director, Pete Wrathmell, said: “I am thrilled to be able to welcome Richard to the Social team. His insight and experience will be invaluable for us as we continue to build on our sports-led regeneration offer. We have exciting growth plans for the agency and Richard’s arrival will help to accelerate our growth right across our national office network.”
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James Foster, left, Steven Petrie
Ward Hadaway has appointed James Foster as its new finance director, strengthening its senior team during a period of significant growth for the firm.
James brings extensive experience in venture capital and financial services. He has a strong track record of supporting companies of all sizes, providing financial guidance and strategic insight.
The appointment comes as the firm makes 34 new hires across its Leeds, Manchester and Newcastle offices in the first quarter of 2025. These include three partners, one director, three managing associates, three associates, four solicitors, two conveyancers, two paralegals and 15 professionals in business support roles across teams such as real estate, corporate finance and construction. Nine are based in the Manchester office.
Managing partner, Steven Petrie, said: “James brings invaluable commercial and financial insight that will support our next phase of expansion. We’re also pleased to welcome new colleagues across our business who strengthen the specialist teams we’ve built across the entire firm.”
Another new starter, Richard Bradbury, joins the real estate department as a partner in the Manchester office. He brings a wealth of experience of supporting clients across their business lifecycle, from start-ups to PLCs. He specialises in landlord and tenant, acquisitions and disposals, real estate finance, corporate support and development matters.
James Foster said: “It’s a very exciting time to be joining Ward Hadaway. The scale of the firm’s growth plans is ambitious, but the clarity of vision and client-first approach I’ve seen so far gives me every confidence in what’s ahead.”
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L-R: Helen Clayton, Tara Maynard, Dan Bowles
Blackburn and Bury-based PM+M, the Chartered Accountancy, business advisory and financial planning group, has added to its partnership following the promotions of Dan Bowles who works in the audit, accounting and advisory team and Tara Maynard who works in the financial planning team.
Dan joined PM+M in 2022 as a director, since his arrival he has led a mixed portfolio of audit and non-audit clients operating in various sectors including professional services, waste recycling and manufacturing.
He specialises in audit, but he is also experienced in accounts, VAT, systems design and implementations, accounts and finance outsourcing services, corporate and personal tax as well as corporate finance and due diligence work. He has worked in the finance sector for more than 25 years.
Tara began her career in 2003. She was appointed as a financial adviser at PM+M in 2018. In 2020 she achieved Chartered Financial Planner status, and she was made a director in 2023. Her areas of expertise include pensions, investments, commercial property purchases in pensions and IHT planning. Tara’s work often sees her collaborating closely with PM+M’s tax team.
Managing partner, Helen Clayton, said: “Over the past few years, Dan and Tara have become invaluable members of the PM+M family. Their professionalism, dedication to delivering first class service to their clients, and their commitment to supporting their colleagues have shone through.
“These are the foundations of our business, so their promotions are hugely deserved. I am really proud that both Dan and Tara are an integral part of our successful future at PM+M.”
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From left: George Phillips, Laura Johnson, Kate Meredith
Merseyside housing association, Livv Housing Group, is embarking on an exciting new era with the arrival of a new property leadership team.
Laura Johnson, Kate Meredith and George Phillips will drive the strategic management, improvement and maintenance of the organisation’s 13,000-home portfolio.
Laura Johnson is Livv’s new executive director of property. She joins from Bromford, where she was director of strategic property planning. A Chartered Surveyor with a distinguished career spanning the housing and private sectors, Laura brings expertise in estates management, long term property portfolio planning and sustainability-driven projects.
Kate Meredith steps into the role of director of assets, bringing nearly 20 years of experience in housing and asset management. She joins from Your Housing Group, where she was head of asset investment, following 14 years at Stockport Homes Group.
George Phillips completes the new leadership team, having joined Livv as director of Livv Maintenance in October 2024. Starting his career as an electrician, George has held significant operational and leadership roles, including more than a decade at Great Places Housing Group and most recently as head of repairs at The Guinness Partnership.
Laura Johnson said: “Livv is deeply rooted in its communities, and I’m thrilled to join the organisation and work alongside Kate and George as we take forward this new chapter for property.”
Chief executive, Léann Hearne, said: “Their combined experience, strategic vision and unwavering commitment to putting the customer first will drive innovation, reinforce our sustainability agenda and ensure that every decision we make delivers real value for our customers.”
