People: Booths; LCRCA; Fieldfisher; Roland Dransfield; SCA Tax; Jon Matthews Architects
Emma Booth represents the sixth generation and the first female family member to join Booths, the iconic 178-year-old Preston-based grocery business.
Emma had experience of the Booths shop floor, from the age of 16, working in her local Booths store.
After gaining an MSc at the University of Leeds Business School, Emma spent nine months developing Booths’ first online gifting offer, before securing a place on the graduate scheme at Amazon where she worked for nearly seven years, taking roles in logistics and retail before her role as marketing manager for retail and online food and drink.
Emma is the category development manager for gifting and special occasions, a growth area for Booths, and has been elemental in driving sales and profitability in this area.
Alongside this, Emma has also been part of a group focused on reviewing all aspects of the Booths brand, starting by understanding the thoughts and feelings of colleagues and customers, and subsequently translating those into future opportunities for Booths.
Emma will spend time working in all the key operating areas of the business as she progresses, to build a complete understanding of the Booths business dynamics.
Executive chairman, Edwin Booth, said: “I am extremely proud that Emma has chosen to join Booths after gaining a wealth of experience at Amazon.
“Never a moment goes by without a conversation about how positive the future is for the business, and I am deeply proud that strong family succession is under way at Booths.”
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Kate Jones
Liverpool City Region Combined Authority (LCRCA) has appointed a key leadership role, with Kate Jones taking up the position of director of policy and strategy on Monday, May 12.
Kate has held a number of senior civil service roles in the cabinet office, leading on national priorities including public services and resilience. Prior to that, Kate served as private secretary to the civil service chief operating officer and cabinet office permanent secretary during the UK’s exit from the European Union and the pandemic.
Kate has a strong background in devolution. As part the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, she led on the development and delivery of some of the early devolution deals, including preparation with local partners ahead of the first mayoral elections.
Kate Jones said: “The Liverpool City Region is internationally renowned for its world leading innovation research and products, alongside its vibrant cultural heritage. I look forward to working with the mayor and our partners to create more opportunities to drive economic growth and deliver for residents.”
Mayor Steve Rotheram said: “Kate joins us at a pivotal time for our city region. Her experience at the heart of government and deep understanding of public policy will be invaluable as we enter a new chapter of delivery and ambition.”
Katherine Fairclough, LCRCA chief executive, said: “Kate’s extensive policy and strategy experience, much of it at the heart of government, make her an exceptional fit for this vital role.”
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Tom Saville
European law firm, Fieldfisher, has bolstered its international employment offering with the addition of partner Tom Saville.
He joins from Clyde & Co and is based in the firm’s Manchester office.
Tom is a specialist employment lawyer who supports employer clients with a one-stop employment law service across Europe and around the globe. At Fieldfisher, he will continue to use his expertise across international projects.
Tom advises in a range of sectors but, in alignment with Fieldfisher’s industry sector programme, he specialises in financial services and technology, with a particular focus on digital technology and cyber defence.
Ranjit Dhindsa, head of employment, pensions, immigration and compliance (EPIC) at Fieldfisher, said: “It’s fantastic to welcome Tom to our employment practice, and his appointment marks another significant step in growing our European capabilities. Our EPIC practice saw an incredible 12% growth in revenue last year, which is projected to continue with the addition of Tom.”
Tom Saville said: “I am very excited and feel truly privileged to be joining Fieldfisher as employment partner. I am confident that Fieldfisher is best placed to support my clients with the necessary planning and changes for this together with all their other legal needs in the UK, across Europe and around the globe.”
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Lisa Kerr
Manchester-based PR and communications agency, Roland Dransfield has announced a new appointment by the company.
It has also welcomed Lisa Kerr as senior account director.
Lisa has more than a decade of experience in PR and communications, having worked with leading brands in the property, travel, hospitality and retail sectors across the UK.
The appointment comes as Roland Dransfield has been appointed by Allied London to support Versa Studios in Manchester, the UK’s largest independent TV and film studio network.
It has also secured a brief from Sancus Lending Group, a specialist property and development lender with offices in London, Jersey, Dublin and now Manchester, to amplify its brand presence and engagement across key markets following its new commitment and launch in the North West.
Lisa Morton, CEO and founder of Roland Dransfield, said: “Bringing Lisa on board further strengthens our expertise and ability to deliver outstanding results for our clients. Her wealth of experience and strategic insight will be instrumental in shaping the next phase of Roland Dransfield’s growth.”
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James Langton
SCA Tax, a specialist consultancy advising property buyers on Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) and other property-related tax liabilities, has appointed James Langton as its new business development manager.
James joins the central Manchester-based firm with more than four years of experience in the stamp duty industry. In his new role, he will be responsible for expanding the reach of the SCA brand, connecting clients with expert tax solutions, and supporting the firm’s continued growth across both the residential and commercial property sectors.
James said: “With over four years in the stamp duty space, I’ve developed long standing professional relationships and a strong understanding of the challenges buyers and property professionals face when navigating tax obligations.
“I’m excited to be joining SCA at a time when awareness of stamp duty risks is more important than ever.”
SCA Tax specialises in identifying transactions where overpayments have occurred and recovering the costs for the client. The firm has recently helped secure significant refunds including £48,000 for a landlord who had not applied Multiple Dwellings Relief (MDR) on a block of 40 flats, and £8,500 for a buyer whose mixed-use property had been misclassified as residential.
Sean Swimby, founder and director at SCA Tax, said: “We’re thrilled to welcome James to the team. His knowledge of the sector, combined with his commercial instincts and relationship-building skills, make him a perfect fit for SCA.
“He shares our mission to make specialist tax advice more accessible and to help more buyers avoid costly mistakes.”
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Enrique Rodriguez and Frances McGeown
Frances McGeown has been made a director with Jon Matthews Architects while colleague Enrique Rodriguez has been promoted to associate.
Frances has been with the studio since it was formed in November 2018, and specialises in conceptual design, placemaking and masterplanning.
She is currently working on a residential scheme at Red Bank and leading the team on the masterplanning of Accrington town centre.
Enrique joined five years ago as an architect and has exceptional technical skills specialising in Passivhaus and BIM.
Based in Union, next to Lincoln Square in Manchester city centre, the studio was founded by managing director, Jon Matthews, who said: “I always want to promote within the practice and the skill and work of both Frances and Enrique is exceptional.
“We are working on some really exciting projects and looking forward to a busy year helping clients deliver great things.”
Frances said: “I am truly grateful for the opportunity. I look forward to helping drive our vision forward while continuing to contribute to impactful projects.”
