2011 in review: People in the news
2011 saw the departure of some of the North West’s most high profile business leaders from their roles, and significant moves onwards and upwards for others.
One of the most fascinating – and best read stories on TheBusinessDesk.com this year happened just a couple of weeks ago as Swinton Insurance’s long-serving chief executive, Peter Halpin, and four other directors were dismissed by the company’s French owner.
Covea, a French mutual, said it had lost confidence in the executive leadership team at the Manchester company, and alleged they had “put their short term interests ahead of the long term interests of the company and its employees.”
Controversy also surrounded the exit in September of Garry Cook – chief executive of Manchester City FC – who resigned from his high profile role after an email furore over comments he made to a player’s mother in a contract row.
Cook, pictured, who had led the off-pitch transformation of City following the takeover by Abu Dhabi’s Sheikh Mansour, has yet to be replaced in what is unquestionably one of the top jobs in sports administration.
Another executive – coincidentally by the name of Gary – who let himself down over his use of technology this year was Manchester headhunter Gary Chaplin, who was axed by Stark Brooks after sending an offensive reply to a mass email sent by a job-seeking candidate.
The region also bade farewell – without any hint of scandal or controversy we must stress – to Philip Green, who retired as chief executive of United Utilities at the end of March.
Green, who led the North West’s only FTSE 100 company for five years, did much to refocus the Warrington-based group as a regulated water company after selling off many non-core assets.
He has retained a number of non-executive roles in the City and will be focusing more on his charity work in Africa.
Another leading executive on the move was Neville Richardson, chief executive of The Co-operative’s Financial Services (CFS) division.
Richardson, the former boss of Britannia Building Society, which merged with CFS in 2009, is now looking for non-executive opportunities, and had been linked with possible roles in financial services regulation.
Also stepping down after a long, distinguished career was veteran business lobbyist, campaigner and commentator Len Collinson.
At the age of 77 – Mr Collinson stepped down from Private Sector Partners, the lobby group he set up – though remains active in the region through his involvement in education.
From the world of finance Warwick Ley, partner and head of turnaround investor Endless’ Manchester office, departed for a new challenge after leading the fund’s successful investment and exit from Crown Paints.
In the world of sports retail Ray Evans, chief executive of Kitbag – the Chadderton business owned by home shopping group Findel – was substituted for Andy Anson, the former Manchester United commercial director, latterly head of England’s ill-fated bid for the 2018 World Cup.
After a brief hiatus, Evans has re-emerged at Wigan-based JJB Sports, where he is attempting to bolster its online offering.
Those on the way up included Sharon Fraser, who landed a new role at Deloitte, the professional services firm.
Manchester-based Fraser, inset, is now head of regional markets, with responsibility for services across its 17 UK offices outside London.
It was all change, too, in the ‘Manchester family’ of organisations with Angie Robinson leaving inward development agency MIDAS to become chief executive at Manchester Central, the conference and exhibition venue. Her role at MIDAS was assumed by her deputy Tim Newns.
At the end of the M62, Liverpool City Council appointed Ged Henderson as its new chief executive. It has so far failed to find a suitable chairman for its Local Enterprise Partnership – although Robert Hough, current chairman of the North West Development Agency, which will close on March 31, is hotly tipped to take the role.
On a sadder note, the region’s business community also mourned the passing of a number of high profile people during the year, including John Halewood, co-founder of Liverpool’s Halewood International, Jeremy Scudamore, the former boss of chemicals company Avecia and Alan Cartwright , chairman of Altrincham-based manufacturer Cartwright Group.
The professional services sector also lost two individuals at a young age, with Addleshaw Goddard insolvency partner Sonia McMahon passing away in September aged 37 and corporate financier Tim Edwards in October aged 46.
