Appointments: Version One; GS systems; Eddisons; Irwin Mitchell; and more

VERSION One has announced that it has appointed Greg Ford as its new managing director.

The Wilmslow-based document management company has recruited Ford from Sage, where he most recently worked as managing director of its mid-market division.

Mr Ford said: “There remains considerable market opportunity for Version One’s document management and imaging solutions, both inside and outside the finance function. I’m excited to be part of Version One’s future and am confident that we have the right partners, solutions and people in place to deliver year-on-year growth.”

Version One was bought by business software company CedarOpenAccounts in 2007.

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INDEPENDENT EPOS consultancy GS Systems has recruited former Living Ventures systems manager Richard Tarran as its new operations director.

Mr Tarran had previously been responsible for new openings at Living Ventures, implement EPOS, content management and payment systems within each outlet. He has previously worked with chains including Via Vita, Chiquito, Bass Taverns and Deep Pan Pizza.

At Stockport-based GS systems he will oversee the launch of Get Smarter – a subscription-based service where GS Systems will host clients’ data via the cloud. 
It will also produce various monitoring and business intelligence reports, as well as co-ordinating price, menu and supplier lists.

Niels Nielsen, GS Systems’ managing director, said: “Richard brings unprecedented operational expertise to GS and adds great value to our overall client proposition.”

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THE Manchester office of law firm, Irwin Mitchell has promoted Tom Seabrook to partner and Jonathan Betts to membership status.

Seabrook manages the Manchester office’s banking and finance litigation team, acting for banks and other lenders in complex mortgage disputes with clients including Bank of America, UKAR and Lloyds Banking Group. He is a former chartered surveyor and also works with the firm’s real estates team on property dispute cases.

Meanwhile, Jonathan Betts now manages Irwin Mitchell’s serious injury team in Manchester. He joined the firm in 2006 following its merger with Alexander Harris.
The appointments, which come into effect on May 1, will take the number of partners at Irwin Mitchell to 174.

Irwin Mitchell’s Group chief executive, John Pickering, said: “These appointments come at a pivotal time for Irwin Mitchell, as we prepare to become an ABS, and the fact that these promotions cover various areas of our business yet again demonstrates the breath and very high quality of the services we are able to offer.

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DRIVERS Jonas Deloitte has appointed Andrew Hamilton as a director within its Manchester office to head the Valuation team.

Mr Hamilton has joined following an eight-year spell as head of office at BNP Paribas Real Estate in Manchester until it closed the office earlier this year. He has more than 25 years of experience in commercial property, where he specialises in valuing assets and loan securities.

Simon Bedford, head of Drivers Jonas Deloitte’s Manchester office, said: “Andrew’s appointment is a real coup for the business. With a strong real estate management and valuation team already in place, Andrew will provide us with an extremely solid platform for growth.”
 
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EDDISONS has appointed Paul Gagan as head of its commercial property management team in Manchester.

Mr Gagan joins the Leeds-based surveying practice from DTZ, where he led its portfolio asset management team in the North West.

He said; “I am delighted to be joining such a well-respected firm and look forward to helping provide excellent service to our clients and further develop the commercial property management area of the business.’    

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FOUR new solicitors have qualified to practice at Stephensons Solicitors’ offices in Wigan, Leigh and Middlebrook, Bolton.

Martha McKinley, Carla Twist, Catherine Gaskell and Melanie Varey have all qualified as solicitors after undertaking intensive two-year training contracts with the firm, which saw them complete six months of working within four different areas of the practice to gain experience across a range of legal settings.

McKinley will now work in the employment department at Middlebrook, Gaskell will work in the Family law team at Leigh, Twist will the Clinical Negligence department at Wigan Investment centre and Varley has joined the firm’s civil liberties Unit at its Library Street office in Wigan.

Ann Harrison, Stephensons’ chairwoman, said: “The process of becoming a solicitor is long and competitive, leading to a very rewarding career in law for the successful candidates. Congratulations to our four newly-qualified solicitors on completing their training contracts and securing positions in their selected fields of law.”