Appointments: Dealmaker Houghton joins UKFast & more
AMBITIOUS Internet company UKFast has appointed dealmaker Catherine Houghton as its first mergers and acquisitions director.
The Manchester company, which is on the look out for deals, says its maiden acquisition is nearing completion.
Catherine Houghton has more than 15 years’ experience in the North West corporate finance sector with PwC, private equity firm LDC and was recently nursery business kidsunlimited, where she was commercial director prior to its sale.
She said: “My remit at UKFast is to build upon the strong growth that the firm is already achieving. The business has invested over £26m recently in three new data centres, a state-of-the-art new campus facility and the launch of its ground-breaking e-cloud product and is on the verge of reaping the benefits of that investment.
“Having grown to over £10m EBITDA organically, UKFast now has both the people and financial resources to make some sizeable acquisitions.”
Lawrence Jones, chief executive and founder of UKFast said: “Acquisitions are going to be such an important part of what we do, we need Catherine on board with us as a part of the UKFast family.
“I’ve been looking to take someone on in this capacity for a couple of years but we’ve had to make sure they can fit into the UKFast culture. It’s extremely positive to see within days of her joining the positive impact that Catherine has had on the team.”
::
MALCOLM Ireland, head of leisure and licensing at Lancashire law firm Napthens Solicitors, has been promoted to partner.
Mr Ireland, who joined the firm in 2006 and took over as head of department in 2008. As a partner he will play a more involved role in the strategy and operation of the law firm. His promotion means he is Napthens’ 32nd partner.
Ian Leigh, the firm’s chief executive said: “Malcolm is a valuable member of staff at Napthens and has led the Leisure & Licensing team successfully for five years.
“This promotion is a sign of the value the executive team at Napthens places on him and I look forward to his input.”
Prior to joining Napthens, Malcolm worked in the leisure sector before studying law at the University of Central Lancashire.
::
PROPERTY agent Jones Lang LaSalle has appointed Andrew Lynn as an associate director in its North West industrial and logistics team.
Lynn, 31, who joins the business next month, has 10 years’ experience including roles with Lambert Smith Hampton, Davies Harrison and developer Property Alliance Group, where he spent two years as a development surveyor and asset manager. His most recent role was as a portfolio manager at The Co-operative Estates.
Dan Burn, head of the North West Industrial and Logistics team at Jones Lang LaSalle, said: “We’ve known Andrew for years and are thrilled to have managed to tempt him back to consultancy. He has a great reputation in the market and brings considerable insight and experience from working both within the industrial agency sector and for asset managers and developers at a regional and national level.”
::
INTERIORS and branding studio NoChintz has boosted its ranks with three appointments.
The Manchester firm has hired Melanie Zarins as senior designer to work with NoChintz creative director Lucy Goddard on international hotel and hospitality projects. Abigail Carpe, who moves from Capita in Manchester, has been appointed as ‘middleweight’ designer and will work under newly-promoted associate director Leanne Wookey. In the branding division meanwhile Ed Baptist has joined from What If Innovation also as a middleweight designer.
Operations director Dominic Beardwell said: “Melanie, Abigail and Ed each bring their own personality and style into NoChintz and will undoubtedly add great ideas and value to our client work.”
::
CHESTER PR agency de Winter PR, has added to is team with the appointment of qualified solicitor Rachel Booth as a consultant.
In her role she will help de Winter to assist law firms in adapting to the new media age, where live information, news coverage and a firm’s brand are becoming increasingly important. Before her legal career Miss Booth worked as a journalist for Trinity Mirror North West.
Kate Cox, managing director at de Winter, said: “Rachel is a great addition to our ever-growing team. We already have a number of experts in the fields of consumer and business-to-business PR and marketing, so now having someone one hundred per cent au fait with the ever-changing legal environment will allow us to spread our branches even further.”
