Appointments: Fletchers hires FD; GT; Pinsent Masons & more

LAW firm Fletchers Solicitors, the expanding Southport-based medical negligence and personal injury specialist, has strengthened its leadership team with the appointment of a new finance director.
 
Gary Carrington joins the firm after working in accountancy for the last 18 years where he specialised predominately in tax. Most recently, he was a partner at Baker Tilly for six years where he became a key member of its professional practice group, providing advice in the commoditised legal sector.

Fletchers chief executive Ed Fletcher said: “We are extremely pleased to have Gary on board. His extensive experience in the finance and tax industry is highly valuable to his role with us, coupled with his wealth of knowledge on the legal sector. He will be a key asset to our leadership team and I’m confident he will provide fantastic support during our period of growth.”
 
Mr Carrington added: “I am very excited about this new role. I have spent the last four years developing my ideas of what a modern law firm in the personal injury legal sector should look and feel like. Fletchers Solicitors ticks all the boxes and I am looking forward to assist the team in its future growth and development.”

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MATTHEW Bryden-Smith has joined Grant Thornton as director in its corporate finance practice in the North West.
 
He joins from Stockport-based energy innovator WEMS International where he was finance director, prior to which he gained over 14 years’ experience in corporate finance in his role as a partner with boutique Manchester firm, Rickitt Mitchell.
 
Ali Sharifi, head of corporate finance at Grant Thornton said: “Matthew is a welcome addition to the Grant Thornton corporate finance team. His experience is invaluable and his appointment is just part of an overall growth plan for the team in the north.”
 
Mr Bryden-Smith added: “It is great to be back in corporate finance.  What I enjoy most about working in this area is supporting a wide range of clients as they grow and create value in their businesses.”
 

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BLACKBURN accountant PM+M has appointed Tim Mills as a partner.

Mills has joined from Pierce Corporate Finance where he was an associate director. 

He has also previously worked at Garbutt & Elliott. His new role will see him advising owner-managed companies on transactional and strategic matters including debt and private equity fund raising, mergers, acquisitions, disposals and due diligence.

David Gorton, head of Corporate Services, said; “Tim’s appointment reinforces our corporate finance offering and emphasises our commitment to delivering a comprehensive partner-led service. His joining is a key part of the firm’s future planning and strengthens our position as one of the leading accountancy and corporate finance adviser practices in the North West.”

Mills said: “PM+M has been on my radar for some considerable time thanks to its excellent reputation, both within the wider business and professional communities. My focus is now on adding value to our clients and contacts and assisting with the continued growth of the firm.”

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PINSENT Masons has appointed Melanie Grimshaw to its planning team as a senior associate.

She has joined from Shoosmiths where she was a founding member of its planning team in Manchester.

She joins a growing team of senior associates in the Manchester office which has been recently boosted by other additions including Robert Tellwright, James Fitzgibbon (Corporate), Katie Ridehalgh (Real Estate Finance), Debra Cooper (Real Estate Finance) and Andrew Mitchell (Commercial Dispute Resolution & Sport).
 
Ms Grimshaw, said: “I look forward to joining the Manchester office and the UK’s largest planning & environment team and working on key development projects as well as regionally and nationally significant infrastructure projects across key business sectors in the UK. Planning is an important part of an infrastructure life cycle.”