Appointments: Warren Partners; Mills & Reeve; Accrol Papers & more
FINANCIAL services sector expert Julia Fearn has joined Cheshire executive search consultancy Warren Partners as a director.
During a career in executive search spanning more than 20 years, she has worked with retail banking, building society and insurance sectors on board-level search assignments. In addition to filling a range of executive and non-executive director roles, she has established a particular strength in chief financial officer search, working with an extensive network of clients across a variety of industry sectors.
Fearn, who began her career in resourcing with a FTSE 100 company before setting up her own specialist finance recruitment company, Charterhouse Recruitment, where she was managing director for eight years before selling it in 2007.
She said: “Warren Partners has an excellent reputation within the financial services sector for in-depth market knowledge and the ability to consistently deliver outstanding talent. Combined with their values and ethical approach to serving clients and candidates, this made joining the team absolutely the right fit for me.”
Managing Director Vicky Lawton said: “Our financial services practice is exceptionally busy, working with market-leading clients to find the right executive talent to guide them through the unprecedented challenges and opportunities within the sector. Julia’s values chime exactly with our own, and she will make a major contribution to our ambitious growth plans for our financial services practice.”
::
LANCASHIRE-based Accrol Papers, the manufacturer of soft tissue products, has appointed Peter Cheung as non-executive chairman.
The Blackburn-based business is one of Europe’s largest independent converters of soft tissue products, with annual turnover of more than £100m. Earlier this year it announced an investment deal with Manchester private equity firm NorthEdge.
Cheung has a strong commercial and operational background and brings 20 years’ board level experience to Accrol. He has previously held senior executive roles at Fort James Paper Corporation, AM Paper, TMD and Jemella Group.
He said: “Accrol is an excellent business in a very exciting stage of growth. I have significant experience in this sector, and I am looking forward to working alongside the management team and NorthEdge to grow and develop the business further.”
::
THE Manchester office of national law firm Mills & Reeve has appointed Jessica Hogg as a solicitor in its real estate team.
Jessica, who joins from East Anglian firm Stevensons, will advise on a broad range of commercial property matters.
Anne Fairhurst, head of the real estate team in Manchester, said: “We are delighted to welcome Jessica to our real estate team in Manchester. Jessica’s skills will complement our growing team and client base in the region.”
::
EXPRESS Solicitors, the personal injury specialist based in South Manchester has strengthened its board with the appointment of two new partners.
Gerald McHugh and Ian Hazeldine, working across strategy and finance respectively, will help the firm continue its expansion and fulfil its goal of achieving £10m turnover within the next 12 months.
In addition to the appointments Express Solicitors has also recruited John Bush as its new finance manager.
James Maxey, managing partner at Express Solicitors said: “We’re delighted to have two more experienced and highly able partners on board to help us push forward and take us to the next level of our ambitious plans.”
::
WEBER Shandwick, the public relations firm, has announced two promotions in its Manchester office.
Jessica Wilkinson, has moved up to associate director and now heads the corporate team, while Anna Varley Jones is now associate director, consumer marketing and now leads the consumer team at the Castlefield office.
Jo Leah, managing director and chair English regions & Wales, said: “Anna and Jessica’s promotions highlight the multi-skilled, creative and dynamic leaders we need to future-proof our team.
“They have both played an integral role to the growth of their respective portfolios within the agency, and have been instrumental in pushing the agency to its most successful year to date.”
::
LAW firm Linder Myers has hired two solicitors in Lancashire boosting its trusts & estates and commercial litigation departments.
Laura Hallett Lea joins as a commercial litigation solicitor from Marsden Rawsthorn and Eve Carter joins from O’ Donnells, as a trusts & estates solicitor.
Diane Rostron, senior partner at Linder Myers in Lancashire said: “We are very pleased to welcome Laura and Eve to the team both of whom bring strong experience of their respective disciplines, they join Debora Harrison and Diane Matthews who also recently joined us as we continue to be very busy across all our departments.”
