People: Protelhealth; Equilibrium; Norcros & more
PROTELHEALTH, a Manchester-based healthcare company which promotes technology solutions for independent living, has appointed a new commercial director.
Vanessa Roberts joins following several years working in corporate roles for Deloitte Corporate Finance and Santander Corporate Banking.
She was recruited to join Protelhealth after impressing its chief executive Norman Niven with her ideas and passion for new technology and solutions for independent living in the home.
Roberts said: “One of my main motivations for joining Protelhealth is a desire to help people maintain their dignity and remain independent regardless of health conditions or age.
“Working with Norman and the management team will allow me to learn a huge amount from people with vast amounts of knowledge and experience in the healthcare sector. At the same time working for a growing business like Protelhealth will give me greater freedom to come up with new ideas that can be developed into successful commercial propositions.”
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RURAL and agricultural business Farmcare has appointed operations director Andrew Lazenby.
Lazenby brings extensive experience to his role at the Manchester-based companythanks to a 20 year career in the food and farming sector, including strategic roles that have spanned four continents – the Europe, US, Africa and Australia.
In his previous role as head of commercial for Waitrose Farm – which encompasses 15 businesses across a 4,000 acre estate – Lazenby’s achievements during his four years in the business have included leading an initiative to design and install a rapeseed oil factory. Within two years, the operation was producing a million bottles of oil per annum.
His role at Farmcare will include leading and managing operations and ensuring that information is shared across the business.
As Britain’s largest farming organisation – its land assets are second only in size to those of the National Trust – Farmcare owns and manages farms across a wide geographical footprint: from Scotland to Kent.
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BATHROOM supplier Norcros has announced that Martin Payne will be stepping down from the position of froup finance director to take up the role of chief financial officer at Yorkshire company Polypipe Group at a date to be agreed.
The Wilmslow company said the board will begin a recruitment process for a new group finance director immediately.
Group chief executive Nick Kelsall said: “I thank Martin for his valued contribution to the growth and further development of Norcros over the last five years and on behalf of the Board wish him every success in his new role.
We will work together to ensure a smooth transition over the coming months.”
Payne said: “I have very much enjoyed my time at Norcros. It is a great business with committed and talented people, and has a great future.”
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EQUILIBRIUM Asset Management has appointed two new recruits to its marketing team.
The Cheshire-based company has installed Fiona Bousfield and Paul Davis has joined from Staunton Rook Marketing as graphic designer.
Colin Lawson, managing partner of Equilibrium Asset Management, said: “Our growth over the last 20 years is without doubt a testament to the whole Equilibrium team generating brilliant results year-on-year for our clients.”
Equilibrium, which has offices in Wilmslow, Knutsford and Chester, was recently awarded Financial Professional Services Entrepreneur of the Year and ‘New Model Adviser Firm of the Year for 2015.
Equilibrium oversees more than £484m worth of assets for 790 clients and provides expert advice on wealth and investment planning, pensions and inheritance tax strategies to the North West region’s high net worth individuals.
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CHESTER-based chartered independent financial adviser Innes Reid has enhanced and strengthened its team with the appointment of three new members of staff as part of its continued growth strategy and expansion for the coming year.
The company has appointed Stephen Davies as an adviser, Georgia Perry as a para planner and Ethan Smith is a trainee para planner.
Welcoming the new recruits, Innes Reid managing director Mark Reidford said: “The company is going from strength to strength, and while the market for quality new recruits is limited, we are committed to delivering the highest level of service to our clients and we will continue to build on our expertise when exceptional candidates come along – whether or not we have an immediate need to fill a gap in our admin, technical support or adviser teams.”
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CHESHIRE-based Puddle Ducks, which specialises in providing swimming lessons for babies and children, has welcomed Ruth Nelson who joins the team as strategic brand and marketing manager.
She joins company with a remit to grow the brand nationally and to continue to develop and enhance its offering, meeting the company’s vision to have a little Puddle Duck in every family.
Her experience across all the marketing channels and her strategic brand experience will see her utilise a number of new and innovative strategies to introduce the company to a wider audience.
Nelson said: “The company is leading the way in teaching children to swim and to nurture a love of swimming for life. But it is also a franchise with a hugely successful business model and 33 territories across the UK, teaching 16,000 children to swim every week.”
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VIRTUAL reality company Virtalis, based in Sale, Greater Manchester has promoted Adam Harper to its UK business development team and taken on Chris Wood to fill his old role of internal sales and marketing support.
Wood, from Morecambe, joins straight from Southampton Solent University where he read engineering and business.
