People: Zuto hires ex-Amazon exec; Mazars & more
ONLINE car finance broker Zuto has appointed former Amazon executive Josh Goodspeed as chief technology and product officer.
Having previously worked for internet retail giant Amazon, as director of website platform, director of reading experience for Amazon Kindle, and director of software for Amazon Video, he brings more than 15 years’ software engineering and product management experience to Manchester and Macclesfield-based Zuto.
Originally based at Amazon’s head office in Seattle, he relocated to London to lead the integration of LOVEFiLM into Amazon Video, launched Prime Instant Video in the UK and Germany, and helped to build an Amazon Development Centre of more than 200 software engineers, designers, and product managers in central London.
At Zuto, he will use his experience with cloud computing, machine learning, user experience, and design to lead the engineering, product, and design of Zuto’s end-to-end user experience – including the continued innovation of the new customer account area, My Zuto.
James Wilkinson, founder and chief executive of Zuto said: “Josh is a key appointment for Zuto. After a successful year of growth, we are now looking to develop our customer journey further with the launch of the My Zuto account area. We’re obsessed with our customers here at Zuto and providing them with a truly seamless experience, so the knowledge and insight that Josh brings will be crucial to our next phase of growth.”
Goodspeed added: “I’m really excited to join the team at such a critical stage of growth. What the team at Zuto has already achieved is incredible; they have challenged, and led the industry, while helping countless motorists make a better buying decision. At Zuto, I’ll be driving the company’s next stages of development, as we look to innovate our customer journey and add more revolutionary updates to the My Zuto account function.”
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ACCOUNTANTS and advisers Mazars has announced three key appointments in the North West, bringing the number of partners and directors to 21.
Patrick Lannagan joins as a partner in the restructuring services team. Joining from BDO, Lannagan has extensive experience in business rescue and turnaround, in particular in complex financial restructurings, working capital optimisation, debt refinancing and working successfully with multiple stakeholders.
Former KPMG senior manager Richard Dillea has joined as a director in the firm’s tax team based in Manchester, while also in tax, Neil Kelly joins as senior manager in the corporate and international tax team. He has previously worked for HMRC and prior to that for a US pharmaceutical company. He will be based in the Liverpool office.
Peter Terry, corporate finance partner said: “These are exciting times for Mazars. 2015 has been another great year for us and we are committed to making a step change in what Mazars has to offer mid market businesses in the North West region, particularly those with international operations. We continue to invest both in our team and in new areas of opportunity, as these appointments demonstrate. We have ambitious clients and intend to mirror their intentions with our own organic and acquisitive growth plans.”
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MANCHESTER Airport has appointed Nico Spyrou as its new travel trade marketing manager.
Spyrou has extensive experience in the sector, and has worked for STA Travel UK, award-winning digital agency Capture Marketing and marketing consultancy JUXDIT.
He is originally from Liverpool and has an MBA in Business Management from Liverpool Business School.
Patrick Alexander, head of marketing at Manchester Airport, said: “Nico has a wealth of expertise in travel marketing and coming from Liverpool originally, we hope he will also help us tap into the Merseyside mind-set and encourage people from Liverpool and the surrounding areas to choose Manchester Airport ahead of London, when it comes to long haul flying.”
