People: Seddon; Hill Dickinson; Forrest & more
BOLTON constructor Seddon has appointed Kelly Dew as business development manager for its small works division as it looks to capitalise on its expansion in this high-profile market.
She joins the company from Naylor & Walkden where she worked for seven years.
She is also joined by two former colleagues of the fit out firm, including Gary Peacock who joins Seddon as managing auantity surveyor and David Tinsley who takes up the position of estimator.
The latest appointments follow several high-value contract completions for Bolton-headquartered Seddon, including hotel extensions for Premier Inn in Chester and Oldham, together worth £1.35m, and projects for Co-operative Food in Fleetwood, Doncaster and Leek.
Kelly will work with Seddon’s operations manager Mark Dawson to develop the small works division, including its fit-out offerings, M&E services, painting and decorating and specialist services to external clients.
Dawson said: “The past year has seen us grow strongly as we focus on developing a blended portfolio of framework contracts across the company, and as a result each of the divisions have seen substantial growth, not least of all those in Seddon’s specialist services.”
The latest appointments of David, Gary and Kelly take the number working in the team to 16.
::
INTERNATIONAL law firm Hill Dickinson has announced the re-appointment of David Wareing as senior partner for a second term after an uncontested vote. The new term will commence in May 2016.
The re-appointment coincides with Wareing’s 40th year at the firm, where he has previously held a number of senior positions including managing partner from 1998 to 2005 and head of the firm’s Manchester office from 2006 to 2010 before being appointed as senior partner in 2011.
During that time the firm has enjoyed considerable growth both within the UK particularly in its operations in Manchester and London and also overseas with the opening of offices in Monaco, Piraeus, Singapore and Hong Kong.
As a result, Hill Dickinson is now a full legal service provider to the business community in the UK and overseas with a particularly strong position in its key sectors of Marine, Health and Insurance.
Wareing said: “I am honoured to be invited by my partners to continue in the role of Senior Partner of Hill Dickinson and delighted to have the opportunity to continue to contribute to the firm’s strategy for growth.
“This strategy was launched last year and is already delivering positive outcomes.”
::
BUILDING contractor Forrest, based at Westhoughton, near Bolton, has appointed Paul Rigby the role of head of people in a move to drive forward its talent expansion across the UK.
Rigby, who joined Forrest in 2011, has been promoted to the new role, which gives him responsibility over the company’s learning and development, HR and recruitment functions.
He will lead the business’s People Team, which will deliver training to Forrest’s staff in its key growth sectors to strengthen client services and personal progression.
This includes the North East, where the business is continuing to build its team to support its delivery of planned investment works to 15,000 properties as part of a £350m framework with not-for-profit housing provider, Anchor.
Lee McCarren, chief executive officer, Forrest, said: “This is a time of significant growth for us, in what is our 60th year of trading. We’re expanding in new regions and sectors, having secured recent work wins in London, Yorkshire and the North East.”
“Paul has the knowledge and expertise to ensure we are able to meet increased demand by attracting the right people. What’s more, he understands how invaluable nurturing and keeping talent is to bridge the skills gap within the industry.”
::
INDEPENDENT building surveying firm Malcolm Hollis has topped off a highly successful 2015 by appointing six new starters to its national teams, including Dan Roberts as an associate in Manchester.
Roberts will focus on project management after joining joins from Currie & Brown, where he recently worked with RBS on a national project management framework.
He was also involved at the new £240m Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in Liverpool as part of the Independent Certifier team.
Dan also previously undertook building surveying work for G4S Integrated Services on their Ministry of Justice TFM Framework.
::
YOPA, THE newest entrant into the property sales market has launched in the North West with Emma Procter recruited to lead the push in Preston while Martin Kent, who has more than 10 years’ experience in the property sector, will cover Crewe.
The company boasts an army of local property managers, central property consultants and low-cost fixed prices. It is recruiting up to 20 experienced property experts to operate across the North West.
::
JULIE Lomax currently director of visual arts at the Australia Council for the Arts, will join Liverpool Biennial as director of development, starting in March 2016.
She will join in the run-up to the 2016 edition, which starts on July 9 2016.
Lomax will continue Liverpool Biennial’s strong track record of working with a diverse list of sponsors and supporters to develop a dynamic and sustainable funding portfolio.
Her extensive experience in arts management in the UK included the post of director of visual arts for the London region for Arts Council England.
Meanwhile, Kitty Scott will be Co-curator of Liverpool Biennial 2018. She is currently the Carol and Morton Rapp curator, modern and contemporary art at the Art Gallery of Ontario, Canada and has held senior curatorial roles in the UK, Germany and North America.
::
WILMSLOW-based residential lettings and property management company Katie Homes has appointed leadership and performance advisor Pete Lowe of First Team, to help take the business to the next level.
Founded in 2009 in Nottingham, Katie Homes is an ARLA licensed lettings agency, which expanded this year to launch its Cheshire office on Church Street in Wilmslow.
Director Helen Gardner has appointed former head of performance at Manchester City Football Club Lowe to advise the business, which has seen around 25% year-on-year growth.
Lowe, whose experience of talent management includes helping to create 39 first team players and 25 international footballers in the 13 years he spent in the Premiership, has turned his ‘tales from the touchline’ into a career in thought leadership and consultancy, by supporting businesses and education establishments in the creation of winning mindsets.
Helen and her team of seven will benefit from Pete’s experience in performance management to drive the business forward.
Gardner said: “Having established a reputation for excellence in the high end lettings market in Nottingham, we have seen an opportunity for growth in Cheshire.
By working with First Team, we’ve already benefited from Pete’s insight and his ablility to help us share a collective vision with our team that isn’t just a paper exercise but is already being put into action, with positive results.
::
CUMBIRA-based Homes has bolstered its senior team with the recent promotion of two heads of department.
Louise McGuckin has been promoted from head of sales to sales director for the rapidly growing house builder.
During her time with Story Homes, her career has progressed quickly from sales manager to become a member of the board of directors.
Fran Stott has been appointed to the board as HR director, just a year after the company developed its first ever dedicated HR team following the legal separation of Story Homes from its sister company Story Contracting, with whom HR responsibility was previously shared.
She joined as head of HR in 2014 and has significantly contributed to Story Homes’ growth with her considerable experience gained from previous employers, including Nestle, npower and Vodafone.
::
LLOYDS Bank Commercial Banking has strengthened its support to local business in Bolton and Wigan with the appointment of three new locally-based relationship managers.
The new recruits will provide tailored funding and support to SMEs with turnovers up to £25m.
Dale Parkinson was previously with Lloyds’ retail banking division and in his new role will work alongside new and prospective clients with turnovers of between £1m and £2.5m.
Helen Cutler joins Lloyds from Lombard to work with existing and prospective clients in the £2.5m to £10m turnover category.
Harry Egan joins the team from Santander and will look after existing and prospective clients with turnovers between £10m and £25m.
The three will work under Ian Hughes, senior manager, SME banking in Bolton & Wigan.
He said: “It is great to be able to bolster our local team with a trio of dynamic new relationship managers, who will work to support SMEs in the region with specialist advice and financial services.”
::
NORTH West accountancy firm Mitchell Charlesworth has announced three new promotions across its audit and advisory teams.
Mike Buxton and Adam McGowan who are based at the company’s Liverpool office have become partners. Meanwhile, Paul Richards who is based at the Warrington office has been promoted to associate. All promotions are with immediate effect.
Rob Hall, chairman at Mitchell Charlesworth said: “We are delighted to be making these key promotions which are well deserved due to their client service and hard work over the years. We want our people to build a career with us and these promotions are testimony to the firm’s approach of developing talent from within.”
::
MANCHESTER-based car dealership Lookers has appointed Sally Cabrini as a non-executive director with effect from January 1.
Cabrini is currently business services director for United Utilities with responsibility for information technology and human resources.
She joined UU in June 2007 as HR operations director. Prior to that she started her career in HR with Rowntree Mackintosh before going on to work in senior roles for Northern Foods Plc and then as a consultant to a number of companies.
Phil White, chairman of Lookers, said: “Sally has significant operational expertise in a variety of well-known companies and her knowledge of business systems and the development of people will be of great benefit to Lookers.”
