People on move: Influential; DS.Emotion; EDP; Powell Williams; BCEGI Construction (UK); Mills & Reeve
LIVERPOOL-based Communications agency Influential has bolstered its core team with a raft of appointments and promotions.
The integrated agency has made four new permanent hires at various levels across its PR, marketing, and digital teams.
The company has also promoted three members of staff to account manager across its Liverpool and Manchester offices.
Linda Kelly joins Influential’s dedicated consumer PR team as a senior account manager.
With a strong background in consumer campaigns, Kelly has worked with leading brands including Marks and Spencer, Nissan, and the Radisson Edwardian Hotels.
Her new role will see her running campaigns for clients including The Beatles Story, restaurant chain Viva Brazil, and Wirral-based hotel and restaurant, Thornton Hall and Nova.
Recent Lancaster University graduate Josh Donnelly joins Influential’s expanding digital team as a digital data analyst, following a six-month internship with the business.
In his new role, Donnelly will support Influential’s digital team, with a client roster that includes Visit England and interactive digital technology company Evoke Creative.
James Burch, who recently graduated from the University of Staffordshire, joins the agency as a junior account executive, a role which will see him support the agency’s consumer team on accounts including Camelot the National Lottery, and retail and leisure destination ONE.
Burch worked as the chief football writer at The Non-League Magazine and as a freelance reporter for football clubs including Premier League side Burnley FC, during his degree.
Charley Newstead joins Influential on a year’s placement from Sheffield Hallam University where she is working towards a degree in Business Studies. She will provide administrative support to the agency’s PR, creative and digital teams.
The agency has also promoted three members of its existing team. Jo Shelbourne, who works on the agency’s digital team has been promoted from digital marketing executive to senior digital marketing executive. David McMonnies, from the agency’s Liverpool consumer team, and Jonathan Daly from Influential’s Manchester B2B team, have both been promoted from senior account executives to account managers, following outstanding performance.
Managing director of Influential, Sara Wilde-McKeown, said: “Influential continues to go from strength to strength, and these recent promotions and new hires are a clear reflection of that success.”
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THE Manchester office of creative agency DS.Emotion has appointed a new lead video producer to bolster its creative output.
James Kennedy brings more than years’ experience in creating and managing the production of high quality video and design content for both online and broadcast television audiences.
His expertise includes producing online video and television commercials for corporate clients as well as short film and music videos that have featured on prime time shows including MTV, Channel 4, Kerrang! and The Box.
Kennedy previously worked for a Fast Track 100 company where he led a team of 6 creatives in producing high quantities of video and TV commercial content. He has also worked the brands including NPower and Yamaha.
At DS.Emotion he will be based at the Manchester studio taking lead responsibility for the production of video content for online, broadcast, social media and events for clients including Hilton, The Big Word, Civica and Moda and destinations including the Met Quarter, The Albert Estate and Silverstone.
Angus Armitage, director and co-founder of DS.Emotion said: “Film remains a major platform for bringing brands to life across all accessible platforms and we are experiencing a significant increase in this type of work for clients. It is fantastic that we have been able to attract someone of James’ calibre to lead our video production team as we continue to expand nationally.”
DS.Emotion was established in Leeds 25 years ago and now operates nationally with studios in London and Manchester as well as Leeds.
The business specialises in property and place marketing and has delivered successful campaigns for destinations including Trinity Leeds, Carnaby Street London, Portman Village London and The Rock Bury. Key clients include Grainger Plc, Hill, Land Securities, Muse, Berkeley and QHotels.
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JOEL Cook has been appointed to the board at EDP, the St Helens-based health, safety and environmental consultants.
Currently head of strategy, Cook joined the company almost five years ago to help prepare the business for the management buyout that went ahead in November 2014.
Following this, he remained as a member of the senior management team with responsibility for strategy and organisational development.
With the appointment of Cook, there are now four members on the EDP board, which also includes managing director – Mark Haydock, Director – Andrew Nicholson and Director – Steve King.
Haydock said: “This appointment recognises Joel’s hard work and loyalty to the business. He’s made a fantastic contribution at board level over the last six months and we felt now was the right time to introduce him on an official and permanent basis.
“We very much value Joel’s experience and expertise in the areas of strategy and organisational development, and believe he will bring a skillset and attitude that will complement the team at this level.”
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POWELL Williams, the national building consultancy, has recruited a new senior surveyor from Manchester’s Black Cat Consultancy.
Ross Wilson, a RICS chartered surveyor and experienced investment manager, has joined the Powell Williams team in Chester.
Having trained and worked at Savills and CBRE, Wilson has worked internationally for a number of investment management firms including Select Property in Dubai and IP Global in Hong Kong.
He was also a founding partner of Blackfish Ltd in Hong Kong, growing the residential investment management firm from one to six offices across the Far East in just over a year.
Returning to the UK after five years abroad to settle in Cheshire with his family, Ross has since provided consultancy services for Tatton Estates and latterly Black Cat.
He now joins Powell Williams on a permanent basis and will provide a boost to the business in the North West as it continues its client-led growth.
Andy Williams, founding partner and head of the Chester office, said: “Ross has a wealth of building surveying experience and commercial awareness which makes him an extremely valuable asset for our clients.”
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BCEGI Construction (UK) has announced operations director Gavin Taylor is to leave the business at the end of the year. Dongwen Yu, who is one of the company directors, shall look after Taylor’s portfolios.
Taylor said: “I have immensely enjoyed the past three years working with the company. It has been a privilege to work with the team and I am sure BCEGI will continue its expansion and success here.”
Dongwen Yu joined BCEG International Co in 2009. Together with his previous jobs, he has more than 15 years’ overseas experience in construction management, rising from site engineer to project director. Academically he qualified in Construction Law and Dispute Resolution at Kings College, London at Master degree level.
Mr Yu said: “Gavin has contributed considerably to BCEGI’s growth in Manchester. We will miss him and wish him every success for his future career.”
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THE Manchester office of law firm Mills & Reeve has appointed two members to its growing team.
Laura Foley has joined the private client team as an associate. She was previously a solicitor at Clarion Solicitors in Leeds. Ben Reeves has been appointed as a solicitor in the litigation team from Slater and Gordon in Manchester.
Elsewhere, the office has promoted a number of staff members including Rachael Somerset who has become a principal associate in the litigation team.
Those promoted to senior associate are Rose-Marie Drury in the family team, Graham Collier, real estate, Charlotte Shaughnessy, private client and Sarah Wearmouth in the professional indemnity team. Kamil Tomaszewski has also qualified into the litigation team as a solicitor.
Niall Innes, head of the Manchester office, said: “We firmly believe in rewarding up and coming talent and I’m delighted to announce these latest promotions in the Manchester office which are testament to the hard work, ambition and commitment of these individuals. I am also pleased to welcome Laura and Ben who join our growing team of highly skilled lawyers.”
