Appointments: Total Fitness finds Fortune; Semple Fraser advances planing; and more
WILMSLOW-based Total Fitness has made its second senior appointment in as many weeks, appointing Andrew Fortune to its board as finance director.
Fortune has been brought in by new chairman Graham Hallworth following a recent bank-led restructuring which saw its previous private equity owners, Legal & General Ventures, walk away from the business. The deal involved the business being placed into administration to rid itself of rent liabilities, but new backer Barclays Ventures has provided £5m of capital to invest in the business.
Mr Fortune is a chartered management accountant by training and has held a range of finance director positions over the last 20 years, specialising in private equity-backed turnaround situations.
Recent roles have included that of finance director of Crown Paints – the Darwen-based company now owned by turnaround fund Endless. Mr Hallworth has also brought in new sales and marketing director, Joanne Hallam.
“Total Fitness is a business on the cusp of positive and lasting change following the acquisition in October,” said Fortune. “It is a privilege to be working with such a talented and passionate board as we plan a substantial investment programme to enhance and improve facilities for the benefit of our members.”
Fortune replaces former Total Fitness finance director, Lee Pearson, who only joined in the summer. He replaced former finance director Jonathan Jackson, who subsequently went on to become chief executive of Wigan Athletic Football Club.
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Law firm Semple Fraser has appointed two directors to the planning group in its Manchester office.
The Scottish firm, which opened its Manchester office last year, has brought in Kathryn Jump and Lisa Tye from DWF.
Ms Jump began her legal career as a local authority planning lawyer before moving into private practice over 10 years ago, and has experience of working for both local government and developers. Ms Tye also began her legal career in local government before transferring to private practice.
Both specialise in all aspects of planning law including compulsory purchase, highways, planning agreements and obligations, inquiries and litigation and they have experience of dealing with large scale development and regeneration projects, acting for both the public and private sectors.
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PROPERTY agent DTZ has recruited Menno de Vree to work in MAG Developments’ Estates and Facilities Management team at Manchester Airport.
In his new role as customer services manager de Vree will work within the property
and development arm of the Manchester Airports Group, MAG Developments, as part of the DTZ team that provides property management and client services across the airport’s non-core estate.
This includes the 4M, Voyager and Olympic House office buildings, as well as the World Freight Terminal estate. He comes from a hospitality background having previously worked in the hotel industry, with his last role being guest relations manager at the four-star Renaissance hotel in Manchester city centre.
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SOLICITOR Jody Kite has joined Lancashire law firm Napthens to head up its new construction and engineering service.
Mr Kite advises developers, financiers, contractors and industry professionals on a wide range of issues including procurement, risk management, dispute avoidance and resolution. He joins from the Manchester office of Mace & Jones.
Martin Beardsworth, head of commercial property at Napthens, said: “Jody brings valuable expertise to Napthens, and his appointment is an important one as we look to expand our offering to clients in the property, construction and engineering sectors.”
