People: Demand sparks growth for professional services firm; Workplace consultancy adds to team

A professional services firm is expanding its Birmingham-based forensic accounting team to satisfy growing demand.

Baldwins has appointed Heidi Webster, Neil Rudd and Laurel Windsor from top ten UK accountancy firms. They will be based at the firm’s Bank House office on Cherry Street, which has seen consistent monthly growth for forensic services over the past six months.

Webster joins from KPMG as associate director with more than 25 years of accounting experience, while Rudd and Windsor arrive from BDO and Mazars respectively.

The new appointments join Martin Chapman, partner, and an assistant, Jaden Reynolds, who launched Baldwins’ Forensic Accounting service in Birmingham last March.

Chapman, forensic accounting partner at Baldwins’ Birmingham office, said: “I’m absolutely delighted with the start we have made and the great response to Baldwins entering the Birmingham forensic market which has resulted in a number of external referrals.

“With our latest recruitments we now have a team with strong forensic accounting pedigree in place to develop this momentum further.

“While we have a significant client base in the Midlands, our expertise also means we are supporting Baldwins’ expanding network across the UK – which is particularly pertinent at a time when commercial disputes are common and internal and external fraud is on the rise.

“We’ve also developed strong working relationships with solicitors on a number of cases as well as national police forces on fraud investigations, which will bode well for growing the forensic offering in the future.

“With Baldwins’ Birmingham office offering a full range of advisory services it means we are seen as a serious option for solicitors whose clients may need our advice. The Birmingham office working in a collaborative way has meant a number of our teams are working with the same client.”

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Workplace consultant Office Principles has expanded its Birmingham arm, introducing a new designer, a commercial manager and an operations manager.

Joe Whittle joins the team as designer in a bid to strengthen the team’s design output and offer further creative expertise at the consultation stage of the design and fit out process.

James Ball has started in the role of commercial manager, building on over a decade of estimating and fit out experience, while Rav Kateria is the team’s new operations manager.

Joint managing director of Office Principles Cyril Parsons said: “We’re lucky to have a highly skilled team, which has great knowledge and experience of trading in the Midlands and is so keen to see the business grow.

“This tight-knit team’s passion, drive and enthusiasm have surpassed all expectation and we are looking forward to the next six months, confident that we are going to have outstanding year end results.”
Led by business development director, Gary Tailby and project director, Tina Batham, most of the members of the senior team are well-known on the Midlands commercial property scene, having been active in the region for some time.

“We invested in Birmingham as part of a strategy to put down roots in areas that would appeal to clients looking for a second base outside of London. However, within a matter of weeks, it was clear that, with this team in place, the potential was so much more.

As a result, we are currently looking at ways to expand the service offering, addressing new markets and optimising our existing business in the region to explore ways in which to achieve the best results.”

Office Principles is expert at creating agile workspaces and has developed a strong and varied commercial portfolio over the years to include blue-chip brands such as Exterion Media, Telegraph Media Group, Visa Europe, GE Capital, Fitness First, Tata Communications, ResMed, Direct Marketing Association, Land Securities, Mothercare, and Kuoni.