Finance Appointments: Dains, Barclays, Catalyst

New partner at chartered accountants

BIRMINGHAM-based chartered accountants Dains has appointed a new partner to its corporate and commercial services team. Lisa Richards joins the Fort Dunlop firm where she will be focussing on the small and medium business sector.

Having qualified as a chartered certified accountant in 1995, she has spent much of her career in a regional accountancy practice. Senior partner Martin Smith said: “We are delighted to welcome Lisa to the partnership. We are very keen to develop our business further in the local area and see Lisa as a key part of that strategy.”

Dains currently employs almost 100 staff including 16 partners and directors, operating from its primary offices in Birmingham, Burton-on-Trent, Derby, Lichfield and Rugeley.

Stand-up takes lead role in boosting local business

A PART-TIME stand-up comedian has joined the Sheldon branch of Barclays as its new local business manager. Ryan Gough is part of the East Birmingham Business Team responsible for championing small and medium sized companies by providing localised knowledge, as well as services to help start-ups to grow. He is also an experienced performer on the stand-up circuit across the UK and has done work as a TV extra. Mr Gough said: “I am personally looking forward to helping my customers achieve their ambitions, building stronger links with the area’s professionals and supporting the local economy.” He has worked for the bank for more than 10 years.

Deal making duo join Catalyst

CATALYST Corporate Finance has added to its team with two new deal makers.
James England, a graduate of Birmingham University and a chartered accountant, joins from PwC in the city. He will work on deal execution and business development with the existing Birmingham team, lead by partners Andy Currie, Richard Sanders and Jamie Hope. Zachary Tsai joins the London office supporting partners Mark Humphries and Steve Currie. A chartered accountant, he has also moved over from PwC, in London, where he spent 18 months in the corporate finance team after qualification. Managing partner Andy Currie said: “We have already made a significant investment in our team recently by recruiting an additional five deal makers before these hires.”