People: BPS Birmingham Future chair joins DLA Piper; BDO appoints restructuring partner; new temporary division head at Plum Personnel

The outgoing chair of BPS Birmingham Future Victoria Ball has joined DLA Piper as legal director in its construction and engineering practice.

She joins after nearly four years at Trowers & Hamlins, while she has previously worked at Pinsent Masons and Eversheds and in-house at Interserve.

Stephen Malley, DLA Piper’s Birmingham-based UK head of construction, said: “She is an excellent lawyer with a superb reputation and profile in the city of Birmingham. We view the West Midlands as core to the UK team’s wider expansion, which has also seen hires in London, Edinburgh, Yorkshire and the North West in the past year.”

DLA Piper’s UK construction practice has added two partners and six lawyers to the team this summer, including associate Jas Chahal in Birmingham.

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Ryan Grant, business restructuring partner at BDO

Ryan Grant joins the firm’s Birmingham office, bringing more than 18 years’ experience in business restructuring having been a partner at AlixPartners for the last eight years.

His role at BDO will see him enhance the firm’s existing presence in the West Midlands’ restructuring market.

Richard Rose, Midlands lead partner at BDO, said: “The appointment of Ryan supports our commitment to attracting and retaining the best talent. As our clients require increasingly complex advice and guidance in order to flourish, it is the ideal time to be investing and growing our business advisory offering.”

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Lindsey Atkins, Plum Personnel

The Solihull recruitment agency was the first recruitment consultancy to be affiliated to the Institute of Customer Service.

Susie Ankrett, director at Plum Personnel, said: “Lindsey’s first-class track record in temporary commercial recruitment, particularly in Solihull and the surrounding areas, will stand her in good stead to continue to grow our established Temporary Division.”

Atkins added: “I pride myself on developing and sustaining long
lasting relationships with clients and candidates alike.  It always gives me great pleasure and satisfaction knowing I am placing the best people into employment and successfully working with hiring managers to get the ultimate desired end result.”