People: New CEO for private equity-backed fleet management firm; Solicitor recognised for services by Law Society announces retirement; and more

Stoke-headquartered commercial vehicle contract hire and fleet management company Prohire has announced that Pat Skelly, former managing director of Petit Forestier’s UK operation, will take over form Dave Barlow as chief executive next month.

Skelly started by building his own business Rockfield, which he sold to Petit Forestier in 2006, after which he led Petit Forestier’s business in the UK. His role at Prohire will be to work alongside the Prohire management team to deliver growth both organically and through acquisition.

Barlow will continue to work alongside private equity backers NorthEdge, and Prohire, to support its ongoing acquisition activities.

He said: “I am truly delighted that Pat will be taking the lead at Prohire. His expertise, customer and technical focus, drive and enthusiasm when combined with the skills of the existing Prohire management team will ensure the business continues to develop and deliver on its goals.”

Skelly added: “Prohire is well placed to achieve growth.  It is an ambitious and well-balanced company with a great team. I was delighted to be approached by Prohire to head up the next exciting chapter in its story. The UK contract hire market is a very congested place, and it will be my mission to ensure Prohire stands out for values that still mean something in today’s highly competitive world.”

Prohire supplies commercial vehicles and full fleet support services to a range of business sectors including foodservice and catering, chilled food and pharmaceuticals, builders’ merchants, leisure retail and the brewing industry as well as to specialist logistics companies.

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A consultant solicitor with Oswestry law firm GHP Legal, who received a letter of recognition from the Law Society in July for his services to the profession and the public, has announced he will retire at the end of September.

Jeremy Case, formerly a partner of Milton Francis & Hughes, which merged with GHP Legal in October 2018, received a certificate from the Law Society to mark his 50th year on the roll of solicitors.

Congratulating him, President Simon Davis said it was ‘a remarkable achievement’.

GHP Legal senior partner, Richard Lloyd, said: “GHP Legal has enjoyed a steady period of growth over the last few years and Jeremy’s input during the merger between GHP Legal and Milton Francis & Hughes was greatly appreciated. We wish him good health and happiness in his well-earned retirement.”

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Woodrow Mercer has bolstered its Birmingham team by welcoming two senior technology recruiters as associate directors for a new division, Woodrow Mercer Embedded.

Nathan Upton and Samuel O’Leary, former management consultants at Progressive Recruitment, bring more than 20 years’ of industry knowledge and insights to Woodrow Mercer.

Woodrow Mercer, which also has offices in London, Leeds and Nottingham, has launched the new business unit Embedded to provide the embedded software contract market with a trusted supplier. The agency’s newest hires have more than eight years of specialised knowledge in the embedded systems and electronics market.

Woodrow Mercer, set up by managing director Dan Ostrowski, was founded in 2012.

He said: “Our technology team is already market-leading but Nathan and Samuel will bring a further wealth of experience, knowledge and leadership to our business. Both are excellent recruiters and that’s why I’ve trusted them to lead our new Embedded division and make this another successful market for us.”