People: The latest West Midlands hires
Insurance broker Gallagher has welcomed two risk management specialists to its Coventry team, further increasing the firm’s presence in the Midlands.
The new joiners will specialise in providing insurance solutions to start-up businesses in the life sciences and technology sectors, two areas of expertise in Gallagher’s Coventry office, as well as servicing small business clients in Coventry and Warwickshire.
Gallagher’s 20-strong Coventry team is based at Prologis Park.
James Henley and Anharul Ali have been appointed as enterprise account managers, with Henley joining from insurance broker A-Plan Insurance in Shirley, and Ali joining from Simple and Smart Insurance in Small Heath.
Debbie Moss, Coventry head of office, Gallagher, said: “As an insurance broking partner to companies of all sizes, including businesses in the early stages of development, we recognise that stepping out on your own can be a daunting but exciting prospect. As businesses grow, so do their risks, and we work with clients to ensure they stay on a firm footing throughout their growth journey – keeping abreast of the shifting sands of emerging risk, regulation, legislation and compliance.
“We’re delighted to be welcoming James and Anharul to our first-rate team. Bringing our two new colleagues on board, who each offer a great deal of local market expertise, reflects our ongoing commitment to investing in talent to support our expanding client base in the West Midlands and beyond.”
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Property consultancy Burley Browne has bolstered its property management team with the arrival of finance specialist Emma Cowley.
Cowley has joined the Sutton Coldfield-based company as property accountant.
She will help to deliver a complete property management service to commercial property landlords across the industrial, retail and office sectors.
With several years’ experience in commercial property accounting, including service charge accounts and VAT reporting, she will oversee all aspects of finance in the property management department, working alongside Faryal Sheikh who leads the department.
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Midlands and South West law firm Lodders Solicitors has added to its in-house HR operation with the creation of the new role of training and development manager to support its team of 150 fee earners and support staff across its four offices.
Training and development specialist Andrew Busst takes on the new role, working alongside Lodders’ HR director Sarah Naffine who coordinates the creation and delivery of Lodders’ strategic and operational HR support and initiatives, and talent management activities.
Busst joins from automotive supplier Brose, where he was most recently training and development coordinator, managing the training team, apprentice, graduate, development and talent programmes for over 700 employees.
He also has legal sector experience from ten years as a legal executive at Birmingham law firm Beynon & Co.
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The Institute of Directors has appointed Andrew Wilkinson to chair its newly formed Greater Birmingham branch.
The new branch – created following a major restructure of the IoD West Midlands network – incorporates Birmingham city and Solihull.
Wilkinson is joint founder and managing director of Birmingham-based marketing communications agency Oakley Wilkinson Bryan (OWB Creative).
He is a former non-executive director of St Giles Hospice Group and Business Link West Midlands, where he was also ambassador for creative industries.
Wilkinson previously held senior marketing positions with TNT United Kingdom, Blagden Industries and Burgess Group and agency roles in London, Bristol, Birmingham and South Africa.
He said: “I’m looking forward to the challenge of leading this exciting new branch. Outside London, Birmingham is the largest city economy in the UK. We have all the key ingredients for business including a large population, a well-connected and thriving city centre, excellent universities and fantastic culture.
“Our members have been forced to draw upon all their skills and resilience over the past year but there is light at the end of the tunnel. The IoD is on hand to provide connections, learning opportunities and influence over the coming months with fantastic new member benefits and an enhanced offering for existing members including training, new business research, virtual events, lobbying initiatives and networking to get business moving.”
The restructure has also seen new IoD branches established in Worcester and the Marches and the Black Country and Staffordshire.
The existing Coventry and Warwickshire branch remains unchanged.
