People: Software firm appoints CTO; Estate management company welcomes third partner; and more

Advanced, the Birmingham-based software and services provider, has appointed technology veteran Narinder Sahota as its chief technology officer (CTO).

The hire comes after a successful 18 months for Advanced, during which time it has made seven acquisitions, launched 26 Cloud products, and is investing £32m in R&D this year.

Sahota, who has more than 28 years’ technology experience, will be responsible for managing Advanced’s growing R&D facility and driving its technology strategy forward bringing innovative products and services to market driving value for the company’s 25,000 customers.

He joins from Salesforce where he held various CTO positions and, more recently, was the European lead for its business transformation consulting practice.

Prior to that, he spent over 22 years at Capgemini. He was the account CTO for the one of the company’s largest digital accounts, Royal Mail Group, as well as chief architect at one of the world’s largest outsourcing deals, where he drove technology strategy and governance of a 160-strong architecture unit.

“It’s been a privilege to work for two of the world’s biggest IT corporates, directing some of the UK’s most complex and large-scale technology programmes and partnering with enterprises to drive transformative change,” he said. “Now it’s time for a new challenge, which is to work for a company that might be smaller in size but has large ambitions and who have had massive success to date. Advanced’s software and services touch the lives of millions of people – whether they are calling NHS 111, travelling on a smart motorway, managing their people, accounting for their business, catching a train to work or donating to a charity – and I’m looking forward to joining the company as it enters the next stage of its growth.”

Sahota will report to Simon Short, chief operating officer, who joined Advanced from Salesforce in February this year.

He said: “Narinder has a deep understanding of managing technology operations across mission-critical, nationally significant environments. He cares for his people and creates high performance teams. It’s this experience that will further strengthen our R&D community which we will be expanding significantly over the coming months and years. We are very excited to welcome him to Advanced, as we continue to accelerate our company’s growth plans and evolve our technology solutions to help our customers solve all their challenges.”

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Principle Estate Management has appointed a new partner to head the firm’s business development plans with national developers, house builders and estate agents.

Bob Simonds has a degree in Estate Management, is a fellow of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and a member of the Institute of Residential Property Management (IRPM).

He joins with a wealth of experience including time with Lambert Smith Hampton, where he oversaw the Calthorpe Estate Management and Severn Trent residential portfolios, and set up Symphony Court as part of the Brindleyplace mixed use development.

He has worked closely with various regional and national housebuilders at Knight Frank, and has previously handled new homes, the private rented sector and build-to-rent sites for investor clients for another major business.

Simonds has previously worked with Principle’s current partners Brett Williams and Joe Jobson at CPBigwood, and so the three partners already have established links and professional relationships.

Simonds said: “I’m really excited to be joining Principle at this key time to help them to continue to grow.

“I know that they are all about managing properties properly which is something I am looking forward to being able to offer to my contacts again.

“Principle is regulated by RICS and the Association of Residential Managing Agents (ARMA), with both Brett and Joe being chartered surveyors and Brett being a past chairman of ARMA.

“That really demonstrates their credentials and desire to provide top quality property management.”
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The Institute of Directors (IoD) has appointed Michael Doolin to lead its Worcester and the Marches branch.

Doolin is managing director of Clover HR, which employs 25 people. He has more than three decades of experience in managing business growth, change and development in HR, working for companies including Ford, British Airways, PwC, DHL and DPD.

He has been an associate lecturer at Warwick Business School for the past 10 years and was previously a lay member of the Birmingham and Bristol Employment Tribunal panels.

He said: “It is an honour to become branch chair for this dynamic part of the Midlands business community. IoD members are like-minded individuals seeking to make a difference. We are engaged in changing the face and perception of business amongst an ever more diverse society that expects and demands more from senior leaders.”

Inez Brown, chair of IoD West Midlands, added: “We are delighted to welcome Michael on board to lead our active Worcester and the Marches branch. He will be the standard bearer for local directors, providing support and inspiration as we provide members with the tools to not just recover and rebuild but prosper.”

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Heart of England Community Foundation has announced the arrival of a new trustee.

The charity, which is paving the way for grant-giving across the West Midlands and Warwickshire, has welcomed Alethea Fuller to the board.

Following a record year, which has seen the foundation award over £5.6m to community projects across the region, this latest appointment is expected to help Heart of England continue to support marginalised communities with its life-changing portfolio of grants.

With over 20 years in the public sector, Fuller has been appointed by the foundation to bring her skills and expertise within community and public service, demonstrated by her history working in government and policing, including currently as deputy chief executive for the West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner.

She said: “I have always admired the work and ambition of Heart of England in our region. The support they have given to communities throughout the pandemic has been phenomenal.

“My passion, some 20 years on from when I began my career in the public sector, continues to be helping communities thrive, so I couldn’t be happier to join the Foundation on its journey.

“I hope that with my expertise, including, managing large scale multi-agency projects, writing and overseeing multimillion pound funding bids and commissioning partners to carry out the work of the Police and Crime Commissioner, I can help the Foundation with its ambition to support one million lives this year.”

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