People: The latest West Midlands hires

Chris Lloyd-Smith, a partner at Birmingham-based law firm Anthony Collins Solicitors (ACS), has been elected as chair of Resolution’s West Midlands group.

Founded in 1982, Resolution is the largest membership organisation for family justice professionals in England and Wales.

Lloyd-Smith will lead the Resolution West Midlands Group, the regional subcommittee of the organisation, which currently has more than 250 members.

With its membership covering the Black Country, Wolverhampton, Worcester and Birmingham, West Midlands Resolution Group also provides networking opportunities and raises funds for local charities.

Joining Resolution in 2003, Lloyd-Smith was instrumental in establishing YResolution in the West Midlands, the Resolution board for junior lawyers, serving as its first chair. He will continue to work closely with both YResolution and the Family Law Bar Association (FLBA) in his new role.

Lloyd-Smith said: “Helping families and individuals resolve issues following separation in a constructive and non-confrontational way is central to the work of any Resolution member. I am passionate about providing support and guidance to individuals as they navigate through difficult and challenging issues that many never expected they would face. I am conscious that the advice and support I provide has the potential to affect the lives of those individuals and their loved ones for many years to come.”

“Resolution helps those working in family law by giving them the skills and knowledge to make a huge difference to peoples’ lives. I’m incredibly proud to have been part of the organisation over the last 18 years and am looking forward to widening the support we offer and the membership we have in the West Midlands.”

Lloyd-Smith will remain a member of Anthony Collins Solicitors’ life stage planning team, where he is an accredited family mediator.

:::

Birmingham-based creative agency M3 has announced its new creative director.

Steve Price is the latest addition to M3’s fast-growing team and will be responsible for continuing to lead the agency’s in-house creative design and brand support spanning all platforms of print, digital, TV and video.

Price is bringing over 35 years of experience in the Midlands marketing scene, having held a number of senior roles at several agencies. He has worked for a host of local, national and international clients in the automotive, destination marketing, housebuilding, retail and technology sectors, along with many others.

He is also an influential figure of the Birmingham Publicity Association (BPA), having been a board member and chairman twice since he joined over a decade ago. Working alongside the group, he has helped raise thousands of pounds for a variety of charities across the Midlands, along with delivering knowledge and networking while uniting those in the creative industries.

He said: “I’ve known Nick and M3 for many years and have watched their recent development with interest. Particularly how they’ve navigated these tricky times and made a relative success of them. They’ve made good strides creatively under the leadership of Stu Perry and I’m excited to pick up the baton from him.”

Nick Lovett, managing director of M3, said: “2021 has seen M3.Agency grow its client base both nationally and internationally. This unprecedented growth has meant we have been able to further strengthen the leadership team with the appointment of Steve.

“I have wanted to work with Steve for a number of years and we were finally able to make it happen. He has the brief to expand both our TV and video content and grow our digital creative capabilities across all the M3 offices.”

:::

Paul Breen has been promoted to the role of managing director at Living Space Housing, as the affordable housing specialist prepares for its next chapter.

Former managing director Steve Davies will take on a brand ambassador role.

Since launching in 2019 as the sister company to housebuilder Hayfield, the Solihull-headquartered partnerships business has grown at pace.

Living Space has a total of 674 residential plots under control, representing a combined value in excess of £113m. The company is on track to start at least 20 developments over the next two years.

Mark Booth, co-founder of Living Space Housing, said: “Paul Breen has been instrumental in driving Living Space’s remarkable growth, which will see this business achieve a turnover of £35m this financial year. He has recruited a talented team and used his extensive experience to negotiate, problem solve and shape the company’s development in a highly sustainable way that puts it in great stead for continued strong growth. I am delighted that he will now be leading this business, as it enters its next chapter and takes on a number of exciting new projects.”

Breen said: “I am thrilled to become Managing Director and lead this highly able and committed team. Living Space’s growth has been defined by our desire to create positive partnerships and deliver quality new communities for all. Our recent tranche of expansion has brought a new skills-set and dynamic, and it’s enhanced our social values and sustainability. Our ambition is for strong, but sustainable growth, and to become the partner of choice for our clients –one that is renowned for delivering a high-quality product.”