People: Partner hire for Ballards; Pinsent Masons’ longest-standing employee retires after 57 years; and more
Droitwich-based professional services firm Ballards has expanded its partnership team with the appointment of Krista Woodman as tax partner and head of private client.
She joins Ballards following stints at Smith & Williamson where she was director of private client tax and London head of trusts at KPMG.
She said: “Having been an adviser to high net worth and ultra-high net worth individuals and family offices at my previous firms, I have significant experience in advising both UK-centric and international clients on their wealth structuring. I always strive to make sure this is fit for purpose for my clients’ individual needs, and as tax efficient and future proof as possible. I’m delighted to be driving forward the firm’s private client tax offering in what is an exciting phase of growth at Ballards.”
James Syree, partner and CEO, said: “Krista is a fantastic addition to our growing Private Client team, which specialises in high level tax planning for individuals as well as Trusts and Estates. Our continuing investment in high quality appointments demonstrates our commitment to providing the very best quality advice and assistance to our clients.”
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Law firm Pinsent Masons is celebrating its longest-standing employee, Angela Cooling, who is retiring after 57 years with the firm.
Cooling, a senior receptionist in the firm’s Birmingham office, joined Pinsent & Co as an office junior in 1965, earning £4 a week.
During her time, she has seen many changes including Birmingham-based Pinsent & Co with its 25-strong workforce merge and expand to become multinational law firm Pinsent Masons which is now made up of more than 450 partners and 3,300 people across 26 offices around the world.
Head of Pinsent Masons’ Birmingham office, Greg Lowson said: “Angela has been the face of our Birmingham office for all of my 31 years with the firm. Angela has built up so many great relationships with our clients over the years and she has been a great team leader helping numerous colleagues. She has been a constant source of support to all of us and this milestone is an incredible record and testimony to a very special person who will be hugely missed.”
Cooling said: “It has been fantastic to work with the firm over the past nearly sixty years and to have witnessed such exciting growth and change, with new offices opening around the world and new technology being developed. It is certainly a different place to the one I joined in 1965 and I am proud of all the firm’s achievements over the years.”
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Four appointments have been made to bolster the oversight board of Coventry and Warwickshire’s newest destination management organisation (DMO).
Destination Coventry has expanded its oversight board, which is made up of public and private partners, bringing it to 10 members.
Richard Harrison, managing director of No Ordinary Hospitality Management (NOHM), Emma Harrabin, manager of Fargo Village, Dal Dhillon, managing director of Dhillon’s Brewery and Laura Capraro, product development and distribution manager for VisitEngland have been named as the four additions.
The board is chaired by Paul Michael, commercial venue director at Coventry Building Society Arena.
Existing members include Laura McMillan from Coventry City of Culture Trust, Trish Willets from Coventry Business Improvement District (BID), Chris Hartley of Hartley Events, David Nuttall from Coventry City Council and Louise Bennett from Coventry & Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce.
Destination Coventry is a collaboration between Coventry City Council and Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce.
It includes ‘Visit Coventry’ and ‘Conference Coventry and Warwickshire’, with focuses on leisure and business tourism respectively.
The DMO is tasked with marketing Coventry and Warwickshire as a visitor destination of choice, to grow and support the visitor economy.
