People: The Royal Shakespeare Company; GivEnergy; Pertemps

The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) has revealed that Vicky Cheetham and Sandeep Mahal have been appointed as interim co-executive directors by the Board of Trustees.

This announcement comes in the wake of the news that Catherine Mallyon will conclude her eleven-year tenure as executive director on December 22.

Both women, who are presently part of the Senior Leadership Team, will assume their roles from December 23, bridging the gap until the permanent Executive Director is appointed through the ongoing recruitment process.

Cheetham became the executive advisor at the RSC in January 2023. Before joining, she held key positions such as managing director at Tate, overseeing business management, innovation, enterprise, and governance.

She was also the executive director, Arts, at London’s Southbank Centre, where she managed the artistic program strategy across various art forms and sites. At the Barbican, she served as the executive producer of their international multi-genre music program.

Sandeep Mahal joined the RSC’s Senior Leadership Team as leadership associate (Executive) in January 2022. Simultaneously, she worked as the director of sector change at People Make it Work, focusing on the development of the office for leadership transition.

Co-artistic directors, Daniel Evans and Tamara Harvey said: “We’re delighted to be working with Vicky and Sandeep as we look ahead to the RSC’s next chapter. Both have vast leadership experience as well as a proven track record of innovation. Their existing knowledge of the RSC and practical experience of navigating cultural change makes them ideal collaborators for this moment in the Company’s evolution. It’s a brilliant appointment by the Board and we’re thrilled to be working in partnership with them.”

The RSC has also announced the appointments of Lisa Hughes as chief financial officer and Stephanie Dittmer as director of development. Hughes, formerly chief operating officer at River Learning Trust, brings 18 years of experience in the not-for-profit sector.

Dittmer, previously associate executive director at Matthew Bourne’s New Adventures and co-director of the Institute of Imagination, spent almost a decade in the leadership team at the Donmar Warehouse.

GivEnergy has chosen Dave Roberts as the new managing director for its operations in the UK.

Formerly serving as the group supply chain director at Segen, Dave Roberts brings demonstrated history of success in the renewable energy sector.

Dave Roberts

In his new role at GivEnergy, Roberts will take charge of supervising and improving the company’s business activities in the UK.

Jason Howlett, group CEO of GivEnergy, said:“Amid our rapid international expansion, it’s essential to have someone who I trust to focus on the UK and continue driving our domestic growth. To that end, I am delighted to welcome Dave Roberts to GivEnergy as our UK Managing Director and to my growing team.

 Dave’s extensive experience and in-depth knowledge of the renewable energy sector make him an ideal leader to steer our UK entity. With GivEnergy’s increasing global footprint, Dave’s appointment will allow us to maintain a keen concentration on the UK market while ensuring seamless integration with our broader international strategy.”

Roberts said: “I’m proud to be a part of GivEnergy. Having previously worked with the company in my position within a major distributor, it now brings me great pleasure to step into an organisation I know and respect so well.

GivEnergy is at the forefront of energy innovation. I look forward to leveraging my experience to contribute to the growth of such an exciting company.”

Julie Ashworth is the new sales director at Pertemps Network Group, a recruitment specialist, as the company broadens its corporate business team.

Julie Ashworth

With 34 years in the recruitment sector, Ashworth brings a wealth of experience in strategic vision and leadership, showcasing a proven track record of excellence in client relations.

Beginning her career in an independent recruitment business, she advanced to roles with national and multinational brands.

She said: “I am incredibly excited to embark on this new challenge with Pertemps and leverage our expertise to create value for our customers. Even though Pertemps has grown dramatically, it has kept its family feel. It is great to be part of an organisation which is owned by its people.”

Steve West, group CEO, said: “We are extremely pleased to have Julie on board and she is already proving to be a great asset. As a business, we continue to invest in our people and target key talent and expertise to support our sales strategy. We are confident that Julie’s contributions will play a significant role in propelling Pertemps to new heights.”