People: Chamber of Commerce; Oakland International; Gowling WLG

A Warwickshire businesswoman has become the chair of the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce’s Mid-Warwickshire Local Business Forum, having recently joined the board of the Chamber.

Olivia Parrish has run Leap People Solutions in the area for five years, helping companies of all sizes and sectors with organisational development, HR and workplace culture.

She started the business after over a decade of working in the professional services sector when she decided it was time to go it alone.

Now, Parrish will bring all of that experience to the role of chair of the Local Business Forum, which meets every quarter to discuss issues affecting firms in the region and share updates.

She said: “I am delighted to be taking on this role. I know what it’s like to be in business and understand the ups and downs. The Chamber offers a huge amount of support to companies and organisations across a whole range of sectors – from owner-managed businesses through to major corporations – it is where business belongs.”

“The Local Business Forum has an important role to play within that by understanding the very specific issues that are being faced by businesses in Mid-Warwickshire and feeding those through to the wider Chamber and to decision-makers at a local, regional and national level. As businesses, our voices are much stronger when we come together and I’m looking forward to meeting more and more businesspeople and helping to make this an open, honest network in order to get a true reflection of how firms are faring.

Redditch-based total supply chain solutions provider Oakland International has appointed Doyin Adeleye as its new sustainability and ESG manager.

Bringing climate, energy, sustainability and ESG experience, Adeleye will work across the Oakland group of businesses to further elevate and transform their wider sustainability agenda and help attain their climate and ESG goals.

With an academic background at postgraduate level in energy & environmental technology & economics, and a wealth of management, advisory and consultancy experiences acquired in management consultancy, sustainability, climate and ESG spaces, Doyin has worked for several public and private sector organisations including Mouchel (now part of WSP), Balfour Beatty, OFGEM, the Environment Agency, the University of Wolverhampton, Greater London Authority, Energise and most

Doyin Adeleye

recently Carbon Limits.

He said: “It is a great time to join Oakland International, a reputable and successful organisation by all metrics and measures, with huge growth and sustainability ambitions, and whose values and aspirations align perfectly with mine. Sustainability is woven into the fabric of the organisation and, as Sustainability and ESG continue to evolve, I look forward to working with the stakeholders across the Group to help transform and tackle challenges to achieve all the Group’s Sustainability goals and objectives.

“My short to medium-term target will be to help set out and implement our Sustainability and Net Zero strategic pathway, deepen collaboration and engagement with our stakeholders, and strengthen our reporting obligations. In the longer term, my priority will be to help further develop our on-site clean energy generation, green our distribution fleet, help us achieve Net Zero targets and position and continue to help position us at the forefront of sustainability excellence. I am excited to have joined, everyone has welcomed me warmly, and I look forward to the future with Oakland International.”

Gowling WLG has announced the appointment of Michael Carter, Sara Chambers, Chris Letters and Senay Nihat as new partners from 1 May 2024.

Michael Carter, Sara Chambers, Chris Letters, Senay Nihat

Michael Carter is an IP litigator in the firm’s leading patents team and is highly regarded as an automotive sector expert.

Sara Chambers is part of the pensions team and specialises in the cutting-edge and fast-growing area of risk transfer transactions alongside her portfolio of trustee advisory work.

Chris Letters is in the corporate team and advises on complex and high-profile work for private equity houses, mergers and acquisitions and indirect real estate work.

Senay Nihat is in the property litigation team and will spearhead leasehold work in the living sector, the fastest growing area for property investment in the UK and will support the firm’s growing Telecoms sector.

David Fennell, chief executive at Gowling WLG, said: “We’re proud to welcome a fantastic group of lawyers into the partnership, continuing our ongoing investment in growing the firm. Michael, Sara, Chris and Senay are extremely talented lawyers who are highly regarded in their respective sectors and service areas and will play important roles in our drive for continued growth and providing the very best possible experience for our clients.”