People: Barker Brettell; EFG Harris Allday; Rewired

Barker Brettell, a Birmingham-headquartered intellectual property (IP) specialist, has announced that Yvonne Johnson has been elected as the firm’s new managing partner.

Johnson joined Barker Brettell in 2001 whilst training to become a UK and European patent attorney and qualified in 2004.

A partner since 2008 and member of the firm’s partnership board since 2015, in 2019 she took the lead when the firm set up an office in Stockholm and has been instrumental in the success of Barker Brettell Sweden AB.

Johnson succeeds Andy Tranter who became managing partner in 2018, and they will collaborate closely over the coming months to ensure a smooth succession.

Johnson said: “I’m delighted to be taking over as managing partner, building on the firm’s strong platform created under Andy’s leadership and using it as a springboard for future success. My ambition is to ensure we flourish as a thriving and modern business and deliver a real competitive advantage for our clients. I am passionate about investing in our people, and ensuring we have a work environment where everyone can contribute and feel part of our success.”

EFG Harris Allday has announced the appointment of two client relationship officers, Anne Brookes and Clive Batchelor, and two portfolio managers, Gordon Campbell and Peter Meckiff.

EFG Harris Allday is an investment management business in the UK.

Anne Brookes, Clive Batchelor, Gordon Campbell and Peter Meckiff

Anne Brookes and Clive Batchelor joined EFG Harris Allday from Brown Shipley, where they both served as directors in private banking for over 12 years.

In their new roles, Brookes and Batchelor will leverage their expertise and their strong networks in the Greater Birmingham area.

They will be supported by portfolio managers Gordon Campbell and Peter Meckiff, who bring with them extensive investment know-how.

Anne Brookes and Clive Batchelor will also work alongside Rupert Cecil, who joined EFG Harris Allday in late 2023 as head of charities & philanthropy and is focusing on developing EFG Harris Allday’s charity and trust proposition for clients across the UK.

Richard Killingbeck, Managing Director at EFG Harris Allday: “I am very pleased to welcome these investment professionals to EFG Harris Allday. These new hires underscore our commitment to the future growth of EFG Harris and to continuing to deliver the high-quality service for which EFG Harris Allday is known in the UK marketplace.”

Birmingham-based PR and marketing consultancy, Rewired, has strengthened its senior management team with the appointment of Ely Price as client services director.

With more than 15 years of communications experience across both consumer and business-to-business sectors, Price previously worked for Rewired until 2022.

She rejoined the agency from an in-house role at the automotive business LEVC.

As client services director at Rewired, she will lead service delivery and support the company’s growth strategy.

Ely Price

She joins the existing management team of Grace Coniry, Jasmine Caine and Lauren Hagan to work closely with Rewired’s owners, Ruth Pipkin and Harj Millington, to drive forward the company’s next phase of growth.

Commercial Director, Harj Millington, said: “It has been a brilliant start to the year for Rewired and having expanded our B2B portfolio and won some exciting new national client briefs, we are hugely excited to welcome Ely back to Rewired. Our strong team and collaborative culture is very important to us, so it’s wonderful that Ely, who is highly regarded by both our team and our clients, rejoins us at a time when we are driving forward our ambitious growth plans.”

Price said: “It’s an incredibly exciting time to be rejoining Rewired. The agency continues to go from strength to strength as it enters its 16th year, and I’m looking forward to playing a key role in the company’s continued growth.

“Rewired’s complete focus on delivering the very best practice in PR and communications means that the agency has a long-standing, dynamic and varied client base. Not only does the team do brilliant work, but the company culture is second to none, with an emphasis on cultivating a nurturing and supportive environment, where everyone can thrive. It’s great to be back.”