People: Freeths; Signature Property Finance; IPP

Law firm Freeths has appointed real estate partner Paul Lloyd, to strengthen the service line’s capabilities.

He joins from Gowling WLG, where he trained and then spent almost 11 years working with some of their clients.

Lloyd’s experience allows him to advise clients on various commercial property investment and development matters.

He specialises in high-volume and high-value sales, acquisitions and developments across various sectors, including logistics, offices and student accommodation.

Partner and national head of real estate, Darren Williamson, said: “Paul joins the Real Estate team at an exciting time. Our recent commendation for Law Firm of the Year at The Lawyer awards highlights the depth and strength of our sector knowledge, which will continue to grow as Paul joins the team, providing an invaluable service for our clients.”

Lloyd said: “I’m excited to be joining one of the fastest growing law firms in the UK, and I’m genuinely looking forward to contributing to the firm’s future growth. The quality of clients, all-round capabilities as a full-service law firm, and the dedication to colleagues and culture is what attracted me to Freeths. This is evidenced by their B Corp rating and recent nominations, commendations and wins, both nationally and regionally.”

Signature Property Finance, a short-term property finance provider, has appointed Sean Carbery as the firm’s relationship manager for the Midlands.

He joins from Lloyd’s Banking Group with more than a decade’s experience in financial services.

Signature commercial director Michael Clifford said: “Given our record growth in the last four years, it is important for the business to maintain this momentum and recruiting keen, ambitious individuals like Sean will ensure we continue to deliver on our strategic plan.

Sean Carbery and Mike Clifford

“It was obvious from our first meeting that Sean understands the importance of building strong relationships with clients, an ethos at the very heart of the Signature approach to lending. He recognises the need to take ownership of each client’s application, guiding them from initial contact to successful completion.

“He has a proven track record of exceeding targets and a strong commitment to achieving the best outcome for each client, whether it is a simple bridging loan or a complex development finance deal – his tenacity to get deals done is very reassuring. Sean brings with him the expertise and experience in the financial services sector that will improve the service we deliver to our clients, whilst helping us refresh our approach.”

Carbery, said: “This is an exciting move for me at this stage in my career. I wanted to find a role that reflected my personal ambition to make my mark in the property finance space and with Signature, I have.

“I have noted Signature’s growth in recent years with interest and it’s obvious they have the product offering and service that clients need in the current market. I’m looking forward to showcasing the Signature offering to my current and new contacts across the Midlands.”

A logistics professional has taken on a new role overseeing network operations at Coventry-based IPP, a pallet pooler.

Neil Cowley has taken on the new role of head of network operations, bringing with him three decades of expertise within the supply chain of FMCG goods for B2C retailers.

In his role at IPP, based in Meriden, West Midlands, Cowley oversees the company’s depot and quality teams, supporting nine staff members to keep IPP’s network moving efficiently.

He said: “The depot team are focused on customer service and ensuring the network always can support customer demand, which is an ever-moving feast. The quality team’s focus is on ensuring that all products within our network are of the required standard.

Neil Cowley

“Both teams are working towards the goal of getting the right product, at the right quality, to the customer at the right time. While I am a newcomer to the world of pallet pooling, this is an approach which I’ve been used to for decades in various roles which I’ve held across different sectors, including B2C, retail, logistics and supply chain.

“The teams I am working with at IPP are excellent at what they do, and my priority is to support them and to understand how we can further support the rest of the business. I think that doing whatever we can to operate sustainably as individuals is important, and IPP’s sustainable business model – the concept of repairing and reusing the pallet, then getting it back into the supply chain – was appealing to me.”

David Bage, operations director at IPP, said: “Neil brings a wealth of logistics experience to his new role, and we’re pleased to welcome him to the team. His background and expertise in the FMCG supply chain means he is used to ensuring that the correct products are moving through the supply chain at pace, which is a huge asset to our team and network.”