People: TLT; Connexus; Conference Aston

Law firm, TLT has hired Roy Grist as a partner in its banking team based in Birmingham.

Grist joins TLT from Squire Patton Boggs, where he led the firm’s banking and finance team in Birmingham for ten years.

A nationally and regionally recognised banking lawyer, Roy has over 25 years of experience advising lenders and borrowers on a mix of national and international corporate transactions including acquisition finance, property and development finance, asset-based finance, restructurings, and joint venture funding.

Grist has expertise advising football clubs on high-profile and complex finance matters, alongside clients in the hospitality, retail and financial services sectors.

Some of his most recent experience has included advising a national bank on its sustainability-linked facilities to a leading property company, advising a high-profile hotel group on financing the construction of a new hotel and advising a global manufacturer in connection with new syndicated debt facilities to support export growth.

He said: “Many people will be aware of TLT’s successful launch in the Midlands last year. The banking team is known for managing complex financing transactions and advising a wide range of clients across different sectors, as well as having recently recruited some of the top legal talent in the area. Joining a law firm that is committed to the Midlands market and supporting banking clients on their growth strategies was paramount to me. I’m therefore pleased to be joining TLT at an exciting time of growth and helping the firm enhance its presence in the market.”

Mark Elder, partner and head of location in Birmingham at TLT said: “The last twelve months have seen us continue to recruit at pace in Birmingham, welcoming some of the top legal talent in the region. It’s brilliant to see that our commitment to the region is being recognised in the market and we’re delighted to welcome Roy to the team. His connections and experience will be instrumental to the growth of our offering.”

Rural housing association Connexus has welcomed four new non-executive directors to its board and committees.

Julian Bill, Anne Turner, James Savage and Helen Southwell took up their positions following the board’s annual general meeting, held last week.

New audit and risk committee chair Julian Bill is a chartered accountant with 30 years of experience in financial services, including risk and internal audit.

Currently chief risk officer with the Monmouthshire Building Society, Bill has been involved in social
housing for 10 years, serving as a non-executive director and chair of the audit and risk committee on the board of Pobl Housing Group.

Anne Turner joins Connexus as chair of the finance and investment committee. Turner has 25 years of experience in executive positions in housing association groups in the midlands and retired from her role as chief operating officer at Orbit Group in 2016.

She brings non-executive experience in the housing sector, having been vice chair of Network Housing Group.

She has also served as an elected member and chair of the NHF housing finance committee.

James Savage OBE served in the Royal Air Force (RAF) for more than 35 years, with his career including head of housing for the UK Armed Forces and head of infrastructure projects and facilities management. James also brings significant experience in HR and change management.

Helen Southwell has over 30 years of professional experience as a senior leader in the health sector, primarily in the NHS, and has served as a non-executive director with several housing associations in the midlands, latterly as vice chair of Platform Housing Group. She is also a trustee for a special school academy in Warwickshire.

Michele Ibbs, chair of the board at Connexus, said: “I’m pleased to welcome Julian, Anne, James and Helen to Connexus. They all bring a wealth of experience in social housing or related sectors, understand the challenges of rural environments and have a strong customer focus. They will add further strength to our governance arrangements and help deliver continued improvements to services for Connexus customers.”

Events venue, Conference Aston has appointed a new executive head chef with a career spanning 30 years in the catering and culinary industry.

Paul Harris has honed his craft within privately owned and group hotels across the Midlands, earning a reputation for excellence in managing all aspects of food service operations.

His expertise extends beyond the art of cooking to the design and presentation of exquisite dishes.

Throughout his career, he has led menu planning initiatives and introduced culinary concepts across various venues.

Paul Harris

At Conference Aston, Harris will oversee a team of seven chefs and four kitchen porters.

Samantha Brown, head of Conference Aston, said: “As the Executive Head Chef, Paul is committed to elevating the dining experience at Conference Aston, ensuring that creativity, quality, and passion are reflected in our culinary offerings. His appointment marks an exciting new chapter for Conference Aston, and we are confident that his leadership will further enhance our status as a premier events venue in Birmingham.”

Harris said: “The catering team at Conference Aston has an outstanding reputation, and I am proud to work alongside such amazing chefs, front-of-house staff, and managers. Together, we will continue to deliver outstanding culinary experiences for all our guests.”