People: Harper James; JPG Group; WPDG

Harper James, the full-service commercial law firm dedicated to enabling entrepreneurial businesses to accelerate their growth, has appointed Lynne Rathbone as a Corporate Partner to its now 15-strong team of corporate law experts.

Rathbone’s appointment marks a significant step in further fulfilling increasing client demand for corporate law support and will contribute to the firm’s ambitious growth target of doubling its turnover over the next three years.

Rathbone brings two decades of expertise in providing specialist advice to businesses on the full spectrum of corporate matters, including company acquisitions and disposals, private equity investment, strategic projects, succession planning and reorganisations, joint ventures and collaborations, partnerships and complex contracts.

Notable transactions that Rathbone has led include advising the shareholders of an international manufacturer on a £17 million cross-border sale, the acquisition of an energy company involving a £4 million debt release, and the restructuring of a £40 million family-owned group with UK and overseas interests, involving a capital reduction, share buyback, share for share exchange and fresh share issue. She has also acted on the sale of a UK telecoms group to a PLC and advised on the division and sale of a care home group to two UK providers.

Rathbone says: “I am very pleased to have joined the corporate team at Harper James at such an interesting time. I look forward to working with a fantastic group of clients on a variety of corporate transactions, with the support of an incredible team. I’m excited to see Harper James and its clients continue to reach new heights in the future.’

Chief Legal Officer and Head of Corporate, Adam Kudryl, said: “We’re happy to welcome Lynne onboard. It was clear from my first meeting with Lynne that she would make a great addition to our team. Her wealth of experience is another step in bolstering our corporate law expertise and will help us to further support our clients’ growth journeys.”

David Allwood

Engineering Consultancy, JPG Group has appointed David Allwood as Managing Director of the business. Allwood has been a Director with JPG since 2018 and takes over the role from Chris Harding who moves to a consultancy role after nearly 15 years managing the business.

Harding said: “Independence is one of the key drivers for the JPG team and it has been a great pleasure to guide the business to this next step in our internal succession planning. David has a wealth of industry experience and knows the business well and I am delighted to offer him my personal congratulations and to wish him every success for the future.”

A Chartered Structural Engineer with over 25 years’ experience within the construction and commercial property sector, Allwood joined JPG as Project Engineer in 2007. He has progressed a high achieving career within the business that includes setting up the Midlands office. He also gained significant international experience in the middle east region where he lived and worked to establish the JPG office in The Sultanate of Oman as Country Manager.

Allwood is highly experienced with a proven track record in the delivery of complex schemes from conception which include commercial, retail, leisure, education and industrial projects.

He said: “JPG has a proud heritage which spans nearly 40 years and I am thrilled to take up this new role, leading JPG into the next exciting chapter in our history. We have a fantastic business, and our can-do approach places us at the forefront in developing the built environment nationwide. I look forward to supporting the team on our continued successes.”

Established in 1988, JPG currently employs 45 people within its Leeds and Birmingham locations and provides civil and structural engineering consultancy services for clients throughout the UK. It covers all major development sectors with expertise in every aspect of civil and structural engineering from initial site investigation to detailed civil and structural engineering design and construction support. JPG also offers dedicated consultancy services in Geo-Environmental Engineering, Strategic Land Engineering, Geospatial Analysis and BIM Services.

John Edwards

A property development group in Warwickshire has named a new Non-Executive Chair to drive the next stage in its growth.

John Edwards has been appointed as Chair of the board for Warwickshire Property & Development Group (WPDG) – with previous Chair Ian Cox stepping down after three years in the role.

Edwards, who lives in Warwick, has extensive experience in urban and rural regeneration, economic development and property development.

He is the former Chief Executive of regional development agency Advantage West Midlands and Chair of the NHS Dudley Group of Hospitals. His last position was Chair of Midland Heart, one of the largest housing associations in the Midlands, a role he held for nine-years until 2023.

WPDG was launched by Warwickshire County Council in 2021 to realise the full potential of the Council’s development sites, commercial buildings and mineral rights across Warwickshire.

Edwards said: “I’m inheriting a business which is in a very good place and in a strong position to take
advantage of opportunities across Warwickshire.

“The senior team here has great ideas on how to move the business forward and the board will work with the team to realise those plans.

“We have an excellent working partnership with Warwickshire County Council, we are delivering results for the Council and that relationship will be crucial as we move forward.

“Our focus remains on delivering economic value for the county while positively contributing to the lives of people that live and work in Warwickshire.

“We will continue to develop high-quality, sustainable homes across a variety of tenures, ensuring our work benefits all areas of the county and we will be exploring more opportunities in commercial development, with the aim of creating more projects like our successful scheme in Southam.”

Outgoing Non-Executive Chair Ian Cox has overseen the launch and first three years of operations at WPDG.

The group has completed its first commercial scheme and has a pipeline of 250,000 sq ft of commercial floorspace. Its first homes are also now completed and the group has a residential pipeline of 2,200 homes being delivered directly and through its joint venture, Develop Warwickshire.

Cox added: “I’m proud of what we have achieved at WPDG over the last few years. We’ve had a strong start, however as the company continues to grow, we felt it was essential to bring someone on board with the next level of expertise.

“John brings the right skillset and mindset to carry us forward, while still retaining the company culture and collaborative ethos which has set strong foundations for WPDG’s sustainable future.”

Councillor Peter Butlin, Warwickshire County Council’s Deputy Leader and Portfolio Holder for Finance and Property, said: “I want to pass on my thanks to Ian for his valued contribution to WPDG and leading the board during its first chapter during which the business has achieved so much in such a short space of time.

“I’m delighted to welcome John whose track record and experience speaks for itself. John will be a great asset to the board as it continues to work closely with WPDG’s leadership team to deliver on its ambitious development programme.

“Through WPDG and the Develop Warwickshire joint venture we deliver on our aim to make the county an attractive place to live and do business. This isn’t just about delivering about bricks and mortar, but about all the elements that make Warwickshire a thriving place to live, work and visit.”