People: Unity Trust Bank; Switch Management; Lodders

Unity Trust Bank has announced the appointment of Joshua Meek as its new Chief Impact Officer.

Meek’s appointment to Chief Impact Officer will see him strengthen Unity’s ‘double bottom line’ strategy, which looks to maximise positive outcomes for people and planet alongside financial returns.

As part of this, he is spearheading the development of Unity’s ‘theory of change’ in partnership with New Philanthropy Capital (NPC), to create a roadmap that will shape activity across the bank in alignment with its mission to create a better society.

Previously Head of Impact and Sustainability at Unity, Meek has already played a key role in developing the bank’s impact strategy. Under his leadership, Unity was an early adopter of the Impact Management Platform’s ‘ABC Impact Classification’ system, which provides greater transparency on the types of impact delivered by its lending, and it was one of the first to purchase retrofit credits through the Housing Associations’ Charitable Trust (HACT) ‘Retrofit Credits’ programme.

Meek said: “As Chief Impact Officer, I look forward to working with my colleagues to continue developing Unity’s proposition to be the bank of choice for socially-conscious organisations across the UK.

“In this role, I will work together with our leadership team, colleagues, customers and partners to maximise the positive impact we can create for people and for the planet. This will be achieved through our actions as a business, but also through our strong commitment to support all of our customers in their own sustainability journey.

“A key component of this is ensuring we support our customers in an inclusive approach to the transition to net zero by 2050. As an ethical bank, we want to help our customers access the support and guidance they need to embark on a transition pathway to net zero emissions and build resilience for the future impacts of climate change. This will be critical to supporting our customers to continue delivering positive outcomes in their communities.”

Unity Trust Bank is a proud member of the Global Alliance for Banking on Values (GABV), a network of independent banks committed to delivering sustainable economic, social and environmental development and sharing best practice.

Meek adds: “At Unity, we take a proactive approach to impact management to ensure transparency and accountability of our work and to learn and improve the outcomes we support. As CIO, I want to ensure that we help drive forward a culture of delivering meaningful outcomes with our customers.”

Colin Fyfe, CEO at Unity Trust Bank, said: “Joshua’s appointment reflects the way we continue to not only invest in our products and services, but also to evolve our internal strategies to ensure that impact remains at the heart of everything we do.

“Joshua’s proven expertise and deep understanding, as well as his strong personal motivation to enact tangible change in the sector, will be invaluable in driving forward our commitment to enabling positive social, economic and environmental impact through responsible banking.

“With our relationship-led banking model, we’re here to support our customers in making a positive difference through their operations and in their communities, and I’m proud that Unity continues to lead the way in delivering business banking with a social conscience.”

Sigita Pjampite

Birmingham-based consultancy and asset management company, Switch Management Ltd, has strengthened its senior team with the appointment of Sigita Pjampite as Regional Director of Sales.

Pjampite brings over 10 years of experience in hospitality and sales and has held positions at leading UK hotel groups including Hilton Hotels & Resorts and Marriott Hotel.

Pjampite’s most recent role was as Sales Manager at Unique Venues Birmingham, where she managed distinctive event spaces across the city, including the Library of Birmingham and The Rep, honing her skills in proactive sales and business development.

In her new position, Pjampite will focus on driving sales across the business’ expanding asset portfolio, including its flagship luxury hotel Park Regis Birmingham and the recently opened aparthotel Birmingham, which has been recognised as one of the city’s most sustainable commercial developments.

At Park Regis, Pjampite will look to strengthen the hotel’s award-winning meetings and events provision, maximising opportunities with both new and existing clients and driving awareness of Switch’s ‘gold standard’ services.

Pjampite will also manage and support a team of regional sales managers, each with their own areas of focus, to help drive forward continued company growth.

Pjampite said: “Joining the team at Switch Management is a significant moment in my career. Switch is a dynamic and fast-moving business, and I’m thrilled to be taking on this new challenge during such an exciting period of growth. My priority is to showcase the strengths of Switch’s asset portfolio to help accelerate new business opportunities, and I look forward to bringing my sector knowledge and expertise to the role.

“I was drawn to Switch’s strong commitment to investing in its team and nurturing talent within the company. I value that the business empowers its people to deliver their best and, in turn, the team delivers the gold standard of service that Switch has become known for.”

John Angus, Managing Director at Switch Management, said: “We’re delighted to further strengthen our sales team with the appointment of Sigita, who brings a wealth of hospitality experience to the role. Following the successful launch of aparthotel Birmingham this year, and as the business continues to diversify and bring its service excellence to new sectors, our investment in new talent is crucial in helping us achieve our ambitious growth plans.”

Kate McCann, Tracey Obiakor, and Megan Murray-Carter

Midlands law firm Lodders has appointed three new trainee solicitors as part of its ongoing commitment to growing talent from within the firm.

Tracey Obiakor, Megan Murray-Carter, and Kate McCann all join Lodders’ training programme which consists of qualifying work experience across four different six-month seats. Alongside this, the trainees will study for the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) parts 1 and 2 through the University of Law.

Having graduated with an LLB Law with Criminology degree from the University of Leicester, Tracey Obiakor joins Lodders as a trainee solicitor with her first seat in the Family Law team.

Megan Murray-Carter joins the firm having graduated with a History degree and completed a Masters in Modern History at the University of Warwick. She is beginning her contract with Lodders’ Dispute Resolution team.

Kate McCann, who graduated from the University of York with a degree in English Literature, is currently working in the firm’s top-ranking Real Estate team.

Speaking about the new recruits, Lodders’ people and culture director Grace Walton, says: “We are pleased to welcome Tracey, Megan, and Kate to the firm. Recruiting trainees is central to our talent strategy at Lodders. As a firm, we are passionate about growing our own talent, providing individuals with access to a high-quality, comprehensive training experience that allows them to develop their skills and identify where their key interests lie. Lodders continues to grow and supporting and developing the next generation of legal professionals remains a key part of this journey.”