People: Prime Accountants Group; Anthony Collins; Fortel Group

Two directors with a combined 50 years of experience have joined the senior leadership team at award-winning West Midlands accountancy practice Prime Accountants Group.

Viv Shadbolt and Luke Edwards have been appointed by Prime, which has offices in Solihull, Birmingham and Coventry, based on their wealth of experience in the sector.

Accounts director Viv has more than 30 years of experience in audit and accounts, qualifying at an independent Birmingham firm where he first met new Prime managing director Morgan Davies.

He has been a director for 24 years and has considerable experience acting for small, medium and large companies, pension schemes, charities and owner-managed businesses.

He said: “I’m delighted to be returning to an independent practice with all the benefits it brings, both for me and the clients I look after. I started out in an independent firm, which was where I first met Morgan, and it feels like I am returning to my roots.

“It was the right time for me to move on from my last practice, which coincided with Morgan and his team looking for additional support. It’s a happy coincidence and I was in the right place at the right time!

“Prime is a really friendly firm with a family feel. Everyone is working for a common goal and aiming to simplify the complex for clients. It’s all about the client experience and doing the right thing for them.”

Director Luke has more than 20 years of experience working in audit and accounts across a diverse range of clients, specialising in providing strategic financial guidance and compliance.

After working his way up to associate director at a mid-market accounting firm, Luke has stepped up to director level in joining Prime.

He said: “After a couple of meetings with Morgan and Kevin Johns, I could tell Prime was exactly the sort of place I wanted to be. When the opportunity came along, I couldn’t turn it down.

“What really appealed to me was the way the firm looks after its staff – both in terms of the events they put on and the training they provide. Culture is a big thing for me, having a workplace which is a good place to be.

“It’s great to be part of a firm which values its people and is growing. I’m excited to be part of Prime’s growth – there’s big gaps in the market for the likes of us to move into.”

Prime’s managing director, Morgan Davies, said: “We’re delighted to be appointing two directors of the calibre of Viv and Luke to our growing team. Their combined experience and knowledge in audit and accounts will be of significant benefit to our team and our clients.”

Emma Riley

Social purpose law firm, Anthony Collins, announces a series of promotions from partners to business support roles across the firm, spanning a number of its key sectors.

19 promotions and appointments have been announced including two partners, two legal directors, two senior associates and four associates, as well as a number of appointments within the central management team.

Focused on investing in its employees, the latest promotions celebrate Emma Riley and Stuart Evans partner promotions in the projects team. Emma specialises in construction and public procurement-related disputes and investigatory work with key expertise in public and social housing. Stuart leads the planning and highways team and supports many local authority planning committees providing advice to officers and members on complex legal and member interest issues.

Stuart Evans

Adriana Klincova has been promoted to legal director. Part of the governance, funding and corporate team, Adriana advises housing associations, registered providers and charities on complex banking and funding agreements and helps them secure long term funding solutions. A further promotion has been made in the personal planning team, with Douglas Houghton also appointed to legal director. Douglas specialises in Court of Protection matters and acts as a lead deputy for around 80 clients, managing circa £70m of assets on their behalf.

Senior associate promotions include Libby Hubbard, professional services lawyer in the employment team supporting all sectors, and Zoe Mellen in the personal planning team advising on estate administration, wills and estate planning and lasting powers of attorney.

At associate level, promotions include Freya Cassia who specialises in health and safety, inquests and regulatory investigations and proceedings in the commercial litigation and regulatory team, and Khalida Qureshi in the housing litigation team, who advises clients on disrepair matters. Lauren Broderick and Abbey Jones have also been promoted to associate level. Lauren is established in the employment team working across local government and health and social care sectors, and Abbey as part of the governance, funding and corporate team specialises in mergers and acquisitions as well as other complex corporate matters.

Recognising their significant contribution to the firm, nine promotions and appointments have been made across the central management team and business support roles ranging from IT support and office services to HR and finance.

Peter Hubbard, managing partner at Anthony Collins, said: “Our people are our greatest asset and it is great to see another round of well-deserved promotions. As a firm we are dedicated to creating equal opportunities and encouraging professional development across all areas of the business. Promotions like these are testament to this commitment which is central to our ED&I strategy and focus.”

Anthony Nelson

Fortel Group, one of the UK’s leading suppliers of construction labour, has announced the appointment of Anthony Nelson as Business Development Manager. With over 20 years of experience across various sectors of the construction industry, Anthony brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise that will play a key role in Fortel’s plans to diversify its offerings.

Anthony’s career began at Winvic, where he rose through the ranks over 18 years, holding positions from trainee to project manager. His extensive experience with main contractors provided him with a deep understanding of project management and business development. Following his time at Winvic, Anthony moved to an architectural metalwork supplier, where he spent four years as Business Development Director.

Reflecting on his new role at Fortel, Anthony said: “I’m excited to be joining Fortel at a time when the company is looking to broaden its scope. Fortel has a strong reputation in concrete services, and I’m looking forward to leveraging my experience to help the company transition into turnkey projects. The potential for growth is significant, and I’m eager to be a part of it.”

In his new role, Anthony will support Fortel’s concrete services, where the company is a leading UK specialist in concrete slabs. Fortel’s comprehensive offerings include internal slabs, composite decks, structural toppings, and external yard flooring, serving diverse sectors.

Amar Sandhawalia, Chief Operating Officer at Fortel Group, expressed his confidence in Anthony’s abilities: “Anthony’s extensive background in both main contracting and subcontracting makes him the perfect candidate to lead our business development. His knowledge and leadership will be critical as we move into new areas, and we’re excited to see the impact he will have on Fortel’s future.