People: Lodders; Headlam Group; Warwickshire Property & Development Group

Midlands law firm Lodders has announced the appointment of Andrew Wylde and Dawn Oliver to its equity to drive the growth of its dispute resolution and private client services.

Dawn Oliver is an experienced private client lawyer and joined Lodders as a partner in May 2024.

Recognised as a leading individual in the West Midlands in the 2024 Legal 500 directory, Oliver works across all areas of private client law with specialisms in lifetime and estate planning.

Wylde joined Lodders in March 2021 and was promoted to partner in July 2022.

He specialises in resolving contractual and commercial disputes, shareholder disputes, and insolvency matters and is primarily based in Lodders’ Birmingham office.

Lodders’ managing partner Paul Mourton said: “We are delighted to welcome Andrew and Dawn as equity partners and recognise their efforts and the roles they play within the firm. Lodders is continuing to see a sustained growth in instructions for both our dispute resolution and private client advice and expertise and Andrew and Dawn’s promotions will be the catalyst for further growth in these core areas.

They each bring significant experience and dynamism to the senior leadership team as well as a fresh perspective. They will play a pivotal role in supporting our growth strategy and also our focus on becoming the employer of choice in an ever-competitive regional legal market.”

Oliver said: “I am delighted and honoured to be joining Lodders’ Equity. It is an exciting time for the firm, and particularly for the private client team. Ranked top tier in both the Legal 500 and the Chambers High Net Worth Guide, we are well-positioned to advise private clients across Warwickshire and the three counties of Worcestershire, Gloucestershire and Herefordshire. However, we don’t take this for granted and are continually looking for new ways to enhance our service provision. I’m looking forward to expanding our private client offering from our Cheltenham and Stratford offices, where we provide a discrete and bespoke service for all our private clients.”

Wylde said: “Becoming an equity partner represents an excellent opportunity for me to utilise my experience to help deliver the firm’s strategic growth plans. Our Dispute Resolution team has many years of experience in successfully resolving disputes, which has led to an increasing number of clients across the region seeking our advice and expertise. I look forward to leading the charge in driving the growth of our commercial dispute resolution offering and helping more businesses resolve their issues quickly and effectively.”

Birmingham-based flooring distributor, Headlam Group, has made a new appointment and two internal leadership changes as part of its ongoing customer-focused growth strategy.

James Heese joins Headlam’s executive team as chief buying officer, following the centralisation of the buying team.

Heese will provide strategic direction for all buying processes, ensuring Headlam selects the right products and suppliers for its diverse customer base.

Paul Sewell

With previous roles at Travis Perkins, Wickes, Argos, Homebase and SCS plc, Heese brings a wealth of experience to the position.

Paul Sewell has been promoted to managing director of Independent Retail, overseeing both the Mercado and Brand Independent Retail sales teams.

With years of sales and leadership experience, including roles at M&S, Virgin, and Carpetright, Sewell’s leadership will unify Headlam’s sales teams and improve service for the Group’s independent retailer community.

John Clark has been appointed transformation director, a role that reflects Headlam’s focus on increasing efficiency and effectiveness.

Clark, who has over 30 years of industry experience, moves from his previous position as managing director of Mercado Residential.

He will drive Headlam’s growth plan and ensure the company makes the right changes to meet customer needs.

Headlam CEO Chris Payne said: “We’re investing in people to remain leaders in our category. These appointments will strengthen our customer commitment and ensure we continue to deliver for our customers and suppliers. James, Paul, and John bring decades of experience, and we’re excited to see their impact in their new roles.”

A former deputy chief executive at Coventry City Council has been appointed to the board of a property and development company in Warwickshire.

Martin Yardley has been appointed as a non-executive director for Warwickshire Property & Development Group (WPDG) as the organisation expands its board.

Yardley is a former Deputy Chief Executive (Place) at Coventry City Council and was once chief executive of Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership.

A trained town planner, he joined Coventry City Council in 2007.

Martin Yardley

During his 12-year stint at the Council, he served as active chief executive, from 2016 to 2017.

Yardley now spearheads the development of the University of Warwick’s Wellesbourne Campus and has created a development strategy for the 466-acre innovation campus to maximise its potential for the University and the wider Warwickshire region.

Yardley has also advised the West Midlands Combined Authority on housing and regeneration.

He said: “I’m looking forward to using my decades’ of experience in local authorities and working with organisations across the Midlands to support WPDG in the next stage of its development. With the backing of Warwickshire County Council, this is a vehicle with fantastic potential and an exciting project to be involved with.

“WPDG is an organisation bringing significant benefits to Warwickshire, be that through new homes or important space for businesses to grow. The opportunity to join the board presents another chance to work with an organisation that seeks to make meaningful change and drive economic growth in the region.”

John Edwards, non-executive chair at WPDG said: “I am delighted that Martin is joining the board of WPDG. He is skilled in property development and has a wealth of knowledge of working across Warwickshire and the West Midlands.”

Cllr Peter Butlin, Warwickshire County Council’s deputy leader and portfolio holder for finance and property said: “It’s great to welcome Martin to the WPDG board, he brings a wealth of experience and has great insight into the property and development sector making him a great asset to the board.

“With several schemes recently given the green light, 2025 promises to be an exciting year for WPDG as it goes from strength to strength supporting the County Council’s ambition to unlock the potential in local sites and make the most of the county’s assets for the benefit of our people and communities.”