People: Recognise Bank; Connexus; Fieldfisher
Recognise Bank has appointed Luke Beirne as a business development manager for the Midlands region.
In his new role, based in Birmingham, Beirne will support businesses and property investors building on Recognise’s existing broker relationships whilst also driving new lending opportunities and enabling new partnerships to be established.
He brings with him extensive experience as a property lender, with previous positions at Lloyds, Aldermore and more recently, Ashman Finance.
His career covers more than two decades in the financial services industry across commercial and residential lending, including providing commercial mortgages of up to £25m.
Beirne said: “I’m very excited to be joining the business development team at Recognise Bank and supporting their growth strategy for 2025 in the Midlands and beyond. I’ve often been impressed by Recognise’s commitment to flexible, personalised services for their lending customers and the existing strong broker relationships they have been able to cultivate. This is why I’m looking forward to building upon the great work already accomplished by working with our customers and partners alike to deliver tailored lending solutions.”
Caroline Luxmore, chief commercial officer said: “We are delighted to welcome Luke to the team. I am fortunate to have worked with Luke before and can speak confidently of his industry knowledge and experience, which will be crucial as we extend our lending presence across the UK. I’m sure he will play an instrumental role in driving our success in 2025 and beyond as part of the lending team.”
Rural housing association Connexus has welcomed two directors to its new-look executive team.
James Taylor has become the organisation’s new finance director, with Nick Batt appointed as director of communities and customer service.
Taylor joined in January 2024 as head of finance and procurement, playing a key role in securing £100m of funding towards the end of last year.
In his new role, he will oversee Connexus’ long-term financial planning as well as lead procurement, development and several other support functions.
Prior to joining Connexus, Taylor worked in housing, retail and financial services in the North West of England.
Nick Batt joins Connexus from Pobl Group – Wales’ largest social landlord and provider of care, support and other accommodation services across South Wales.
Before joining Pobl, Batt worked in customer-focused roles with organisations primarily in the technology sector, after nearly a decade in financial services. Nick will oversee housing, support and customer services.
Taylor said: “I’ve enjoyed my time with Connexus since joining and I’m delighted to have been appointed to the role of finance director. Following a successful funding round last year, I’m looking forward to working with our board, executive leadership team and colleagues to maximise the impact of this investment, delivering new rural affordable housing, service improvements and operational
efficiencies across Shropshire and Herefordshire. “
Batt said: “I’ve been impressed with the ambition at Connexus and their clear commitment to supporting rural customers and communities. With the sector under pressure, both from an economic and regulatory perspective, I’m confident we can navigate these challenges with a real focus on our customers and what matters most to them. I’m excited to join the executive leadership team as we steer the organisation through an ambitious period of transformation.”
Kate Smith, Connexus chief executive said: “I’m pleased to welcome James and Nick onto the executive leadership team at Connexus. Both are proven leaders, and their expertise will be invaluable as we embark on delivering a new corporate plan this spring. Developed alongside our customers, the plan will improve services, deliver new affordable homes and help us become a leading voice for rural affordable housing.”
Law firm Fieldfisher has appointed Victoria Bentley as a partner in its intellectual property practice, establishing a core team in the firm’s Birmingham office.
She joins from Shoosmiths bringing over 20 years of experience in IP litigation, particularly in software and emerging technologies.
With a background in software development, Bentley has a deep understanding of technology-related IP issues.
Victoria Bentley
She has led high-profile copyright and patent cases, including one of the largest UK patent actions for a major US tech company.
Fluent in German, she will also collaborate with Fieldfisher’s international offices.
Originally from the Midlands, Bentley returned to Birmingham early in her legal career and has since played a key role in regional health innovation projects.
Bentley said: “Being from Birmingham means that I know firsthand just how
much opportunity and talent there is in the region. The Midlands has strong links across Europe, and Fieldfisher’s international platform will enable me to continue to handle multi-jurisdictional disputes effectively and develop our market-leading reputation in this area.
“I look forward to collaborating with my colleagues from the region, and across the firm’s international network as clients continue to grapple with IP issues including increasingly in emerging technology.”
Recently named one of the “Top 10 Influential IP Lawyers in the Midlands,” she will focus on supporting clients in IP disputes and expanding Fieldfisher’s Midlands presence.
Ranjit Dhindsa, Birmingham office leader said: “As Fieldfisher continues to grow its
offering in Birmingham, establishing new practices and services is key. Victoria will lead the creation of our IP offering in the region, and her hire will support us in delivering our specialist litigation strategy, as well as exceptional services to our clients.”
