Springboard in partner recruitment

CORPORATE finance advisory firm Springboard Corporate Finance has brought in Simon Ward as a partner.

Ward is a well-known figure in the corporate finance market across the Midlands through his time with PwC, Catalyst, RBS, ISIS and, most recently, leading the Birmingham-based office of SME- focused venture capitalist EV Group.

He said: “I am delighted to be joining Springboard at an important time in the continued growth of the business. I have been impressed with the quality and professionalism of Justin Sparks and David Neate and am looking forward to working alongside them. 

“I believe my blend of investment and advisory skills means I am well placed to offer high quality advice to management teams, entrepreneurs and business owners.”

New faces on the Tipton board

THE Tipton & Coseley Building Society has appointed two non-executive directors to its board.

Sara Shepherd, a partner at Brierley Hill-based law firm Higgs & Sons, who specialises in property law, and Andrew Higgins, a chartered accountant with a background in audit and advisory services (both pictured left), will help direct the business, develop and monitor strategy, review the performance of the management team and oversee compliance with regulatory and statutory requirements.

Chris Martin, the society’s chief executive, said: “Sara and Andrew will play an instrumental part in the on-going development of the Tipton – a society with assets approaching £400m. They have both carved out successful careers and we are delighted to have two people of their calibre on board.”

Aon appoints branch director for Birmingham

STUART Hutchings has been appointed as branch director for Aon Risk Solutions’ Birmingham office. 

He was previously responsible for leading the Bristol office and has worked at Aon for the last ten years of a 28 year career in insurance. 

Craig Preston, area director, said: “Stuart has a proven track record of delivering excellence and value to our clients. It is an illustration of Aon’s depth of talent that we are able to make such a crucial appointment from within. 

“Stuart already works on a number of the area’s key accounts and his in-depth knowledge and understanding of both insurer and client needs ensures that we are able to continue to help and support the region’s business community.”