Board changes at AFH Financial

AFH Financial Group has appointed Paul Wright as its Chief Financial Officer, with Sue Lewis joining the company as a non-executive director.

Wright  qualified  as  a chartered accountant with KPMG in London, before moving into the wholesale  Financial Services sector with Exco International, where he spent 10 years working in London and Asia Pacific.

Since 1995 he has  been group  CFO  of  a  number  of  UK listed companies, including several technology companies  serving  the  UK Financial  markets.  Most  recently,  he  was instrumental  in  securing  the  MBO  of  Workplace  Systems International, an AIM-listed company.

Ms Lewis is  a  senior partner at law firm, Eversheds. She is an experienced commercial solicitor with  an  extensive track record of delivering complex, high value merger and acquisition  transactions,  as well as advising at board level on legal and strategic issues.

In  addition  to  these  appointments, Toby Denne, who has  been  a  non-executive director  of the business since  its flotation in 2011, has become an Executive Director and  the  company’s  Chief Investment Officer (CIO), responsible for the investment management activities at AFH.

John  Wheatley, who has been the Bromsgrove company’s Finance Director since its IPO, has become non-executive chairman.

Commenting on the appointments, Alan Hudson, AFH chief executive, said: “We are delighted to announce these changes to the board and believe they will have a positive impact on the company’s progression. Paul and Sue join AFH with demonstrable track records in their respective fields  and I very much look forward to working alongside them as AFH continues to take advantage of a post-RDR world.”

Quartet of board appointments at BHSF Group

FOUR board changes have been announced by Midlands-based BHSF Group, the parent company of BHSF’s health insurance, insurance broking, occupational health and employee benefits businesses.

The changes, which take immediate effect, see Geoff Guerin, who joined BHSF in 2006 on its Graduate Programme, become Group Business Improvement and Quality Director.  He is also Deputy President of the Birmingham Insurance Institute.

In addition, David Nuttall, pictured, who has been a director of BHSF’s operating company boards since 2008, having joined BHSF in 2001 on its acquisition of The Health Scheme, become Group HR and Insurance Operations Director.

Mike Sims, who has been involved in BHSF’s IT developments for over 30 years, firstly via his own consultancy business and since 2003 when he joined BHSF and subsequently became a director of its operating businesses, joins the board as Group IS and Insurance Technical Director.

Finally, Charlotte Taylor, who is Company Secretary of all the BHSF companies and has been a director of the subsidiary businesses since 2012, is now a member of the group board.

Peter Maskell, Group Chief Executive, said: “As we accelerate our growth plans, the board has taken the opportunity to strengthen its position with the appointment of four extraordinarily-capable people.”

Santander strengthens relationship team in Wolverhampton

SANTANDER Corporate & Commercial has strengthened its relationship banking team in Wolverhampton with the appointment of three new Relationship Directors – Louise Guise, Stuart Kelly and Diana Snee-Spink.
 
Based at the Corporate Business Centre on Wolverhampton Business Park, Kelly and Ms Guise will specialise in working with local businesses with an annual turnover of between £2.5m and £50m and will be responsible for building new customer relationships as the bank looks to expand further into the region.

Ms Snee-Spink will focus on businesses with an annual turnover of between £250,000 and £2.5m.

They join a 15-strong team in Wolverhampton including sector and product specialists in manufacturing, international business, asset-based lending and cash management.
 
Ms Guise joins Santander from Lloyds Banking Group while Kelly previously worked for Bank of Ireland. Both of them have over 10 years’ experience supporting SMEs in the region, while Ms Snee-Spink has been with Santander since 2011.