Financial appointments: Co-op, Brewin Dolphin and PwC

Co-operative Bank strengthens Birmingham team with two new appointments

THE Co-operative Bank has promoted Martyn Shakespear to Regional Business Development Manager for its Midlands Corporate Banking Region, responsible for its team of business development managers across the West and East Midlands plus South Yorkshire. Mr Shakespear, left, has been with the bank for more than three years. He previously held regional and area managerial positions at two other banks and has been in banking for 28 years. He said: “I’m delighted to have been given the opportunity to lead and work with a dynamic and energetic team of business development managers across the region at a time when the bank is very much open for quality business on the back of a consistent approach where we have not encountered some of the problems experienced by our competitors.”

The second appointment sees Richard Hornsey, left, made Senior Business Development Manager. He will be based at the bank’s Birmingham Corporate Banking Centre. Mr Hornsey has more than 25 years banking experience, the past seven of which have been in and around Birmingham and the Black Country. He said: “The Co-operative Bank is well positioned to continue to grow and I am looking forward to working with businesses and professionals in Birmingham and across the West Midlands.”

Brewin Dolphin scoops major award

INVESTMENT manager Brewin Dolphin, which has an office in Birmingham, has been named Citywire Large Firm Adviser of the Year for 2010. The award was voted for by independent financial advisers (IFAs) throughout the UK, who rated firms for both service and performance. Stephen Jones, left, Head of Brewin Dolphin in Birmingham said, “This is a tremendous achievement for Brewin Dolphin. To be recognised by other professional advisers endorses the high levels of service and commitment we continually strive to offer.” Brewin Dolphin manages £23bn of funds for over 130,000 private clients and of this over £13bn is on a discretionary basis. The group has 41 offices throughout the UK and Channel Islands and Brewin Dolphin Corporate Advisory and Broking is adviser to 90 SME quoted companies and institutions.

PwC strengthens business modelling team

PwC in the Midlands has appointed Dan Stott to head its business modelling team in the region. He said: “Since 2008, many businesses have been understandably focused on short term issues but they now need to look forward and in particular gear up for growth and optimise cash flow. However, the recent Government spending review and the continued grip on lending by the banks shows that there may still be challenges ahead. “We help management teams understand the impact of their decisions before they make them and quantify the risks.  It’s about providing insight into an organisation’s performance and answering the ‘what if’ questions.” Mark Smith, regional chairman at PwC in the Midlands, added: “Dan’s expertise in business modelling is highly valuable to local companies as they start to think ahead and contemplate how measures such as the public sector cuts will affect their prospects.”