Appointments: Optare; Schofield Sweeney; Henderson; Wykeland

BUS manufacturer Optare has appointed Enrico Vassallo as CEO.
 
Mr Vassallo first joined the Leeds-based company at the beginning of September 2013 as CEO of its principal operating company Optare Group. He joins the company from FPT Industrial, the division of Fiat Industrial which develops and manufactures diesel engines, axles and transmissions for industrial applications, where he was the President responsible for the group’s operations in Latin America. Prior to that Mr Vassallo held various senior management positions in Fiat bus division, IVECO Irisbus.
 
Yorkshire based Optare is one of Britain’s leading bus makers and is 75% owned by Ashok Leyland, which is among the top five global bus producers.
 
Chairman, John Fickling, said: “I am very pleased to welcome Enrico to the board. He brings a wealth of international sales experience in the bus industry gained in several of the key markets that we are targeting as part of our strategic aim of developing a stronger export business.
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SCHOFIELD Sweeney has expanded its litigation team in Leeds with the appointment of partner Alistair Kennedy, who joins from Stewarts Law.

Mr Kennedy, who trained at Walker Morris and qualified there in 2006, specialises in commercial litigation and has dealt with a wide range of commercial disputes representing major corporates, small and medium sized businesses and individuals.

James Staton, who heads up the litigation team, said: “Alistair brings an enormous amount of knowledge and experience to Schofield Sweeney and will be a real asset to the team.

“His specialist knowledge of financial services litigation will also strengthen our offering to clients, providing a high level of expertise and experience along with a straightforward and no-nonsense approach.”

Mr Kennedy added: “I am delighted to become a partner in such a dynamic and ambitious law firm. Schofield Sweeney has an excellent reputation and I look forward to contributing to its long-term success.”
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HENDERSON Insurance Brokers has appointed Chris Midgley as senior account executive to its Hessle branch.

With over 20 years’ commercial broking experience he will be responsible for developing Henderson’s client base and promoting the independent firm’s specialist services.

Mr Midgley, who previously worked in York, said he hoped to demonstrate the superior levels of service offered by Henderson to both SMEs and larger businesses.

“A specialist commercial insurance broker can make a huge difference to a company’s performance, and at Henderson we provide a local independent service, with the backing of our national group and its experts behind us,” he said.

The Hessle branch, which is now placing in excess of £9m of premiums, has grown steadily since opening in 2004 and now employs 14 staff.
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HULL-based property development specialist, the Wykeland Group, has appointed Grant Edmondson as head of property and asset management.

Mr Edmondson, a chartered surveyor, has spent the past 17 years with national business park developer, MEPC, and the last 10 years as a director of MEPC’s Scottish business. which included Scotland’s largest business park, Hillington.

Mr Edmondson said: “This was an opportunity not to be missed. Wykeland is one of the best known and most respected companies in the UK property sector and its work, especially in the Yorkshire and Humber region, is exciting for the company and potentially very rewarding for the region in terms of inward investment and job creation.

“My new role will be to make sure Wykeland achieves the best possible performance from its portfolio.”

Wykeland’s managing director, Dominic Gibbons, added: “We are delighted that someone with Grant’s experience is strengthening the Wykeland team at a time of growth for the business. As well as overseeing the performance of our property portfolio, he will also be responsible for the marketing and delivery of our three main Humber region business parks – Europarc at Grimsby, Melton West on the A63 and our most recent business park, Bridgehead, at Hessle.”