People: New hire to lead investment management team; Appointment at listed software firm; Solicitor promoted to director; and more

Redmayne Bentley has welcomed new investment management department manager Alison Hughes.

She brings more than a decade’s worth of project management, performance and risk analysis experience to the investment management and stockbroking firm.

She joins Redmayne Bentley’s Leeds office, heading the investment management team based in Bond Court. She said: “It’s a very interesting and exciting time for the firm and I’m looking forward to supporting Redmayne Bentley to develop and improve its proposition for the future.”

After graduating from the University of Derby with a degree in Accounting and Computer Information systems, Hughes undertook performance and risk analysis roles at BNY Mellon in Leeds.

She moved on to pension specialist Xafinity, which rebranded to XPS Pensions Group in 2018. She began her time there as an investment analyst before becoming an investment consultant, focusing on improving processes within the firm.

Director-head of Investment Management, James Andrews, said: “I’m delighted to welcome someone of Alison’s calibre to the firm as we continue on our growth strategy.

“As a Chartered Financial Analyst with a depth of institutional investment experience, she will add further expertise to our team and help drive the growth in both private client but also our pension fund, trust and charity offerings.”

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Softcat, a listed provider of IT infrastructure products and services, has appointed Karen Slatford as an independent non-executive director.

The firm, which has a base in Leeds, says Slatford is a seasoned senior figure in the technology sector, having pursued a global career spanning four decades and encompassing a wide range of technology company roles.

She began her career at ICL, before spending 20 years in Hewlett Packard, where she headed worldwide sales and marketing.

She has held a variety of roles at Board level since 2001. Currently, she serves as senior independent non-executive director at Micro Focus International: a Board she joined in 2010, and where she is chair of the Nomination Committee and a member of the Remuneration and Audit Committees.

She also serves as chair of Draper Esprit, an AIM-listed venture fund, and is senior independent non-executive director of accesso technology group: a Board she joined in 2016 and where she is chair of the Remuneration Committee.

Her Softcat appointment will become effective from 5 December 2019 and she will serve as chair of the Board’s Remuneration Committee and as senior independent non-executive director of the company.

Martin Hellawell, non-executive chairman of Softcat, said: “I am extremely pleased that Karen has agreed to join our Board and to serve as our senior independent non-executive director.

“Karen knows both the UK and global technology sector inside-out and has a tremendous amount of experience in public company governance, which we welcome.

“All of us at Softcat look forward to working with her and taking advantage of her unique perspective as we push ahead with our proven strategy for growth.”

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Yorkshire-based legal firm Switalskis Solicitors has promoted solicitor and head of new build, Richard Wisnia, to director.

Wisnia’s promotion is part of the firm’s ongoing strategy to support the development of staff and harness talent in order to support future growth. He is now one of two directors in Switalskis’ Conveyancing Department and heads the New Build Conveyancing Team.

Wisnia, who joined the conveyancing department at Switalskis Solicitors in September 2014, has more than 16 years’ experience working as a lawyer in Yorkshire.

He established the firm’s New Build conveyancing department from scratch and has created a strong team and proposition for it within the business.

The department now includes seven employees and continues to build on its strong relationships with major national and regional housebuilders and to enjoy a strong market share.

Sarah Cookson, Switalskis Solicitors’ head of conveyancing, said: “Richard is an exceptional solicitor and has built a strong and successful team in this niche area of conveyancing.

“His promotion to director is an important step and gives the department additional strength in terms of strategic input, which will give us excellent traction in a challenging marketplace.”

Wisnia said: “I’m absolutely thrilled with the recognition and support shown to me by the firm during my time at Switalskis. The New Build team now has an outstanding reputation in its field, and the focus will be on enhancing our market position further, which my new role will facilitate.

“The purchase of a new property is a unique conveyancing experience, with much tighter time scales and corporate sellers.

“This process may not be familiar to purchasers, even those who already own their own homes. Ensuring that a buyer appoints a genuine expert in the field is the first step towards navigating this process with the backing of legal representation of the highest calibre.

“Providing excellence in legal services is at the heart of everything we do at Switalskis, and the New Build team will continue to demonstrate that ethos.”

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Financial services broker, Midlands Asset Finance (MAF), has increased its coverage in the north with the appointment of a new director of asset finance.

Based in York, James Dutton will be responsible for overseeing the development of customer relationships and building out a new team of relationship managers in the region, as MAF continue its strong growth.

Joining from Santander, where he spent six years as Director of Asset Finance, Dutton has also previously worked for Barclays Bank and was at Yorkshire Bank for 15 years prior to that.

He is the latest MAF recruit of 2019, which has seen the business’s headcount grow to 38 – up from 27 at the end of 2018.

Outside of work, he enjoys coaching junior football with his two children and mountain biking with his family.

On joining MAF, he said: “In my 25 plus years of working in asset finance, I’ve learned that when a business is focused on delivering the best solution to their customers, success will follow.

“From my first visit to MAF, it has been clear to me that every single director and employee – no matter what their role – has the customer at the centre of everything that they do.

“I am looking forward to helping existing contacts and broadening MAF’s customer base as I expand the team in the north.”

MAF director, Sue Chapman, added: “We are delighted to announce the appointment of James to MAF.

“He has a distinguished career in asset finance, and as regional director for the north of England, he will be building out a team who will be supporting SME and corporate businesses to help them meet their investment plant objectives.”