People: New CEO for global tech and language services firm; Partner appointed to law firm’s commercial dispute resolution team; Senior surveyor appointed; and more
Leeds headquartered technology and language services business thebigword group has confirmed the appointment of Joshua Gould as group CEO.
The company’s founder and chairman, Larry Gould, confirmed the news, saying: “2020 will be the 40th year since I founded the company and now is the time I believe to pass on the day-to-day running to the next generation.
“The growth opportunities for thebigword are remarkable and I am eager to find out what the next 40 years holds for the business.”
Realising that technology would be a key component of the future of the language industry, Larry Gould invested in the development of state-of–the art language service technology. The investment has been invaluable and in the last year, the Group has seen its highest ever revenue result.
To accelerate future growth, the company recently opened a new operations centre in Pune, India, as well as a Technology Centre of Excellence in Hyderabad.
Joshua Gould has worked in thebigword Group for over 15 years and two years ago, was appointed CEO of the group subsidiary, TBW Global.
TBW Global offers a range of mission-critical services that ensure defence and security organisations around the globe can scale their operations and achieve their objectives. During his two years at the helm, the company has grown by 61%, delivering excellent profits.
Joshua Gould said: “I am incredibly excited about the opportunity to lead thebigword through its next stage of expansion.
“Having worked in the company for over 15 years, I understand the industry and our clients and will ensure thebigword delivers on its robust growth strategy.”
It has been a year of recognition for thebigword and the Gould family. Joshua was named one of the top 20 CEO’s to watch in the USA, whilst Larry was awarded the Eichner Award, recognising his distinguished contribution to the language industry.
thebigword Group was also named ‘National Winner’ in the 2019 European Business Awards, one of the world’s largest business competitions.
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Leeds-based UK top 200 law firm, Shulmans, has strengthened its offering with the appointment of a leading regional lawyer as a partner within its Commercial Dispute Resolution team.
With almost 20 years’ experience, Emma Digby is a highly-regarded commercial litigator and is recognised in the Legal 500 for her corporate and dispute work.
She has joined Shulmans with plenty of legal and commercial expertise. She has over 12 years of law firm management experience, having been in a partnership for eight years, and also previously founded her own commercial firm.
She was formerly a director of an import business – a role that she undertook alongside her legal interests. This real-world experience means she is well-placed to advise on the commercial undertakings of clients as she understands the realities of running a business.
Digby has a reputation as a keen negotiator and has an ethos that centres on delivering outstanding results. She acts for a diverse client base and has particular expertise in the manufacturing, commodities and professional services sectors.
She has extensive commercial litigation experience, including director-shareholder-partnership disputes; derivative actions; contractual disputes; risk management; import/export matters; director breaches of duties; FCA investigations; and freezing injunctions.
Digby is also a trustee of the Include Foundation, a charity which delivers sporting activities in schools throughout South Yorkshire and North Derbyshire. The Foundation encourages and inspires children to be more active and live healthier lives.
Tim Halstead, managing partner at Shulmans, said: “Our Commercial Dispute Resolution team has built an excellent reputation over many years and we are delighted to welcome someone of Emma’s calibre. Emma’s profile within the region will provide great support to a team that is well known for successfully preventing and managing disputes.”
Digby added: “I am thrilled to be joining Shulmans. The culture of the firm has been evident since my initial meeting with the team. Since starting in my role it has become apparent that the firm truly practices what it preaches in terms of supporting colleagues through their development and delivering client excellence.
“It is a very exciting time to have joined and I am delighted to be part of the team as the firm continues to invest and grow.”
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Cushman & Wakefield has expanded its Valuation team in Leeds with the appointment of senior surveyor, Charles Metcalfe.
Metcalfe joins Cushman & Wakefield from Carter Jonas in Leeds, where he spent the last three and a half years in the commercial valuation team gaining experience across a variety of asset classes on behalf of banks and developers.
In his new role, he will specialise in commercial and residential valuation and advisory work to help grow and expand the Leeds office’s valuation team. The role will predominantly involve working for bank, local authority and developer clients producing valuations and development appraisals for core commercial and residential asset types.
In addition to his appointment, residential valuation specialist, Aimee Howard has been promoted to senior surveyor.
James Milner, head of northern valuation & advisory at Cushman & Wakefield, said: “Charles’s appointment demonstrates the continued expansion and ambition of the Leeds Valuation & Advisory department which now extends to a team of eleven and has a number of key, high profile valuation clients.”
Earlier this year, Cushman & Wakefield was named No 1 in the World in Euromoney’s 2019 Real Estate Survey for its Property Valuation and Research efforts for the second consecutive year.
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The Flexible Space Association (FlexSA), the UK’s flexible workspace trade body, has announced the appointment of long-standing board member Freya Cross, head of business & corporate at The Deep, to the role of chairman.
She is one of three changes to the Board.
Cross has spent the last 20 years of her career at The Deep, the internationally-acclaimed aquarium in Hull where, as head of business & corporate, she is responsible for The Deep Business Centre and for the smooth running of a wide variety of events hosted by the tourist attraction.
She returned to the association’s Board in 2015 having previously served from 2004 to 2006. She has been a standard-bearer for the independent business centres in the flexible workspace sector and has a 30-year track record of helping to develop regional business in Hull and East Yorkshire.
Since 2001, The Deep Business Centre has supported over 140 fledgling businesses, and the facilities at The Deep have hosted many corporate and social events as well as major public occasions including the Olympic Torch Relay and the live draw of the Third Round of the FA Cup.
In the wider Hull and East Yorkshire business community, Cross took the lead in setting up a group of business centres as a means of communicating best practice in the industry and encouraging people to work together.
Her appointment comes following the current chair Andrew Butterworth’s decision to step down after three years in post. Drawing on his experience as commercial director at Bruntwood, a company operating within the flexible workspace industry with more than £1bn in assets under ownership, Butterworth has provided leadership and direction to the association during the period he has served. He will remain a valued member of the FlexSA board.
Cross said: “Having spent many years on and off the association’s board I am delighted to have been appointed to the role of chair. I am looking forward to getting to work and ensuring FlexSA remains the leading voice for the flexible workspace sector in the UK.
“As an independent provider at The Deep Business Centre, the association provided me with crucial information and insights on a range of matters relating to the operation of successful business centre.
“The shape of the industry is changing, the property market is changing and the office environment itself is changing. Moving forward, FlexSA will focus on the continuing growth of its membership and giving voice to the issues the membership is most concerned with.”
The Board has also recently welcomed Richard McVay, vice president for operations in the UK and Ireland for IWG, the world’s biggest flexible workspace provider.
McVay’s appointment continues the trend of flexible workspace providers, large and small, being represented on the Board, ensuring a range of perspectives are considered when key industry issues are discussed.
Jane Sartin, executive director of FlexSA, said: “The new appointments will ensure FlexSA is at the forefront of representing the industry across the UK. Freya is an extremely experienced flexible workspace provider, bringing her wealth of knowledge to the important role of Chairman.
“We are also pleased to welcome Richard McVay of IWG to the Board, ensuring we retain a balance of perspectives from the largest to the smallest operators in the marketplace.
“I would like to thank Andrew Butterworth who has served as chairman of FlexSA for over three years and has supported me through my first year as executive director. I am pleased he remains on the Board so we can continue to benefit from his insight and experience.”
