People: Wake Smith Solicitors; Lloyds Bank; PCL; and more

Sheffield-based Wake Smith Solicitors has appointed top lawyer Joan Pettingill as a director and its new head of employment & HR services.

She is a recognised expert with over 20 year’s experience advising employers and employees across Yorkshire and beyond.

She advises on the full range of employment law and HR matters including topics such as furlough, collective issues such as redundancies, trade union and industrial action and is particularly noted for TUPE and large scale restructuring expertise.

Pettingill, who has advised clients across multiple industry sectors and has been the lead advisor on a number of high profile matters, is also very experienced in defending all types of claims in employment tribunals.

She will lead Wake Smith’s employment team including director Holly Dobson and HR manager Kelly Pashley-Handford.

Pettingill said: “I am delighted to join Wake Smith as the “Go-to” Sheffield firm with an enviable reputation for providing clients with not only top legal advice but invaluable practical guidance and support.”

Liz Shaw, head of Litigation and management board member at Wake Smith, said: “Joan is a really important hire for the employment department at Wake Smith.

“Her commercial, no-nonsense, friendly and professional approach keeps client’s objectives at the fore, while her steadfast knowledge and experience delivers winning solutions.

“With our new enhanced and combined employment law and HR service we will be able to help clients through tricky situations such as how to manage placing staff on the Government’s new extended furlough scheme, changing contracts of employment and support all kinds of sensitive HR conversations.”

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Gary Chapman

Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking has appointed two senior bankers as co-heads in the North of England for its segment that supports large corporate and institutional clients.

Gary Chapman, a director in the Industrials and Infrastructure team, and Ralph Edwards, who supports businesses in the Services sector, have taken up the roles in Lloyds Bank’s Corporate and Institutional Coverage business, which serves clients with revenues of £100m and above.

North East-based Chapman, and Edwards, who is based in Yorkshire, lead a team of almost 40 relationship managers and directors supporting businesses across the North West, Yorkshire and the North East.

Chapman joined Lloyds Bank in 2008 from BDO’s corporate finance team. Edwards moved from Barclays in 2014.

Chapman said: “The North is an incredibly diverse region, with world-class larger businesses in heritage industries like manufacturing as well as in fast-growing sectors such as tech and life sciences.

“Ralph and I will be working to ensure our clients continue to receive outstanding service and highlight Lloyds Bank’s ongoing commitment to the region.”

Ralph Edwards

Edwards added: “This is a difficult time for all businesses and we have spent the past six months focused on supporting our clients as they grapple with the challenges of Covid-19.

“Our message is simple – we’re open for business and we will do all we can to help companies through the pandemic and beyond.”

Scott Barton, corporate and institutional coverage managing director at Lloyds Bank, said: “The North of England has always been and continues to be a key region for us.

“At a critical time for the UK, we’re proud to be supporting thousands of businesses in the North and playing our part in helping Britain’s recovery as we seek to build a more resilient and sustainable economy.”

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Sheffield-based PCL, a manufacturer and supplier of tyre inflation and compressed air products, has welcomed a new area sales manager for the South of England to its team.

Steve Nolan brings extensive experience within the motor industry to his new role, having worked on key automotive accounts dealing with distributors and end users, and covering national trade shows and conferences.

He said: “There is nothing in particular on the product range that I haven’t already come across and used. I’m looking forward to understanding what the opportunities are and developing what is largely an untapped market from a PCL perspective.”

So far he has mostly introduced himself to customers remotely due to COVID-19, discovering who is working at full capacity, which companies are still on reduced operations, and where PCL can help them.

He added: “It’s still very precarious out there but the automotive industry is quite steady.

“The key is to listen to customers and ask questions to assess whether they can take on board special projects and what PCL can do to assist.

“Joining PCL in the middle of a pandemic is strange and exciting at the same time, and I’m extremely happy to be able to encourage distributors to look in new directions, such as extending their product base for end users or diversifying their market during these trying times.”

Sales director, Lee Wright, said: “PCL has been in the fortunate position of operating throughout the pandemic and we are delighted to have Steve on board to bring focus and strategy to the Southern region.

“His experience in account management and customer relations, coupled with his expertise in sales and marketing, means our customers will have even greater access to excellent, hands-on support in their local area.”

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Leeds-based Avid Insurance Services Ltd has announced a number of internal promotions in its underwriting team as it continues to build its underwriting and technical expertise.

John Inwood is to become underwriting director (previously commercial development director), while recent appointment Mike Patchett will be head of specialty, reporting into Inwood.

Meanwhile, Dan Baldwin is promoted to head of travel and Lee Longley head of commercial.

Both will also report into Inwood, who said: “We want Avid to be synonymous for its technical performance and underwriting excellence. This is the heart of our MGA offering and we intend to continue to build out this core strength.

“Dan and Lee are highly data-driven underwriters and experts in their sectors.

“Their promotion, sitting alongside Mike Patchett heading our specialty practice, further strengthens our ability to provide innovative solutions for our brokers and underwriting profit for our Insurer partners.”

Avid, a managing general agent (MGA) which is majority owned by Beech Tree Private Equity, specialises in social housing, council leasehold markets and travel.

Inwood said: “We are keen to talk to other underwriters in order to add niche specialisms to the Avid portfolio and who want to be part of an MGA that is intent on growth and champions great underwriting as a means of delivering that growth.”