People: Rollits; Able Group; Fishtank Agency; and more

Law firm Rollits LLP has promoted of one of its specialist employment lawyers to partner.

Caroline Neadley, who lives in Hessle and joined the firm in October 2017, steps up from the role of associate having performed exceptionally well and contributed to all aspects of the employment team’s success.

She started her career in 2002 and spent 11 years in private practice, specialising in employment law before joining the legal department at Humberside Police in 2013 as its in-house employment law solicitor.

Her duties included advising the chief constables as part of a 10-strong team of lawyers covering the Humber region and South Yorkshire in a collaboration between both forces.

Neadley was promoted to the position of deputy force solicitor, before making the decision to return to the private sector with Rollits.

Since joining she has worked across the firm’s Hull and York offices dealing with all aspects of employment law including discrimination, unfair dismissal, TUPE, employment tribunal claims, settlement agreements, contracts of employment and senior executive service agreements.

Within the firm, along with head of HR, Linda Cook, Neadley leads the Employee Forum. The group spearheads the firm’s initiative on employee engagement and staff wellbeing.

Ed Jenneson, head of employment at Rollits, said: “Caroline has gained significant experience in a number of different sectors during her career and developed a unique understanding of both the public and private sector business landscape including education, not-for-profit and manufacturing.

“At a time when the employment team’s workload has been complex and demanding she has continued to be a real asset to the firm, her colleagues and our clients.”

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Able Group, which operates in the renewable energy, property development and marine decommissioning sectors, has further strengthened its senior management team by appointing Steven Harrison as group managing director.

Able Group founder and executive chairman, Peter Stephenson, said: “Mr Harrison’s appointment comes at a hugely important and pivotal time for our business.

“Both of our key facilities on the Tees and the Humber are playing central roles in delivering the Government’s ambition for the UK to become the world leader in developing the offshore wind sector.”

Harrison has held key posts in ports and mining businesses, including chief operating officer at the Port of Tyne in Newcastle, managing director of Durham-based Banks Mining, and most recently overseeing Associated British Ports business in South Wales and the South West of England.

Stephenson added: “We are delighted that a senior business leader with such a track strong record of delivering success and growth in major companies will now be playing a key role in building on the success that we have achieved for many years across a range of challenging industrial sectors.

“Already we are at the cutting edge of offshore wind developments, with Able Seaton Port providing the installation facilities for five offshore wind farms including Triton Knoll and Dogger Bank.

“Crucially, we are now poised to move ahead with the development of the Able Marine Energy Park (AMEP) on the South Bank of the Humber which has been selected for support under the Government’s Offshore Wind Manufacturing Investment Scheme.”

Harrison said: “The Able Group has always demonstrated an impressive ability to innovate and exploit new business opportunities and this is exactly the approach we need as we meet the extensive challenges and needs of these new and exciting business sectors.

“As someone who has spent much of my working life in the North East, I am delighted to have the opportunity to play a part in ensuring the Able Group continues to move forward as one of the region’s real success stories – not least in playing its part in delivering the climate change agenda.”

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Following a series of contract wins, Mirfield-based integrated digital marketing specialist, Fishtank Agency, has recruited three new employees to its creative team.

To support the ongoing demand for creative services, joining the agency are junior visual designer, Niamh Byron, junior graphic designer, Georgia Rae Dean and digital marketing apprentice, Katie Lewendon.

Byron, a graduate of The University of Huddersfield and Rae Dean, a graduate of Lancaster University, will play a vital role in developing and implementing client branding concepts and creative content.

Lewendon, a graduate of the University of Leeds, joins as the team’s first digital marketing apprentice. Her role will support the senior team and encompass content creation, market research and project management.

The trio’s appointment follows a series of client wins, including Storm Internet, ADS Ltd and Crocodile Products, growing the firm’s manufacturing and tech portfolio.

As the Yorkshire-based agency continues to grow, Fishtank Agency is on track to increase profit by 20% during the 2021/22 financial year and to recruit a total of five new members of staff.

Damien Fisher, founder and managing director at the agency, said: “I’m delighted to have such determined and prolific talent join the tank.

“The energy, imagination and dedication Niamh, Georgia and Katie bring is invaluable. The first half of 2021 has proved to be a positive year for us, having added some fantastic contracts to our portfolio. We are excited to see what the future holds.”

Byron added: “Although I’ve not been with the team long, I have already worked with companies like Britvic and Chelsea Beds and love being in the studio with such an innovative team. It’s inspiring. I can’t wait to see what the team does next.”

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Opus Business Advisory Group has expanded its Restructuring & Insolvency division in Yorkshire with the recruitment of Emma Mifsud as a senior manager.

Mifsud, a qualified insolvency practitioner, will support partner Mark Ranson in the growth of the firm’s office in Leeds and in the delivery of restructuring and insolvency assignments.

Opus provides restructuring & insolvency, corporate finance, forensic and other allied specialties from each office within its 11 strong UK office network.

Ranson said: “I am delighted that Emma Mifsud has joined the Opus team in Yorkshire. With the current significant support from Government, funders and others many businesses have been able to survive the pandemic.

“But much of that support has created further loans within businesses, and the repayment of those liabilities will ramp up during 2021.

“Taking early advice will be key for all stakeholders. With Emma’s expert assistance I expect we will deliver solutions to stressed, distressed and insolvent businesses, resolving challenging situations.  I expect to make further recruitment announcements as the year progresses.”

Mifsud added: “I am thrilled to have joined the team at Opus and look forward to being involved in their broad range of restructuring and insolvency assignments.

“Having lived in Yorkshire all my working life, I am keen to assist businesses in Yorkshire with their restructuring and insolvency needs.

“The latter half of the year is expected to be a challenging one for many businesses. I am on hand to assist Mark and my other colleagues at Opus in providing a practical and sympathetic approach to matters that arise throughout a formal insolvency or restructuring process.”