People: Parklane Plowden; DLA Architecture; Barclays Wealth Management; and more

Parklane Plowden Chambers (PLP) says specialist chancery and commercial barrister, Annette Thomson, has joined the set.

She joins the Leeds and Newcastle-based chambers after being called to the Bar in December 2020.

Thomson practices across all aspects of chancery and commercial law, with particular expertise in dispute resolution, contentious probate and property and commercial litigation.

Prior to being called to the English Bar, she practised as a member of the Bar in her native South Africa between 2010 and 2017. She has also worked as an advocate and solicitor, specialising in commercial law.

PLP’s chancery and commercial practice director, Stephen Render, said: “Being able to welcome Annette to chambers is great news and further enhances the specialist chancery and commercial law expertise we are able to offer clients across the North Eastern Circuit and beyond.

“Annette has a broad range of experience having previously practised as a barrister in South Africa and a solicitor and advocate in the UK.

“This experience makes her ideally suited to representing clients across a variety of chancery and commercial law cases.”

Formed in 2007 following the merger of Parklane Chambers in Leeds and Plowden Chambers in Newcastle, PLP is home to 110 members.

The set recently announced six-figure refurbishment plans for its chambers on Westgate in Leeds city centre and has temporarily located to Avenue HQ in Leeds. In addition to its Leeds chambers, the set has chambers on Lombard Street in Newcastle city centre.

Thomson said: “PLP enjoys a great reputation for the strength of its chancery and commercial law practice and I’m really pleased to become a member of the chambers.

“I’m looking forward to working closely with the set’s excellent clerking team to further expand my practice and enhance the chambers’ chancery and commercial offering.”

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DLA Architecture has promoted Paul King to head of sustainability across all three of its studios in Leeds, Manchester, and London.

This promotion is a natural progression for King, who has been leading the development of DLA’s expertise in environmentally conscious architecture for the past several years.

As head of sustainability, he will operate across all office locations and drive the sustainability ethos within the practice, taking the lead in promoting a more integrated environmental design culture across the business, and developing the practice’s ability to deliver net zero carbon architecture across all work sectors.

King, who is also a Passivhaus Certified Designer, joined the practice in 2009 and has worked extensively within the higher education sector.

He has contributed considerable leadership through several high-profile projects, including the Esther Simpson Building for Leeds University Business School which is due to complete this summer.

Chris Levett, board director and head of the London office at DLA, said: “Paul’s skills, experience, and passion for integrating net zero carbon are vital to DLA’s contextual, narrative-led architecture and this dedicated role will make carbon reduction a more integral part of the design process within the practice.”

King added: “I am delighted to take on this role at DLA and excited to continue developing some of the exciting, carbon focused design solutions we have explored in recent years.

“I’m looking forward to working with colleagues and clients across the business as we confront the challenges of the climate emergency.”

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Barclays Wealth Management is continuing its growth plans across the UK following the appointment of Richard Clark as director.

Clark, a chartered wealth manager, has recently been promoted to director in the north of England joining two existing directors Michelle Steggles and Alison Probert covering Newcastle, Leeds and Manchester offices.

The trio will continue to offer Wealth Management, Wealth Planning, Banking and Credit services and report to Kat Johnson who took over as the head of north for Barclays Wealth in January this year.

Johnson said: “I’m delighted that we’ve been able to promote Richard to director level and to extend Richard’s responsibilities across the North.

“Richard’s notable industry knowledge and experience will prove invaluable as we continue to strengthen both our leadership and advisory teams across the whole of the UK.”

Clark said: “I’m excited to have been promoted in the Northern team as we continue with our growth ambitions.

“At Barclays Wealth Management we are extremely passionate about the future of our clients’ wealth and we have the best teams in place to provide incomparable services to the families, individuals, charities and entrepreneurs we serve.”

Clark has over 20 years’ experience in Financial Services, having joined Barclays Wealth Management in January 2011 as a wealth manager focused on providing comprehensive wealth management solutions to private clients, companies and trusts.

Prior to joining Barclays, he was a manager at Bond Dickinson, a top 50 Law Firm, where he spent over ten years specialising in wealth management and financial advice.

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Sheffield-based video game developer Steel City Interactive (SCI) has made four new hires to work on the development of its game – Esports Boxing Club (ESBC).

ESBC – the first boxing game in 10 years – features a roster of over 200 male and female boxers including legends Muhammed Ali, Sugar Ray Robinson, Rocky Marciano, Roy Jones Jr and current champions Canelo Alverez, Terence Crawford, Josh Taylor, Lawrence Okolie and Katie Taylor.

Will Kinsler joins Steel City Interactive as global communications director, following a decade at Epic Games working on titles including Fortnite.

Ehson Khaliq joins as producer having worked on multiple AAA titles over the years for studios including Sumo Digital, Splash Damage and Guerrilla.

Byron Andrews-Salvietto arrives as AI programmer following graduation from Southampton Solent University.

And Viqhaas Mehmood has been recruited as a 3D character artist, after seven years as a freelance artist working on a multitude of games and VFX projects.

Ash Habib, co-founder and CEO of the business, said: “To have the calibre of staff joining at this stage in our company is incredibly exciting, and an indication of where we’re heading as a game studio.

“We’re delighted to have Will, Ehson, Byron and Viqhaas join Steel City Interactive.”

Since its inception in 2020, SCI has developed innovative, proprietary technology and game mechanics for Esports Boxing Club, with the aim of creating the most realistic action-simulation boxing game.

When complete, the game will be released on PC, PlayStation and XBox.