People: Victory Leisure Homes; Media Displays; Red Diamond Executive Headhunters; and more

Hull-based luxury holiday homes manufacturer, Victory Leisure Homes, continues to strengthen its leadership team with the appointment of Jamie Kirk as its commercial director.

Kirk – who has over 15 years’ experience in holiday home manufacturing – has returned to the company, having previously held the title of regional sales manager between 2011 – 2017, as the business continues to realise its growth plans.

He said: “Returning to Victory to take on the commercial director role is really exciting, perhaps in part because I was here when our journey first started and now I’m back as the company sets out on a new chapter; one which has the potential to not only transform the business itself but will affect the wider industry too.

“I’ve spent my entire career in the holiday homes industry. I’ve run holiday parks, sold holiday homes, been involved on the finance side of the leisure industry and managed large contracts with parks across the UK.

“I’ve specialised in manufacturing, and my proudest moment really has to be coming home to Victory as its new commercial director.

“My role will see me driving forward our strategic commercial partnerships with national holiday parks, working to deliver on our sales strategy and collaborating closely with our marketing team on Victory’s brand vision.”

Gary Corlyon, MD, added: “The commercial director position was something we knew we had to get right if we are to continue delivering on our ambitious plans.

“We have always prioritised investment in the best people, and we’re delighted Jamie is re-joining as Victory builds what I believe is an incredibly strong leadership team.

“His ambition, enthusiasm for our vision and his knowledge of the industry, teamed with his history within the business, means we are more confident than ever about the impact and value he can add.”

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Christopher Armitage

Media Displays, a Leeds-based company responsible for digital marketing display screens throughout the UK, has announced two strategic appointments to its senior team.

Christopher Armitage has joined the business as operations director, while Amanda Hetherington has been promoted to finance manager.

With previous experience in the logistics sector, Armitage will be responsible for the fleet of digital display vehicles, along with all colleagues. He will also manage operational efficiencies, projects and the in-house fabrication team.

In addition, he will have a focus on research and development of new innovations within the sector.

Having worked for the business for five years, Hetherington will take on further responsibility thanks to her promotion, managing all sales invoicing, credit control, purchase ledger, bank reconciliation and management accounts.

Managing director, Ian Taylor, said: “I would like to take this opportunity to thank Christopher and Amanda for all their hard work. Already they are both having a really positive impact on the business.

“We are expanding ahead of forecast and that means that we need a trusted senior team in place that can take on more responsibility.”

Amanda Hetherington

Armitage said: “Working in the events industry, no two days are ever the same, which keeps things really exciting.

“There’s no doubt this role is a new challenge for me, but I am very much looking forward to using my skills to help to build the business.

“It’s been a busy time and we can only see this continuing as more people hear about the vans and what more we have to offer.”

Hetherington added: “I have worked for Media Displays for more than five years. Unlike so many businesses that are just starting to see the value in flexible working, I am pleased that I have had this option from day one.

“Knowing that I can progress my career with a company that truly values its colleagues is really important to me.”

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Shannon Liu

Global agency Red Diamond Executive Headhunters is continuing to expand, with the appointment of a marketing lead and a general manager for the mid-market recruitment arm of the business.

Shannon Liu joins the Huddersfield-based team from the Roxor Group. Her remit includes co-ordinating digital marketing and social media activities.

Carol Mosby has been appointed general manager for the recently established Red Diamond Recruitment, which also operates from head office with clients in a wide range of sectors, including manufacturing, financial services, construction products and electronics.

She will use her 20 years’ experience of recruiting and executive search to bridge the gap between recruitment and headhunting.

Red Diamond founder and director Emma Robinson said further appointments were in the pipeline, with at least two further recruits expected to be brought in by end of year.

She confirmed both sides of the business were experiencing high demand, with some clients looking to recruit entire teams to fill posts left vacant as a result of the pandemic and Brexit.

Robinson said: “This quarter, we have experienced a notable increase in demand for our services. Where clients may have asked us to look at one position, in some cases we are now being asked to recruit whole teams.

“Lockdown has given people a chance to reflect on their work life balance and this has resulted in some deciding they want a change in direction, start a lifestyle business or simply to retire and spend more time with their family.

Carol Mosby

“This in turn is prompting chief executives to consider how they will future-proof their businesses, to think about type of candidates they will need going forward, to identify potential skills gaps – and whether or not some roles will even be relevant in the future.”

Liu said: “This is an exciting time to join the Red Diamond team and I’m looking forward to helping to drive the business forward.”

Mosby added: “I am delighted to be heading up Red Diamond Recruitment, the newest addition to the Red Diamond family.

“With a great team and the latest technology, we are bridging the gap between headhunting and recruiting, becoming the trusted partner of choice for our clients.”

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AND Digital has named Andy Goundry as the club executive of its newest club in Leeds.

The announcement comes as the tech company looks to further bolster its presence in the West Yorkshire region and build on its ambitions to create a ‘Digital North’.

Goundry joins AND with over 20 years of experience in the tech industry, having built a number of tech start-ups in his career, as well as being general manager for the North West and South West regions of an international software consultancy in the last couple of years.

As club executive, he will lead the company’s drive to source the very best of the region’s digital talent and contribute towards AND’s ambitious target of 10 times growth by 2025.

He’ll also form part of AND Digital’s presence at this year’s Leeds Digital Festival, where the company will be hosting a number of key events to profile its unique approach to delivering digital consultancy.

Goundry said: “My role at AND Digital presents a major opportunity for me to make a meaningful impact in the tech sector.

“The company’s unique and well considered business model puts people at the very heart of what it does, both across the organisation itself and across its impressive roster of clients.

“Its belief in the power of people to drive successful digital innovation and transformation really resonates with me.

“After all, tech has become a critical dependency in all areas of society, whether in our personal or working lives, and our collective success will come from the tech and product bar being lifted across all industry sectors by talented and creative technologists.”

Paramjit Uppal, CEO and founder of AND Digital, said: “Andy really does share our human-centric vision of what a successful tech industry should look like, not only in Leeds, but across the world.

“Leeds and the wider West Yorkshire region are of huge strategic importance to AND’s ambitious growth plans, particularly given the scale of innovation currently taking place in its tech and digital sectors.

“What’s more, Andy’s knowledge and experience will be vital in helping us to achieve one of our central missions, to support clients in delivering tech that makes life better for 200 million people, every day.

“Given our recent expansion in the region, we are constantly on the hunt for talent.

“We currently have a range of roles available for those looking to start their career, right through to those seasoned tech leaders ready for a new challenge – all of which have resulted from new client wins and the growth of existing client relationships.”