People: BHP; Silk Family Law; Aon plc; and more

Yorkshire and North Derbyshire’s leading accountancy firm BHP has announced the promotion of Dermot Lucid to partner.

Having been at the firm for more than 20 years and based in its Cleckheaton office, Lucid delivers digital finance services to a portfolio of fast growth and owner managed businesses.

On joining the 34-strong team of partners at BHP, he said: “This is another stepping stone in my development and that of the firm.

“I’ve been at BHP for more than two decades now, and this is a testament to the business. I’m so happy here and have made many longstanding friends – some who have known me since my teens.

“Looking to the future, I look forward to continuing to develop our digital finance offering and growing our talented team.”

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Yorkshire and North East family law firm, Silk Family Law, has promoted solicitor Nia Jameson to the position of associate.

Jameson, who is a key member of the Yorkshire team working across the firm’s city centre office in Leeds and the North Yorkshire office near Richmond, has worked for the firm since 2015.

She advises and represents in all areas of matrimonial and family law. As an Associate, she will be taking an increased firm-wide role in business development and expanding relationships with the wider business community, in addition to her client work.

The promotion will also see her take an active role in supervising and mentoring junior staff.

She deals with all facets of family law and with clients both in relation to the financial issues arising upon separation or divorce and also with the arrangements for the parties’ children.

Beyond her day-to-day role, Jameson supports the BPP Legal Advice Clinic supervisory team, based in Leeds.

This is a service which allows clients to seek legal advice from law students with support and supervision from more senior legal professionals.

She has also been chosen as a mentor at Durham University, as part of the university’s newly launched Women in Law Mentorship scheme.

Jameson said: “I am passionate about family law and am proud to be working with a Legal 500 recognised firm. I am delighted to have been promoted to associate at Silk Family Law.

“Helping to lead and inspire junior lawyers is something I am very much looking forward to in my role as an associate and also in my new role as mentor with the Durham University Women in Law Mentorship Scheme where  will be able to further support and empower future female lawyers.

“Having studied at Durham University myself, I am excited to be working with them to help women in law achieve great things – something I am extremely passionate about.”

Teresa Davidson, partner at Silk Family Law, said: “We are very pleased to have appointed Nia as an associate at Silk Family Law.

“As well as being a long-standing and  invaluable member of our team, we are exceptionally proud of her work as a mentor and seeing her inspire future generations of women in law.

“Equality in the legal sector is vitally important to my values as a lawyer and as an employer.

“We are therefore really proud to have one of our associates acting as a role model and mentoring young women through their studies and beyond.”

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From left, Beth Grassby and Maisie Heptinstall

Aon plc, a global professional services firm, has expanded its Leeds Tingley and Harrogate advisory teams with five new appointments.

Leading the four Leeds additions is Laura Murray, who joins as a client service advisor.

Murray, who has eight years industry experience, began her career at Aon in 2010 working across the Sheffield and London offices before leaving in 2019 to join the family business.

In her new role, she will be responsible for renewing insurance programmes, assisting with mid term adjustments to cover, and supporting clients.

Beth Grassby also returns as a client service advisor. Grassby started her insurance career at Aon in 2015 when she joined the graduate apprenticeship scheme.

In her new role, she will be responsible for broking and administration for existing client policies, and handling queries.

Meanwhile, Liji Kalathil and Maisie Heptinstall have joined the company’s graduate programme.

Kalathil, who has worked at Indian Bank for the past six years as an assistant manager, assumes the role of insurance, reinsurance and risk management trainee, and Heptinstall as apprentice broker. Both will be trained in renewals and client interactions.

Aon, which provides its Yorkshire-based clients, from SMEs to large corporates, with risk, retirement and health solutions, has further expanded the Harrogate team with the appointment of Cara Bedell to corporate client manager.

Bedell, who has nine years industry experience, will be responsible for developing and maintaining knowledge of client’s operations and risk exposures, reviewing and revising insurance programs, and identifying specific client and prospect needs.

Prior to joining Aon, she was an account executive at Marshall Wooldridge.

James Fell, head of office for Aon Leeds Tingley and Harrogate, said: “Talented individuals are the lifeblood of the business.

“We continue to invest in our capabilities and future through talent acquisition and providing a supportive culture that places employees front and centre.

“All new starters will be provided with a progressive career path, structured training, mentoring and flexible and inclusive working environment. I am delighted to welcome our new recruits to the team.”

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Leeds-based Armstrong Watson has launched a new outsourcing service to help clients build virtual finance departments.

Guy Kerkvliet has been appointed as head of outsourcing and will lead the national department.

Armstrong Watson already provides outsourced VAT returns and bookkeeping as well as payroll, accounts management and finance director services but this new service will help larger businesses create a tailored virtual finance department.

Kerkvliet said: “The ‘Virtual Finance Department’ is an entirely cloud-based, tailored solution unique to each organisation’s needs, allowing business teams access from anywhere and at any time.

“With access to bespoke digital reports, we believe this will provide business leaders with crucial information to make strategic decisions, quicker and easier than ever before.”

He joins Armstrong Watson after three years at French Duncan, in Glasgow, where he was a senior manager in the Outsourced Services Department focusing on hotel accounting.

He specialises in working on process standardisation, process improvement and automation for businesses and has eight years’ experience working with owner-managed businesses as well as large international companies.

Kerkvliet added: “I’m really excited about joining Armstrong Watson, as I’ll be working closely with various experts in their field to build a full-service concept for our clients.”

Paul Dickson, Chief Executive and Managing Partner, said: “This new service line will ensure our clients have a virtual finance department tailored to their needs, combining the latest technology with the support of experienced accountants, to keep their businesses moving forward.

“Guy’s experience makes him the perfect fit to lead the team in this area.”