People: Barclays; Hortor; BHP; and more

Barclays has appointed Husam Khoury as a new relationship manager covering North and West Yorkshire.

Based in Leeds, Khoury will specialise in serving the diverse and specialised banking needs of corporate clients across North and West Yorkshire.

He brings with him over 14 years banking experience from both the UK and overseas and was most recently supporting Business Banking clients across Yorkshire. He also has a strong academic background with an MA in Banking and Finance.

Khoury said: “It’s great that I have been able to progress my career within Barclays in Yorkshire and I can’t wait to start my new role, meeting both new and existing clients.

“I already have strong links with the local professional community and will need to build on these with new contacts across the wider region.”

John Laud, head of corporate banking for West & North Yorkshire said: “Our investment in a new relationship manager provides a better structure for our colleagues to progress their careers within Corporate Banking whilst also allowing us to keep our customer relationships as local as possible.

“Our aim is still to be the first choice banking provider to corporates across Yorkshire and we will be progressing this goal with vigour throughout 2022 and beyond.”

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Leeds-headquartered global resourcing and managed service consultancy, Hortor, has strengthened its senior team by hiring Laura Jenkins as head of finance.

Previously management accountant at Link Group, Jenkins will work alongside the wider finance team at Hortor.

Her responsibilities will include supporting the financial director, managing the assistant management accountant, developing processing, and implementing change to systems and processes.

She said: “This position was just what I was looking for; a new challenge and the opportunity to further develop my career.

“Having never worked in the sector, it is an exciting move within a growing and progressive company. I am really looking forward to meeting the wider team and to learning more about the business.”

Group finance director, Kevin Bailey, said: “When we asked Laura what one of her biggest achievements was, she said working with former colleagues to develop their careers and make them better accountants.

“It’s that approach that makes Laura a great addition to our team and a perfect fit with the culture that we have here at Hortor.

“We look forward to welcoming her to the team and working towards our shared objectives to become a market leading global business.”

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Yorkshire and Derbyshire accountancy firm, BHP, has bolstered its pensions audit and assurance team with the appointment of audit director Claire Millington.

She brings over 14 years of audit experience with big four and mid-tier firms. She will be using her specialist pension expertise to assist a client base of over 70 and will be based in BHP’s Cleckheaton office.

Millington, who is originally from Bolton, is a Pensions Research Accountants Group (PRAG) member and a member of the South Yorkshire Pensions Group (SYPG).

She said: “I am very much looking forward to working with the audit team and concentrating on BHP’s pension services.

“BHP is a growing firm with a fabulous team of people and I am focused on expanding our pension assurance services to clients and developing our team.

“I will be enhancing the services BHP already offer and working with the team to bring innovative guidance and up to the minute advice.”

Howard Ringrose, partner & head of pensions assurance at BHP, said: “Claire is a key appointment for us to an expanding specialist team and brings a wealth of experience to the firm.

The Cleckheaton office will really benefit from her passion and enthusiasm and we know she will enhance our pensions assurance provision across the board.”

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Elizabeth Stenson, of Harrogate, is the latest recruit to join the 23-strong team of Yorkshire interiors, architecture and design business Richard Grafton Interiors, which has showrooms in Harrogate, Ilkley and Wetherby.

Based at the business’ Harrogate head office, Stenson takes on the role of financial controller.

An ACCA qualified management accountant, she has held finance manager positions in retail, housing and medical companies.

She will work alongside accounts assistants Lynne Clement and Michelle Wilson, bringing Richard Grafton Interiors’ entire finance function in-house.

In addition to providing day-to-day invoice management and purchasing for all interiors and architectural projects, the team will now be able to provide management accounts and in-depth financial job analysis.

Stenson said: “Having worked for some larger corporates, I’m excited to be moving back into a smaller, family business where I feel I can play a real part in its continued growth.

“By moving the finance function in-house, the team will benefit from more frequent management accounts, a better flow of financial information and more thorough job analysis to help identify what is and isn’t working.”

Director Charlotte Grafton added: “It’s great news that we’ve found someone with Liz’ expertise, enabling us to bring our entire financial operation into the business.

“As Richard Grafton Interiors continues to expand, it is more important than ever that we have access to prompt and insightful financial data to help inform our decision-making and identify future growth opportunities.”