People: Woodley BioReg; Institute of Directors; Hortor; and more

Huddersfield-based regulatory affairs consultancy, Woodley BioReg, has made three new hires in line with its global expansion plans.

These include Neil Beaumont as business development manager, Michael Li as programme director, and Kirstie Wilson as marketing manager.

Beaumont joins from IPS Pharma, where he served as procurement director — also boasting long decade-long stints at both Kent Pharmaceuticals and Waymade Healthcare prior to this.

In his role in business development, he will identify and nurture opportunities, utilising his vast experience and network of contacts to grow the sales pipeline.

He said: “I was attracted to close-knit culture at the Woodley BioReg office in the UK, but the business also has far-reaching international connections — I’m pleased to be a part of the team as the organisation realises its growth objectives in the near future.”

Li arrives from Delkevic UK Ltd, where he was the global head of research and development.

With a solid background in project management, including at AVL and JW Froehlich UK Ltd, he will take responsibility for project development and the deployment and management of Woodley BioReg’s diverse group of global consultants.

He said: “I’m really excited to join WBR, and have already made strides in implementing new methods of project management into the business to enable us to scale quickly in the coming years. It’s a truly exciting time to join.”

Wilson is the business’s first in-house marketing hire. Previously a senior account manager at communications agency Scriba PR, her role will encompass delivering strategic communications to Woodley BioReg’s international audience, increasing brand awareness, establishing the team as thought leaders, and driving leads into the sales funnel.

She said: “I’ve worked with Woodley BioReg for almost two years in an external consultant role, so it feels more like coming home than starting fresh. Now that I have more time, I’m thoroughly looking forward to taking the communications strategy to the next level across the world.

“I’m really happy to be officially part of the team, and I can’t wait to see what the future holds for the business.”

Dr Ash Ramzan, WBR’s managing director, said: “I am thrilled to be welcoming Michael, Neil, and Kirstie to the team.

“Their appointments are indicative of our future growth ambitions — we have some really exciting international plans in the pipeline for 2022 and I’m confident they will help us meet the goals we’ve laid out.”

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The Institute of Directors (IoD) has boosted its presence in East Yorkshire with the appointment of Steve Price as a branch ambassador.

Price is director of health, safety and security for ferry and logistics services provider DFDS Seaways.

He has more than 30 years’ experience in the engineering, chemical manufacturing, power generation and oil and gas industries.

Alongside health and safety management, he is adept at strategically guiding large organisations through cultural change and continuous operational improvements.

He said: “I enjoy inspiring people and building relationships that deliver results and these are values that align closely with the IoD.

“As we return to some degree of normality following the pandemic, I will be working alongside the East Yorkshire leadership team and my fellow ambassadors to inspire and develop local directors.”

Debra Leeves, chief executive of Vertual Ltd, a virtual reality technology company, was appointed IoD East Yorkshire chair in 2021.

She said: “Steve is a terrific addition to our team. His local knowledge and multi-sector industry experience will be a tremendous asset to members.

“We remain on the lookout for more ambassadors to help us represent and inspire directors in East Yorkshire. If you are passionate about business and keen to build your profile, please get in touch.”

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Hortor, a global resourcing and managed service consultancy headquartered in Leeds, has appointed James Brown as strategic business manager.

Previously working as a retained search business consultant for Pivot Search, where he focused on OEM oil and gas and power generation within the US and APAC markets, he brings a wealth of experience and transferable knowledge to his new role.

Also calling upon the time he spent within FMCG and the rotating equipment sectors, he will work alongside the consultants and directors at Hortor to support clients and identify new opportunities within the engineering and operations markets.

He said: “When I was told that there was a position available at Hortor, I just had to take it. I want to be part of this journey and to make Hortor a formidable go to consultancy within the engineering and operations sectors.

“Everyone has been so welcoming and helpful. It’s an exciting time in my career and I look forward to working with the clients we already have, while also identifying new businesses that we can support.”

Director of global recruitment at Hortor, Nicholas Rowlands-Ridley, said: “James comes with a great deal of experience and that makes him an exciting candidate for this role.

“It’s really encouraging to see our team expanding and to know that we are attracting talented consultants like James that will bring additional resource but also greater benefits to our growing list of clients.”

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Regional accountancy and business advisor, Azets, has appointed Richard Whitelock to head its Employer Solutions offering in Yorkshire, covering the firm’s two offices in Leeds and York.

Whitelock worked at Garbutt + Elliott for almost 25 years, before it became part of the Azets group last December, specialising in both personal and employment taxation matters.

His role is changing to lead Azets’ Employer Solutions service for the Yorkshire region, working with the firm’s national Employer Solutions team.

The team provides advice and support to businesses of all sizes, including helping with HMRC compliance, advising business owners on extracting profits tax efficiently, helping businesses retain and reward staff through flexible benefits and salary exchange arrangements.

Whitelock said: “The need for businesses in the region to take advice on employment taxes matters is vital given the increasingly complex tax landscape.

“The 1.25% NIC increase coming into effect from April 2022 is an unwelcome extra cost for both businesses and employees.

“But there are options available to reduce the impact of this increase – businesses can introduce pension salary exchange arrangements to create NIC savings for themselves and their employees, and business owners should review how they extract their personal income tax efficiently.

“April 2022 sees the first anniversary of the new Off Payroll Working (IR35) rules and the end of HMRC’s “light touch” approach to penalties for non-compliance. We are already seeing a notable increase in HMRC checks into furlough claims and wider PAYE compliance.”

Russell Turner, regional managing partner at Azets in Yorkshire said: “Richard’s appointment is well deserved and we look forward to him rolling out Employer Solutions across the whole region.

“There’s definitely a growing demand for pragmatic but expert solutions to help businesses navigate through the ever growing complexity of employer tax legislation.”