People: YFM Equity Partners; OptiBiotix Health; Red Stag Media; and more
Experienced compliance professional Jen Townshend is the latest recruit to join the expanding team at YFM Equity Partners (YFM), taking on the role of chief compliance officer.
Over the last 14 years, she has held a number of compliance and regulatory positions, most recently at Great Point Media where she spent the last three years as head of compliance and money laundering reporting officer. (MLRO)
Prior to that, she was a compliance consultant with Sturgeon Ventures for two years, as well as having been compliance manager and assistant MLRO with Ingenious Media for two years.
She is a member of the Chartered Institute for Securities and Investment.
YFM has now expanded to a 43-strong team, headquartered in Leeds and with offices in Manchester, Birmingham, London and Reading.
Marcus Karia, chief financial officer, said: “Jen’s broad experience and understanding across the whole spectrum of compliance is a great fit for our needs.
“As the firm continues to grow, it is vital we have a dedicated expert overseeing our compliance responsibilities and, with her strong track record, Jen is a valuable addition to the team.”
Townshend said: “I am very excited to be joining YFM – they are a great team, not only do they have an impressive track record, but also ambitions to drive the business forward whilst ensuring their clients and colleagues remain front and centre of that journey.”
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York-based life sciences business, OptiBiotix Health, has appointed Zac Sniderman as business development & sales director North America, Shiraz Butt as e-commerce director and Karl Burkitt as marketing director.
Sniderman brings a broad experience of developing food and supplement ingredient businesses in North America working for Galenicum Speciality Ingredients, Jarrow Formulas and Best Ground International.
He will focus on the development of ingredient sales to brand owners and contract manufacturers for both pro- and prebiotics in close cooperation with established partners.
Butt has developed the e-commerce businesses for a range of companies, such as PhD (now part of Science In Sports) and Iovate Health Sciences.
He has built digital sales from the ground up into significant contributors to the success of the companies he has worked for. Butt will focus on developing the untapped e-commerce potential of OptiBiotix’s pro- and prebiotic brands such as SlimBiome Medical, Go-Figure and CholBiome.
Burkitt has developed and led the marketing and business development function in various branded and ingredient businesses, such as Novartis Consumer Health, Kerry Ingredients & Flavours and AB Mauri.
He will lead OptiBiotix’s marketing function, on a part time basis, and work with the pro- and prebiotic commercial divisions on developing ingredient and consumer sales.
René Kamminga, CEO, said: “In the past 12 months we have established the credibility and brand awareness of our science-based ingredients SlimBiome®, OptiBiome, LeanBiome and LPLDL® ingredients, significantly growing sales to a wider number of reputable global brands in multiple markets.
“These appointments are a further investment to accelerate the growth of the company and to broaden and deepen our income streams with a particular focus on North America and e-commerce.”
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Specialist agribusiness PR and digital marketing agency Red Stag Media is expanding and has welcomed senior PR specialist Ben Pindar to the team.
He has almost 30 years experience in the media, PR and marketing industry and will be joining as account manager, working with clients to develop media strategies and create a range of content.
He started his career as a journalist working in national newspapers before then moving through the ranks of a range of regional media titles, including the Hull Daily Mail, Cambridge Evening News and the Press Association..
After making the switch to PR and marketing, he worked with international PR agency Northern Lights, the universities of Hull and York, global corporates, local authorities and Government departments.
Red Stag Media has won a number of new clients in recent months and is now looking to recruit people to support its growth.
The business is led by PR specialist Nick Glaves and digital marketing specialist Rob Marsden, who left Search Laboratory to join the agency.
Marsden said: “We set out to disrupt this market by delivering new and innovative approaches that combined digital marketing and PR unlike anyone else.
“We’ve got big ambitions and a number of new client wins has meant we’re now recruiting to sustain our growth.
“Ben has got a wealth of experience and brings some fantastic insights and ideas that will bring huge benefits to the business and our clients.”
Pindar added: “I couldn’t help but be impressed with what Nick and Rob are doing and the innovative approach they are bringing to the rural sector.
“I’ve always had a passion for the countryside and I’m really excited to be joining them and developing some great opportunities for their clients.”
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Powerhouse Energy Group, a Bingley-headquartered company commercialising hydrogen production from non-recyclable plastic waste, says James Greenstreet will step down from his role as non-executive chair as of 1 March.
He will continue as a non-executive director until 30 June 2022.
Recently appointed CEO, Paul Drennan-Durose, said: “The Board would like to publicly express its thanks to James for his work and support as chairman and are pleased he has agreed to stay on as a non-executive director.
“At the same time, I can announce Russell Ward has been selected and appointed as non-executive chairman, with immediate effect.”
Ward was appointed as a non-executive director on 4 February 2022.
Drennan-Durose added: “I have worked closely with Russell previously. I am therefore pleased he joined the board, and subsequently, has agreed to quickly take the role as non-executive chairman.
“His corporate, board, and operational experience in industry will be of value and relevance to the company, and to shareholders.”
