People: Yorkshire Agricultural Society; Dow Schofield Watts; Duck Soup and more
Allister Nixon, the chief operating officer at Castle Howard Estate, has been announced as the new chief executive of the Yorkshire Agricultural Society.
Nixon replaces Nigel Pulling who is retiring from the society after over 20 years’ service at the end of March.
A chartered accountant and a highly experienced, successful and well-regarded business leader, Nixon has worked with the Howard family over the last six years to drive the historic estate forward, helping to manage its portfolio of businesses including a holiday park, retail, catering, farming and forestry.
Nixon said: “I am delighted to be joining this outstanding organisation which does so much invaluable work for the agricultural industry. There is a lot of good work to continue and there are many opportunities for the society to develop still further. I am really looking forward to working with the trustees, staff and other stakeholders in the industry to ensure that, by supporting, promoting and celebrating the industry as effectively as possible, the exceptional reputation of the Yorkshire Agricultural Society continues to grow.”
Pulling said: “I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at YAS, it is a fantastic organisation but having successfully negotiated the pandemic it is now the right time for someone else to take over. There is a great team of staff and volunteers in place, and I am sure Allister will lead YAS to further success.”
Rob Copley Chairman of Trustees said: “On behalf of all the Trustees, Council members and all staff we would like to thank Nigel for his hard work, determination and expertise and we are looking forward to welcoming Allister and beginning the next phase of development under his leadership and direction.”
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Dow Schofield Watts has expanded its Corporate Finance team in Yorkshire and the North East with the appointment of Mike Barker as an associate.
Mike is a Chartered Accountant with over seven years’ experience in finance, having started his career with EY in Leeds, where he worked in the audit department before moving to Mazars. He has worked with clients ranging from owner-managed businesses to large corporations, including many manufacturing and construction companies.
Dow Schofield Watts is consistently ranked as one of the most active corporate finance advisers in the Yorkshire region. Recent transactions have included the sales of Sheffield Forgemasters to the Ministry of Defence, Firesprite Games to Sony Entertainment, Argyll Holidays to Cove Communities and Peak Pipe Systems to SIMONA AG, as well as the refinancing of Carnaby Caravans by Shawbrook and Frontier Development Capital.
Roger Esler, co-head of the corporate finance team, commented: “Mike’s appointment follows a very busy 2021 for the team which is continuing into 2022. As the levels of fundraising and deals activity remain robust, we plan to continue investing in and growing our team in the year ahead.”
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Kate Larking is joining Duck Soup Films as head of production.
Larking who was working with Birmingham-based Kids and Family indie ‘Threewise Entertainment’ prior to joining the Leeds-based production company will report to Duck Soup’s founders Libby Durdy, Bekki Wray Rogers and Jessica Brown Meek, and be responsible for overseeing the management of all Duck Soup projects from development through to delivery.
The appointment follows continued growth at the indie which was established in 2015 and comes in the wake of an investment from the C4 Growth Fund which took a stake in the business last year.
Meek said: “We are delighted to be welcoming Kate to Duck Soup. She brings with her a wealth of valuable experience and is a champion of creating nurturing production environments that facilitate and support the ‘talent-led’ creative approach that we embrace at Duck Soup”
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Matthew Gabriel
Bradford-based concrete admixture manufacturer Oscrete UK has promoted a new NPD and sustainability manager.
Former laboratory manager Matthew Gabriel, takes up the new role as the team further develops the company’s sustainability strategy.
With a clear focus on strengthening the firm’s commitment to sustainable construction, Gabriel’s two decades of concrete industry experience provides a strong foundation for further developing the company’s sustainability remit.
Director Scott Wilson said: “We expect to see continued growth in global demand for construction additives and that demand will be driven by sustainability requirements as well as performance.
“Our strategy is to keep product evolution and responsible manufacturing at the forefront of our output. Matt’s promotion is just the first step in our 2022 laboratory development plan where NPD and sustainability will lead our growth and our supply.”
