People: First Event; Morrish Solicitors; BNP Paribas Real Estate; and more

Leeds-based events company, First Event, has made 14 new hires amid plans for the further expansion of the business.

Having made the transition to an employee-owned model in the pandemic, the growth of the organisation has led to the creation of several new departments including Client Services and Web, alongside significant scaling up in its Virtual department.

Starting 2020 with just 26 members of staff, the current First Event team of 64 will see the 14 additional people joining in 2022, with plans to reach as many as 85 employees in total in 2023.

Among the new hires are Adele Woods who arrives to head the client services department – consisting of eight team members with four more due before the end of the year – and Joe Lindsay, who joins as head of the web department which houses five other team members specialising in website design, development and programming.

Richard Murphy, managing director, said: “Its been an amazing 12 months for us.

During the pandemic many agencies, us included, were worried that our businesses wouldn’t survive. So to be in the position we are in now, where we are bigger and better than ever before, is incredible.

“I’m so proud of the team, for what they are achieving at the moment. It’s been really hard work getting to this stage and we couldn’t have got here without the dedication and skills of everyone at the company.”

Lindsay said: “It’s a really exciting time to be part of First Event, the company is expanding not only in size but in what it offers its clients.

“Although they have always offered websites and systems integrations etc, the new Web Department pulls together all in-house our web and programming professionals – meaning the offering to our clients is fast, flexible, bespoke and exceptional.”

Catherine Wallace, employee relations manager, said: “As an employee-owned company, we share in each other’s success.

“I believe the last 12 months’ rapid growth is owed, not only to the increase in demand for what we do but to the amazing teamwork and professional drive to achieve shared goals, deliver excellence and succeed together.”

:::

Morrish Solicitors says Jade Fairless and Omar Ghaffoor have qualified as solicitors and will take up full-time roles with the firm.

They both joined Morrish in 2018 as legal assistants and qualified in June 2022.

Fairless, who studied Law at Newcastle University, followed by a Masters in Law at Leeds said: “On completion of my training contract, I was thrilled to be offered a newly qualified role in the Clinical Negligence department.

“I am looking forward to further developing my skills and knowledge with the support of both the team and everyone at Morrish. I am excited for this new chapter and where this path will take me.”

Ghaffoor, who originally studied Law at Huddersfield University and also completed his Masters in Law at Leeds added: “I am extremely thrilled to be joining the Employment team as a qualified solicitor after four years of working at the firm as a legal assistant, and more recently as a trainee solicitor.

“I am also very grateful for the support that has been given to me by everyone at Morrish and I look forward to continuing to support and advise our existing trade union and private clients.”

David Sorensen, managing partner, added: “The whole team at Morrish offers its congratulations to Jade and Omar on their qualification. They are both diligent young lawyers and will be a benefit to their respective teams. Hopefully this will be the beginning of a long career for them both at Morrish.”

Fairless and Ghaffoor will both be based at Morrish’s head office in Leeds city centre.

:::

BNP Paribas Real Estate has appointed Leighton Thomas as head of UK Lease Advisory.

Thomas, who has enjoyed a career at BNP Paribas Real Estate spanning over 25 years and currently serves as head of the Northern Region and the Sheffield office, has expanded his remit to lead the national lease advisory team, as it advises across all real estate asset types.

His career has seen him successfully lead the Sheffield team into the position of one of the leading agents in the city, growing to a total of over 20 employees with its valuation team almost tripling this year alone.

In his role as Northern head, he has additionally driven the growth of the Newcastle and Leeds offices alongside their respective office heads.

Having worked within Lease Advisory for the entirety of his career, his newly enhanced role will see him lead the team in providing tailored solutions to its clients to achieve the most favourable settlements across the life cycle of a commercial lease.

Stephen Wolfe, head of commercial at BNP Paribas Real Estate, said: “Leighton has consistently provided our clients with a first-class professional service, adding significant value to their businesses, and contributed to the enduring success of our teams in his multifaceted role across his tenure.

“As the lease advisory market inevitably heats up further with space requirements becoming amongst the most varied, we have ever witnessed as an industry, we have appointed him to lead our team into new territories in response to the needs of our current and rapidly expanding client base.”

Thomas added: “The landlord-tenant relationship has changed exponentially, and as such, the lease advisory space has become much more flexible in terms of the options available to both parties – this is where effective representation comes into play.

“Stepping into this additional role, my team’s knowledgeable, market-based advice will prime clients to make optimal decisions that deliver the best possible cost savings and value.”

:::

Property group Eddisons, whose UK headquarters are in Leeds, has made three senior-level promotions across its Yorkshire offices as part of a strategy for growth which has also seen the firm complete five acquisitions since 2019.

In the current round of promotions, across its 25 UK offices, Eddisons has promoted a total of nine members of staff to director and a further two to associate director.

In Leeds, Michael Peel and Mark Czajka, who both work in the business sales team, have been made directors.

The pair work for Ernest Wilson, the agency that buys and sells small businesses such as restaurants, care homes and caravan sites across the UK, which was acquired by Eddisons in 2019.

Based in Eddisons’ Bradford office, Matt Jennings has been promoted from senior surveyor to associate director. He joined the firm in 2018 after serving as head of property for the former Greenwoods Menswear.

Managing director Anthony Spencer said: “Congratulations to Matt, Mark and Michael as well as to the other eight colleagues we have promoted across the country. Eddisons is now one of the fastest growing property firms in the UK and we currently employ over 360 people nationally.

“As an employer we believe in nurturing talent, from our ambitious apprenticeship programme to helping staff at all levels to progress, and this latest raft of promotions is testament to the success of that focus.”

:::