People: BHP; NorthEdge; Womble Bond Dickinson; and more

BHP has announced that Laura Masheder has joined the firm as partner.

Masheder boasts two decades of experience in audit and advisory services and has specialised in charity audits for more than ten years.

She was previously head of charity and not for profit at a medium-sized regional accountancy firm, where she spent almost 20 years progressing through the ranks to partner after joining as a trainee.

As well as utilising her extensive charity sector experience to support BHP’s Charities team, Masheder will employ her broader corporate audit expertise and work closely alongside York office partner Daniel Sowden and the York team to continue to grow the wider client base in the area.

She said: “I’m so pleased to be joining BHP as Partner at such an exciting time for the firm. BHP has an exceptional reputation for its work with charities across the Yorkshire region and for having strong links with the local areas it serves.

“They already have a fantastic client base and I’m really looking forward to adding value to the York team and helping to expand that base even further.

“I’m incredibly passionate about the charity sector and excited about the many opportunities that BHP presents for professional development and building relationships with clients. Following conversations with my new colleagues, I know that there’s a special culture embedded within the firm; they support one another and care about their clients.

“BHP delivers the whole breadth of service lines, but with a very personal approach, which is rare among large accountancy firms. They’re continuing to expand throughout Yorkshire, and I’m delighted to be part of that growth.”

Jane Marshall, partner and head of charities at BHP, said: “We’re thrilled to welcome Laura to BHP. Laura’s appointment clearly acknowledges our strong commitment to our charity clients, and her knowledge and experience will be a great asset to our team.

“We’re excited to start working with Laura to build on the strong reputation that we’ve already developed within the sector.”
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Ray Stenton

Lower mid-market private equity firm NorthEdge has announced several changes to its leadership team to support the next phase of growth.

Michael Joseph will be stepping down, with Grant Berry moving into the role of executive chair.

Joseph will continue to be a part of the NorthEdge family on a part-time basis, moving into the role of Senior Advisor and continuing to provide the guidance, expertise and support that has enabled NorthEdge to grow over the last ten years.

In his new role, Berry will use his extensive experience to chair the Investment Committee and will remain involved in new investment activity and investor relations.

Keven Parker will move into the joint managing partner role alongside Ray Stenton, while Jon Pickering will assume the role of chief investment officer.

Parker will continue to take lead responsibility for the NorthEdge portfolio, alongside an increasing involvement in organisational development and investor relations. Jon will manage all investment activity for the firm and continue to lead NorthEdge’s largest investment opportunities.

These changes follow the promotions of Lucie Mills and Phil Frame to Partner roles earlier this year.

Stenton said: “I am extremely proud to see how NorthEdge has evolved over the last decade and delighted with the team we have in place across the business. These leadership changes mean we are well-placed to continue to grow strongly over the coming years, backing high-quality management teams and supporting our portfolio to build better businesses.”

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Sarah Wales-Canning

Law firm Womble Bond Dickinson (WBD) has confirmed two senior promotions in Leeds with Sarah Wales-Canning and Shelley Williams both promoted to managing associate.

Wales-Canning works in WBD’s construction and engineering team and specialises in non-contentious and transactional construction matters. She has a broad range of experience acting for a wide variety of clients including local authorities, commercial developers, national house builders, residential developers, social housing providers, contractors and institutional lenders. She also has experience in dealing with energy projects including energy from waste and biomass plant projects. Wales-Canning also acts on large scale building projects including a football stadium, shopping centres and significant residential development schemes.

Williams works in the real estate team and has experience in all aspects of commercial and residential property transactions. With specialisms in social housing and residential development, Shelley works with private clients and limited companies as well as a range of public sector organisations including those in the health care sector, housing associations and local authorities. She also has extensive experience working on large scale security charging projects for private individuals, limited companies and housing associations as well as working on landlord and tenant and leasehold enfranchisement matters.

Paul Stewart, UK managing partner, said: “We want our people to enjoy long and successful careers with us and we work hard to make sure that everyone has the opportunity to develop, grow and be rewarded for their success.

“Congratulations to all of our new associates and managing associates on their well-deserved promotions. They have all made fantastic contributions to our business and their talent, expertise and excellent client service deserves to be recognised.”

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A Yorkshire-based corporate partner with law firm Spencer West has accepted a role as a deputy district judge on the North Eastern Circuit.

Simon Ward will combine his new judicial role with his work at Spencer West advising businesses on corporate and commercial issues.

Dealing with interim applications in the County Court and High Court, as well as trials in the County Court on a wide range of civil matters, Ward will be based at Leeds Combined Court Centre. In due course, he may be called to sit as a judge anywhere on the North Eastern Circuit from Sheffield to Newcastle, Bradford to Hull.

“Becoming a Deputy District Judge allows me to give back to the profession that has given so much to me,” says Ward. “I am looking forward to the variety and unpredictability of the work, and the opportunity to work with people from all walks of life.

“Spencer West’s flexible working model, supportive management and encouraging colleagues mean that I can pursue my judicial aspirations without compromising my career as a corporate and commercial partner.”

Antoine West, Spencer West’s managing partner and co-founder, said: “At Spencer West we’ve taken a shift away from traditional law firm practice, which allows our partners to enjoy their lives and do what makes them happy. We’re very proud of Simon and I’m sure that he’ll excel in his new judicial role, as well as continue to deliver excellent results for his clients at Spencer West.”