People: Wake Smith; International Personal Finance; and more

Wake Smith Solicitors’ private client director, Colleen Dooney, has been appointed a trustee of Age UK Sheffield.

She has joined the local charity’s board, bringing her 12 years of legal experience and technical knowledge on estate administration, Inheritance Tax Planning and Wills and Powers of Attorney matters.

The role will see her providing insight into the issues affecting older people, enabling the charity to offer valuable support to an ageing population.

Dooney said: “I have seen the positive difference Age UK Shefffield have made in the community, and I know how for many older people, the services they provide are a lifeline. I’m excited to be part of the team taking it from strength- to-strength.

“My legal experience involves supporting older people. That will be beneficial to the charity as it continues to work towards its mission to make Sheffield a place where all can enjoy later life.”

She joined Sheffield law firm Wake Smith in 2021 as an associate and was promptly promoted to a director in the seven-strong private client team dealing with all aspects of non-contentious Private Client work.

David Campbell, chairman of Age UK Sheffield, said: “The staff and Trustees of Age UK Sheffield look forward to working with Colleen. Her experience and knowledge of working with older people will be extremely valuable for the organisation.”

Age UK Sheffield’s other trustees are Melanie Perkins, Sarah Fulton Tindall, Tim Furness, Steve Naylor, Naomi Sampson, Jason King and Lisa Whitworth.

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International Personal Finance PLC (IPF Plc) has appointed Aileen Wallace as an independent non-executive director.

She has a broad range of experience in the retail financial services and technology areas, in both executive and non-executive capacities.

Wallace is currently a non-executive director with Hodge Group and Hodge Bank, and also with Target Group Ltd, a digital transformation and services business owned by Tech Mahindra.

Previously, she had an extensive career in retail financial services, primarily with Clydesdale Bank and National Australia Bank.

Leeds-based IPF Plc has also confirmed that John Mangelaars has informed the Board of his intention to resign as a director, effective from 20 December 2022, in order to be able to devote more time to his other business interests.

Stuart Sinclair, IPF Plc chair, said: “On behalf of the IPF Plc Board, I’d like to extend my gratitude to John for his valuable contributions during his tenure with IPF Plc and wish him success in all his future endeavours.

“At the same time, I welcome Aileen to the Board and very much look forward to working with her as we continue to strengthen our Board team.

“The Board recognises the importance of strong corporate governance to underpin and support the long-term prospects of IPF Plc and the appointment of this new independent non-executive director reinforces our key commitment in this regard.

“Aileen’s insight will be valuable as we continue to execute our strategy to build a better world through financial inclusion by providing our customers with affordable, accessible credit.”

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Heras, a supplier of permanent and mobile perimeter protection solutions, has appointed Helen Bithell as its newly created head of sales UK with a remit to “build for growth”.

She brings nearly 20 years’ sales experience in senior positions within the construction industry to the role with the Doncaster-based company, which is looking to continue building momentum around the sales and support of core products including perimeter fencing, gates, turnstiles and barriers.

She joins from a welfare accommodation specialist for construction sites, where she was responsible for developing major accounts – and building strong working relationships with tier one contractors.

Previous to that, she rose through the ranks at the UK’s leading supplier of temporary and permanent modular buildings.

Bithell said: “I have joined Heras at an exciting and pivotal time. There is so much scope to drive this business forward because of the clarity around the products, the quality, our competitive pricing and the lead times.

“I’m looking forward to partnering with new and existing customers to demonstrate why we are Europe’s leading end-to-end supplier of permanent and mobile perimeter protection solutions.

“Heras has recruited some very talented people to complement the existing team, and it’s a very exciting prospect to be part of a team that will just keep getting better.”

Heras UK country manager, David Owen, added: “We want to build for growth, and Helen is pivotal to that.

“Heras in the UK has come through the other side of a period of transformational change, and we are much better and stronger for it, as we are much better equipped to be sharper and more agile in our ability to respond to the needs of our customers.

“This will be the platform from which we will continue to grow.”

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