People: Best Solicitors; Skipton Group; LCF Law; and more

Sheffield-headquartered Best Solicitors has strengthened its trusts and estates department with the appointment of two legal advisors.

Ellie Whitehead and Alicia Mate join the 21-year-old practice from Co-op Legal.

The team offers advice on wills, Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPA), Court of Protection (COP) matters, and tax and estates planning.

Joining the firm from Graysons in September, Anne Rogers, director of private client, wills and probate at Best Solicitors, said: “Working with families to ensure they protect their assets and loved ones is close to our heart.

“We pride ourselves on providing empathetic advice and support to help clients plan, and protect their, and their family’s future.

“Ellie and Alicia are a great addition to the firm. The team has recently received dementia training to help us further improve our skills, and understanding, when supporting the most vulnerable of clients.”

The department also appointed Emily Ward as legal assistant in trusts and probate in October and is also supported by trainee solicitor Ishbel Saward.

Best Solicitors has offices in Sheffield, Barnsley, Stocksbridge and Filey.

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Skipton Group’s chief executive, Stuart Haire, has reviewed the executive oversight within Skipton Building Society.

As a result, he has established two new end-to-end customer facing businesses within the society, and created two new CEO roles to take the lead.

The first of the newly created businesses at Skipton, will focus on financing homes and will encompass the capabilities to deliver mortgages for new customers alongside appropriate support to existing mortgage customers and brokers.

To lead this, Charlotte Harrison, former head of mortgage products at Skipton has been promoted to interim CEO – Home Financing.

Jennifer Lloyd, previously senior mortgage products lead has been promoted into the interim head of mortgage products position.

The second business within the society, will focus on making members’ money work harder for them, encompassing Skipton’s distribution capabilities (including Financial Advice) alongside the Advice and Savings product teams.

Andrew Bottomley, Skipton’s former customer director has stepped in to lead the second business as CEO – Money.

Haire said: “We know our members, and brokers on behalf of members, want us to provide finance to help them buy homes.

“Which is why I’ve announced the establishment of a new Home Finance business within Skipton Building Society, designed around providing finance to access the housing market. Charlotte Harrison will lead this as our interim CEO – Home Financing.

“Additionally, a large and growing membership want us to help them make the most of their money. This is a founding purpose of our society and the centre piece of our mutual status. From Lifetime ISAs, cash deposit products to complex financial advice.

“We have therefore established a business within the society which aims to help our members’ money work harder for them, by combining our savings and financial advice business with our branch and contact centre capabilities. Andrew Bottomley will be leading this as CEO – Money.

“When you place these new Skipton Building Society businesses, alongside the UK’s largest estate agency, Connells Group, which helps over one in ten of individuals buying and selling homes; our offshore finance capability Skipton International; Skipton Business Finance and Jade Software Corporation we are building a really impactful Skipton Group at the centre of the UK Housing Sector.”

Harrison said: “I’m thrilled to be taking the lead of the new Financing a Home business at Skipton.

“This will not only encompass the capabilities to deliver a brilliant, customer focused, end-to end mortgage experience, but it will provide appropriate support to our existing mortgage customers and better support for our intermediary partners.”

Bottomley added: “I’m happy to be leading a business which aims to help our members make the most of their money.

“This new structure at Skipton, will ensure we are even more relevant for our customers, that we fully understand their needs and provide greater solutions in savings as well as long-term investing through our branches, on the phone or online.”

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A seasoned commercial lawyer, Anthea Nelson, has been appointed by LCF Law to further strengthen the firm’s corporate and commercial department.

She has more than 20 years’ experience, most recently working as an in-house legal director.

She has worked as in-house counsel for a range of UK businesses and for the last seven years as legal director for a £20m turnover international manufacturing business.

During her extensive legal career, Nelson has advised companies of all sizes on every aspect of commercial law including sales, acquisitions, management buyouts and restructures, as well as contracts, regulatory and compliance, and risk and governance matters.

She worked at board level in an advisory role and as chair, and in her most recent position, was appointed as interim managing director overseeing the manufacturing company’s turnaround during the pandemic before preparing the business for an eventual sale in summer 2022.

LCF Law partner, Susan Clark, who heads the firm’s corporate and commercial department, said: “Anthea is an astute lawyer with widespread commercial experience, having worked for several Leeds based law firms and as in-house legal director in industry.

“With a solid understanding of all business matters, she’s an excellent advisor who can take any business through a range of complex contract and commercial negotiations. She is a welcome addition to our team.”

Anthea will predominantly work from LCF Law’s Leeds and Harrogate offices providing legal advice to clients across the whole of the UK.

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Global information and insights provider, TransUnion, has appointed Neil Bentley as general counsel in the UK, leading legal, risk and compliance, as part of the UK executive team.

Having joined the business in 2006, Neil has an in-depth knowledge of the UK operations and has previously managed both the legal transactions and compliance teams.

He works with industry regulators and established TransUnion’s legal regulatory team in 2017 before becoming legal director and data protection officer.

Bentley said: “I look forward to working with the executive team to help drive innovation and support our growth objectives whilst maintaining the highest industry standards of data stewardship and privacy.

“It’s an exciting time for our sector, as credit information becomes an ever more integral aspect of people’s day-to-day lives and I’m delighted to play a part in supporting this evolution.”

He succeeds Bill Flynn who moves on to TransUnion’s international leadership team as senior vice president, taking over leadership of all TransUnion’s legal teams outside of the US.

Flynn will remain on the UK board and retain his close involvement with the UK business.

Satrajit “Satty” Saha, CEO of TransUnion in the UK – which is based in Leeds – said: “I’m really pleased to welcome Neil to the executive team.

“With his vast legal expertise, combined with a deep-rooted knowledge of our UK operations, he will be a valuable addition as we continue to carry out our strategies for long-term and sustained growth.

“We’re fortunate to also retain the support of Bill Flynn on our UK board as he moves on to take over international leadership of TransUnion’s legal teams and we thank him for the significant contribution he has made to the UK business over the past three years as general counsel.”