People: Reward Finance Group; Dacre, Son & Hartley; Bradford 2025; and more

Scott Wood has been appointed as a new business development director at Leeds-based Reward Finance Group.

He arrives with an extensive professional network across corporate finance and accountancy.

Having worked at some of the UK’s major banks for over 16 years, he joins from HSBC where he was a relationship director and worked with a portfolio of mid-corporate businesses to provide a range of financial solutions.

A key part of his role will be working alongside founding director Dave Jones to drive business development growth across Yorkshire with a specific focus on larger transactions to build on the growth Reward has already seen in this space.

Wood said: “Reward’s excellent reputation and rapid expansion across Scotland, the Midlands and London and the South East were key factors behind my decision to join the business.

“I feel my experience across both private and corporate banking will only support Reward’s flexible, common sense approach towards lending. I’m really pleased to be on board and very excited about my future progression within the company.”

Gemma Wright, regional director for Yorkshire and the North East, added: “Scott’s appointment is a real boost to our business both nationally and across Yorkshire where we have a long-established reputation.

“His remit is to further increase our activity in the £1m to £10m lending arena where we have seen a marked uptick since the start of the pandemic.

“Scott brings a wealth of financial experience and professional contacts that will generate larger opportunities for us, particularly among accountancy and advisory firms that advise our typical target client base.”

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Two property professionals who have worked for estate agent, Dacre, Son & Hartley for a combined total of 13 years, have been promoted to associates.

Donna Searle joined the Burley-in-Wharfedale office of Dacres in 2016, having worked at two other estate agents, helping the area director to successfully increase the office’s market share, before moving across to the Ilkley head office.

She now supports the management board and has spearheaded several strategic business projects for the firm.

She said: “I absolutely love it at Dacres. The teamwork, the ethos and the opportunities for a varied and interesting career are all key reasons for staying with the business for so long.

“I have been able to implement some challenging, yet exciting projects, helping to bring about positive and sustainable change.”

Dan Elven joined the Bingley office of Dacres in 2017 as branch manager, having worked in the property industry for 10 years prior.

He has been instrumental in developing Bingley into one of the best performing offices in the company’s 20 branch network, as well as significantly growing its market share.

Elven said: “With 120 properties currently on our books ranging from less than £50,000 to in excess of £1m for a vast rural family home with land, we have every sector of the market covered.

“We have a strong family market in Bingley, as well as plenty of first-time buyers who work in Leeds. Our excellent commuter links and schools really appeal, and we are a busy office with a great team and a trusted brand.”

Patrick McCutcheon, head of residential, said: “Dan and his colleagues have helped push our Bingley office to new levels thanks to his high level of customer care and drive.

“Donna is an invaluable team player, supporting the management board on a number of projects which include spearheading our carbon reduction programme and helping with our latest new office opening in York.

“Both Dan and Donna are vital members of our business and thoroughly deserve their promotions.”

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Work to develop Bradford’s year of culture in 2025 continues with a new appointment to the Bradford 2025 leadership team.

This is alongside the first mini-seed commission funds awarded to local artists and organisations to help develop the cultural programme.

Will White joins as head of audiences following 10 years at the Science Museum Group where he led the marketing and communications teams across three national museums in the north: the National Science and Media Museum in Bradford, Locomotion in Shildon and the National Railway Museum in York.

White, who has also worked at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and the British Council, will lead a strategic marketing and communications campaign to develop and grow audiences across the Bradford district, nationally and internationally in the lead up to and throughout 2025.

He said: “I arrived in Bradford in 2013 and since then I’ve seen the city and the district change a lot – often in ways you couldn’t possibly have anticipated.

“Now, we’re beginning to grow in confidence, to step out of the role that others have cast us in and to articulate our one-of-a-kind cultural offer.

“Finding ways to bring arts and cultural experiences to audiences – and the other way around – is the challenge that keeps me busy.”

The first recipients of seed funding from Bradford 2025 have been awarded, chosen from more than 160 applications to a commission call-out.

35 individual artists, makers and cultural organisations across the district have been selected to receive awards of between £500 – £2500 to enable them to dedicate time to research and develop new project proposals and ideas.

Recipients include:

• Dance artist and aerialist Vince Virr – for time to research a new large-scale circus and aerial performance created with communities in Bradford’s estates.
• Bradford South Asian Festival – to run a series of community consultations to support the development and future growth of the festival.
• Checkpoint, Bradford’s West Indian Community Centre – to explore how to bring to life archive oral recordings of the Black experience in Bradford. ‘The Front Room Talks’ will be set in a 1970s Caribbean living room.
• New Focus Young People’s Collective at Impressions Gallery – to conduct research into how other galleries in the UK are telling the story of migrants in diverse cities.
• Textile artist Claire Wellesley – funding new research and development workshops to explore the potential of a district-wide textile project for 2025, putting the spotlight on the past, present and future of Bradford’s textile industry.

Jenny Harris, executive producer for Bradford 2025, said: “We had an overwhelming response from the cultural community across the district which is further proof of the incredible passion and creativity of the sector here.

“There were so many fantastic ideas and it’s a shame we couldn’t fund them all, but there will of course be further opportunities to engage with the programme over the next two years, this is just the start.

“I’m really excited about the individuals and organisations we’ve selected, all of whom responded to our brief with some really bold ideas that reflect the many cultures and communities of our district.”

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James Sibson has been appointed general manager at Bristol Street Motors Bradford Renault, Dacia & Nissan.

After leaving the Armed Forces in 2011, he began his career in motor retail, working for a number of companies within West Yorkshire, latterly Sytner Group and Bennett Motor Group.

Sibson said: “After working for a family run business, I wanted to get back into the hustle and bustle of a much larger organisation.

“Bristol Street Motors has an excellent reputation in West Yorkshire and offers colleagues the chance for great professional and personal development, and a good career path.

“I am looking forward to getting to know, and working closely with, my team and continuing to provide the very best service to customers.”

Robert Forrester, chief executive of Bristol Street Motors, said: “James is a very welcome addition to our cohort of general managers across the business.

“He is very well-respected in the motor retail sector in West Yorkshire, and I am pleased that he has agreed to lead the teams at Bristol Street Motors Bradford Renault, Dacia & Nissan.”