People: Lupton Fawcett; York & North Yorkshire Chamber; AIREA; and more

Yorkshire law firm, Lupton Fawcett, has strengthened its Regulatory and Corporate Defence team with the appointment of defence specialist Richard Etherington.

Etherington, who has joined as associate solicitor and is based at the firm’s Sheffield office, has over 10 years’ experience in regulatory and criminal defence.

He represents and defends individual and corporate clients facing criminal investigation and prosecution for a wide range of allegations from road traffic matters to fraud, serious sexual offences and murder.

He is well-known for his unrivalled experience of defending university students facing misconduct investigations and hearings, particularly for cases where sexual misconduct is alleged.

Etherington also has many years of experience defending members of the military in Courts Martial.

Jeremy Scott, head of Lupton Fawcett’s Regulatory and Corporate Defence team, said: “I am very pleased to welcome Richard to the firm.

“In addition to his expertise across a broad range of criminal cases, Richard is a Solicitor-Advocate, able to represent clients in the Crown Court as well as in magistrates’ court, allowing them to benefit from consistent representation throughout the legal process.

“His skills and experience, together with his reputation as a specialist in defending university students facing misconduct investigations and hearings, make him a very valuable addition to our team.”

Etherington said: “Lupton Fawcett is already well-known for its regulatory and corporate defence work as well as for its commitment to achieving the best possible result for clients.

“I look forward to working with my new colleagues Jeremy Scott and Meghan Waldron to build on their existing success and to expand our practice.”

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York & North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce has welcomed Andrew Pericleous as new chairman of its Hospitality Forum.

Pericleous, well known in York as managing director of takeaway Mr Chippy and director of Loopy Scoops ice-cream parlour, took up the role last month.

Prior to this he has had a long career in the hospitality sector, having served as managing director of A&R Enterprises as well as general catering manager of Milburn’s Restaurants. The latter role saw him providing catering and banqueting services to York Minster and St William’s College.

He said: “It is a great honour to take up this role. Hospitality is the life blood of North Yorkshire and a significant employer in the region. Since the Hospitality Forum was launched, we have been taken aback by the huge levels of interest it has generated.

“We have a number of high-profile engagements and announcements in store so watch this space.”

The forum is the first of its kind to have been organised by any Chamber of Commerce in the country.

Established to champion the industry, it aims to both give a voice to the sector and ensure that it is heard regionally, nationally and internationally.

Sarah Czarnecki, president of York & North Yorkshire Chamber, said: “We are pleased to welcome Andy onboard. As someone who has been involved in hospitality in North Yorkshire all his life and who continues to work in the sector on the ground, he is ideal to head up the forum.

“His drive and passion make Andy the perfect choice for the role of chair. Also, his role as ambassador for York Lord Mayor’s fund will prove to be a positive force to complement his appointment.”

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AIREA, an Ossett-based specialist flooring company supplying both the UK and international markets, has appointed Conleth Campbell to its Board as chief financial officer and executive director.

Campbell is an experienced finance professional with more than 25 years of experience in public company environments.

He has developed and led finance teams, with strong expertise in capital markets including M&A and Investor Relations.   

He was previously group financial controller of Genuit Group, a provider of sustainable water and climate management solutions for the built environment.

Campbell has also held the position of head of capital markets (investor relations and treasury) for Croda International, a global speciality chemical company.

Prior to these positions, he was the finance manager (retail & tour operations) for the Irish division of Thomson Travel Group Plc, and the UK finance manager for Yorkshire Food Group.

He is a chartered accountant and began his career at Mazars.

Médéric Payne, chief executive officer of AIREA, said: “We are pleased to welcome Conleth to the Board of AIREA plc.

“Conleth’s extensive experience in senior finance positions within listed companies across multiple industries will be invaluable as we continue to drive the Group’s UK and international growth, including our focus on productivity and sustainability.”

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Leeds-based global data company, The Data City, has appointed Kelly Weston to its board in the new role of chief operating officer.

She joined the company two years ago as a consultant and has become a key team member, leading all aspects of operations.

Her previous roles include founding her own management consulting firm and a series of senior positions in digital agencies.

Paul Connell, executive chair, said: “We are extremely pleased to announce that Kelly Weston has agreed to become our COO and board member at The Data City.

“Kelly has been working with us for just over two years in a consulting and permanent role, supporting us to amplify and develop our business culture around our product, people, data and customers.

“It has allowed us to move from a start-up to a scale-up; as we move into the next phase of our development and growth, we are fortunate to have persuaded her to join us in the next chapter.”

The Data City recently revealed a new six-figure funding round, which is accelerating the global roll-out of its AI-driven data platform.

The international product offers access to 94 million companies, including USA and Europe. The data available is underpinned by CreditSafe’s global financial company data.

Weston said: “When I first began consulting with The Data City, it was clear this was a radically different business to any I had ever worked in or with before.

“The team consists of the brightest minds, but it’s much more than their talent; the company’s ethos is about doing your best work and giving the team what they need to thrive.

“Everyone wants to make a difference where they work. At this company, I really feel that our work is ground-breaking and rewarding.”