People: John Howe & Co; Commercial Property Partners; Parfetts; and more

A West Yorkshire law firm is continuing to invest in legal talent with the appointment of an experienced litigator.

Richard Whitaker has joined Pudsey-based law firm John Howe & Co, after building his career across 30 years with several West Yorkshire firms, most recently spending nearly seven years with Din Solicitors in Halifax.

Whitaker has established himself as a legal professional with a focus on personal injury and property disputes.

He said: “I am happy to become a part of the John Howe & Co family. John has built a brilliant general legal practice and the firm’s outstanding reputation and commitment to excellence align perfectly with my values. Whatever I do, I always want to do my best.

“I look forward to contributing my expertise and working alongside the dedicated team here to provide the best possible legal solutions to our clients.”

John Howe, managing director, said: “We are thrilled to have Richard join the firm. His extensive experience and specialised knowledge in personal injury and property disputes will undoubtedly enhance our capabilities and continue our tradition of delivering exceptional legal services.

“I am looking forward to working closely with him to the benefit of our clients.”

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Commercial property partners (CPP) has appointed Connor Rogers to Associate within the company’s Capital Markets team.

Previously at Cushman & Wakefield in Leeds, Rogers will join the CPP Leeds office working alongside regional director Robin Bullas, in addition to supporting CPP’s wider national offering alongside directors Richard Wright, Roger Haworth and Jonny Pickup.

Rogers brings with him a wealth of knowledge across the industrial, office, leisure and retail sectors, having been involved in a number of high-profile sales and acquisitions while at Cushman & Wakefield.

Richard Wright, head of capital markets, said: “We are pleased to welcome Connor to the team adding yet further expertise to our growing Capital Markets division. 

“Connor has both the skill set and experience we look for when appointing Associate positions – entrepreneurial while committed to delivering considered and detailed advice to the client base.

“As a business we continue to look for highly motivated and dynamic individuals to support our ambitious growth plans for the future.”

Rogers added: “I am happy to be joining CPP at a time when the business is at such an exciting stage in their growth strategy. 

“There is a strong synergy in terms of the core values and approach within CPP to those of my own regarding investment brokerage, which will support and develop my existing client base.”

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Parfetts has appointed Peter Jones as the new general manager of its Sheffield depot.

He was previously a supply chain manager at the company’s head office in Stockport.

Jones brings a wealth of experience to the role, with seven years of experience at Parfetts and 17 years at Morrisons in various positions.

He said: “Sheffield is a well-established cash and carry, already with a great team. I’m getting out to see our retailers and understand where we can enhance our service, and my door is always open for feedback.

“As a team, we’re focused on providing great customer service and availability. We’re also enhancing our GOLD service.

“I aim to grow the depot’s customer base and attract new retailers to the fast-growing Go Local fascia.”

The Sheffield depot’s delivered customer base spans South Yorkshire, Humberside and the East Midlands.

Guy Swindell, joint managing director of Parfetts, said: “Peter is a fantastic addition to the team in Sheffield. He has a passion for wholesale and is already enhancing many aspects of the operation.

“I’m sure retailers will value his approach to the job. He’s focused on supporting their businesses and improving their margins.”

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A performing arts college has been taken over by a West End musical theatre actor and director, marking an ambitious new era for the college.

SLP College in Garforth, Leeds, says Kenneth Avery-Clark is its new owner. He is also the principal and co-founder of The International College of Musical Theatre (ICMT) in London.

Until now, SLP had been led by Sandra Reid, who founded the college 32 years ago and established it as a leading training ground for dance and musical theatre in the UK. Reid has now retired.

Avery-Clark said: “I loved the idea of bridging the gap between the North and the South to give students an even better training experience.

“Ms Reid brought SLP to where it is today, but now it’s time for someone else to pump in positive change and take the college to even higher levels of quality.”

SLP College offers Government grants to fund training for qualifying students aged 16 and above on their Diploma courses in Dance and Musical Theatre.

Avery-Clark added: “Straight off the bat, we will offer a new two-year Accelerated Degree Course in Musical Theatre Performance validated by Coventry University, which will be available next September.

“This will be the only degree course of its kind available in the North and essentially means students can enter the industry sooner, cutting a whole year of expenses.

“We expect it to be a significant draw for performing arts students from across the UK, given the current state of the economy, and will make our courses accessible to all, not just to those who can afford them.”

Having originally started as a dance school, SLP College also offers ballet, jazz, tap, modern and commercial dance classes daily for children as young as three and up to 16 years old.

More recently, it has launched its own talent agency for kids, AC Talent, which will represent children from the Junior Academy who excel in dancing, acting and singing.