People: Ripon Farm Services; BHP; Hull and Humber Chamber of Commerce; and more
Ripon Farm Services (RFS) has appointed Richard Simpson as its new CEO, with Geoff Brown becoming chairman.
Three years ago, the firm decided to strengthen its Board to ensure it had a structure in place to manage the future growth and succession of the company with the appointment of Simpson as commercial director.
Simpson comes from a farming background and has extensive experience in transforming companies.
In his new role as CEO he will have full responsibility for the strategic development of RFS and the day-to-day running of the business.
Brown will continue to be present in the company and advise on strategic direction to ensure the seamless transfer of knowledge and expertise.
He will also be able to dedicate more time and energy to his upcoming charitable endeavours in his role as president of the Yorkshire Agricultural Society while, at the same time, ensuring a smooth leadership transition within the company.
Brown said: “I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to all employees, customers and the folks at John Deere who have been instrumental in our journey over the past 40 years.
“The unwavering commitment, hard work, and passion have been invaluable in shaping the company into what it is today.
“That said we must keep moving forwards. There is a lot to do, and we must continue to improve, embrace innovation, and always strive to surpass customer expectations.
“I am thrilled to be able to have Richard at the helm. He has been instrumental in driving the changes we needed to make in the last three years, and I look forward to him leading the company through the required changes towards even greater achievements.”
Joedy Ibbotson, division business manager, John Deere UK, said: “Everyone at John Deere would like to sincerely thank Geoff for his continued and unwavering loyalty to the John Deere brand and all that he has achieved through his leadership of Ripon Farm Services.
“Under his leadership the business has grown to become one of the largest and leading John Deere dealers in the UK.
“Geoff should be immensely proud of what he has built, for over 40 years his unrelenting commitment to serving farming and rural communities has been foundational to Ripon Farm Services success.”
Simpson added: “This is an incredible honour and one which I am terrified about to be honest.
“Ripon Farm Services is a truly great business and following Geoff to lead the company is the most challenging thing I have ever done.
“We must all work together to ensure the values on which the company is built are preserved and enhanced in the years to come.”
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Jane Marshall, partner and head of Charities and not-for-profit at accountancy firm BHP, is to retire from her role at the end of March after 37 years at the business.
She has helped grow the firm’s charities and not-for-profit expertise, leading it to be repeatedly recognised at a national level.
Following her retirement, Audit and Charities’ Partner, Laura Masheder will take on the role as head of charities and not-for-profit.
Marshall founded BHP’s annual Charity Conference in 2005, after realising there was no provision for such high calibre events outside London.
Over the intervening 18 years, 15 conferences have been held, with the 2023 event attracting over 100 delegates from charities across the region to hear about the latest developments in the charity sector.
During her time with the firm, Marshall has also been a member of the ICAEW Charity Committee and was appointed a deputy lieutenant of South Yorkshire in 2017.
She began her work with charities and not-for-profits in the 1990s, before becoming head of charities in 2005 and partner in 2008.
Masheder will be supported by three partners and three director responsible individuals (RI).
She has specialised in the charity and not-for-profit sector for over a decade. She has been working alongside Marshall since joining BHP’s charity team in October 2022 and has a range of experience providing audit, compliance, technical accounting and compliance services to many charities and owner managed businesses.
Marshall said: “I’ve enjoyed many happy years with BHP and have seen the firm grow from one office in Sheffield in the 1980s to be represented now by five offices, covering the whole of Yorkshire and North Derbyshire and serving an enviable client base.
“I’m enormously proud of the Charities and Not for Profit team we’ve developed, and I know it will flourish and grow further under Laura’s leadership.
“I wish the firm every success in what’s to come and will continue to champion the expert work and values of everyone involved in the firm.”
Joint CEO, Lisa Leighton, said: “Jane will be greatly missed by her colleagues, clients and so many of her friends and associates across the firm and the industry.
“She has shared her vast knowledge and experience with countless team members over the last 37 years and leaves a lasting legacy within our Charities team.”
Masheder added: “Jane has played a key role in establishing BHP as a Northern powerhouse within the third sector and I look forward, along with the rest of the team, to continuing to support our clients as they navigate what can only be described as a challenging economic period.”
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The Hull and Humber Chamber of Commerce appointed Turkish businessman Kirk Akdemir as its new president during its recent AGM.
His vice president for the year is Irene Keal, who also chairs the Chamber’s North East Lincolnshire Area Council.
Akdemir paid tribute to Albert Weatherill, the outgoing president, who he described as a role model who had been a diplomatic, tactful and capable leader.
Akdemir started working in the UK as an interpreter, and in 1992 his business AaGlobal was born. It grew to cover 500 languages and dialects all over the world. In 2011 he decided to open a branch in the North to serve his northern clients, and he chose to come to Hull.
He said: “I joined the Hull & Humber Chamber in 2011 and started supporting the Chamber’s International Trade Department, quickly becoming a Patron, which has been excellent for us, running foreign trade missions overseas.
“I now describe myself as a Turkish British Hullensian, who believes Chamber membership brings invaluable benefits to businesses big and small and plays a vital role in shaping the area.
“The Chamber is the indisputable voice of the business community and is influential in everything that is happening in the region and it needs to be stronger than ever before.
“Hull and Humber is the gateway to Europe and beyond and in my year as Chamber president I aspire to boost international trade and encourage Chamber members to consider the potential of broadening their horizons.”
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Northern Gritstone, an investment business focused on science and technology-enabled businesses in the North, has appointed Joanne Hosker as talent director for NG Innovation Services, its business support services arm.
She joins from BGF’s Talent Network Team, where she supported the creation of effective boards introducing BGF portfolio businesses to a network of non-executive board directors and chairs.
Her remit with NG Innovation Services includes connecting early-stage businesses with sector-specific entrepreneurs, operating partners and c-suite expertise, in order to support these companies on the path to success.
Launched in July 2021 and chaired by Lord Jim O’Neill, Northern Gritstone invests in and supports early-stage businesses.
The newly created NG Innovation Services offers support to early-stage businesses through its “early-stage toolkit” consisting of accelerator partner programmes under the banner of NG Studios, business services including IT and accounting, and talent navigation led by Joanne Hosker.
Duncan Johnson, CEO of Northern Gritstone, said: “Joanne’s experience in building teams that drive growth and her ability to navigate networks and connect talented people will be invaluable to NG Innovation Services and the companies it supports.”
Hosker said: “Building effective senior teams with the right mix of scaling experience and know-how, sector-specific expertise and leadership capability, is vital to the success of fast-growing, early-stage companies.
“Northern Gritstone has a well-developed understanding of what early-stage companies truly need and appreciates the importance of supporting leadership and developing talent.
“I am excited to be contributing to NG Innovation Services on its mission to build tomorrow’s world-class companies in the North.”
