People: Harrison Family Vets; ELG; and more
Harrison Family Vets has appointed a new team engagement and development manager to lead the human resources function and support the ongoing growth of the family-run business.
Annabel Harrison’s appointment means three generations of the Harrison family are now working in the independent Yorkshire-headquartered business, which has opened five new veterinary practices since launching in 2021, with a further five planned for this year.
Tim Harrison, who previously built a successful national chain of practices, returned to the sector in 2021 to launch Harrison Family Vets.
He was joined by fellow director and his father, Craig, who is the former chairman of White Cross Vets. Craig now oversees all design and build projects for Harrison Family Vets.
Tim said: “My father, Craig, and I have worked together for many years, and I am pleased that Annabel has now joined our team.
“Annabel’s ability and experience will make a tremendous difference to our practices. This next generation of talent will also bring new ideas and energy, which will combine well with our experience.
“We are focused on attracting the very best people and making sure that they love their work. Annabel’s main priority will be to further this culture and engagement across our group.”
Annabel said: “After completing my master’s degree at the LSE, I initially worked in recruitment in London.
“I am excited to be coming home to join the family business in a sector I am passionate about and have grown up with.
“Being able to draw upon the experience of both my father and grandfather is invaluable. I look forward to the journey ahead and helping build our group for many years to come.”
Harrison Family Vets opened its first practice in Woodley, Reading in July 2021, and has since expanded into Kingswinford in the West Midlands, Didsbury in South Manchester, Stockton-on-Tees near Middlesborough and most recently opened Armthorpe in Doncaster.
Tim added: “This year we are investing over a million pounds and creating at least 25 new jobs when we open five more Harrison Family Vets practices.
“It’s vital as we continue to grow at this pace that we have the central functions, like human resources in place to make sure our teams are well looked after and are happy and confident in their roles.”
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Harrogate and Darlington-based planning & heritage specialist, ELG, has promoted Harrogate-based Kim Eastwood to associate director.
The firm says it continues to see increased demand for its services in the Yorkshire region.
Director Jeremy Good said: ‘‘As a business we have acknowledged Kim’s role in establishing and growing the Harrogate office which now makes a considerable contribution to the company’s turnover.
“Kim has been invited to take equity in the business and will play a key role in growing the business from the Harrogate office as we approach our 30th year in business.”
ELG Planning (formally England & Lyle Ltd) has been based in the North East since 1995.
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Oli Connolly has joined Novus Capital, a Yorkshire-based R&D tax and innovation grants specialist, as non-executive director to support the senior management team to shape and deliver its future funding propositions.
Having spent his entire career in and around the funding landscape in London and more recently the Northwest, he is keen to take his experience of supporting founders through Seed to Series A stage funding rounds to deliver opportunity and scale for the businesses Novus Capital partners.
Connolly said: “There is huge potential at Novus Capital to expand the funding services it can offer its current and future clients and I’m looking forward to working with the senior leadership team to help create the go-to platform for business funding.
“I am passionate about helping SMEs scale with their funding needs, access to angel networks and helping underrepresented founders in a market that is often alien to them.”
Managing director of Novus Capital and Britain’s Got Startups event organiser, Jenson Brook, added: “Having Oli on board is not just about bringing credibility, knowledge and governance to our processes, it is also about engaging with those that have shared ambitions to do things differently and to disrupt a tired way of working.
“We believe more can be done for start-up and scale-up companies outside of London and we now have an advisor offering to do just that.”
