People: Shakespeare Martineau; Jaywing; Pagabo Group; and more
Law firm, Shakespeare Martineau, has welcomed corporate partner Matt Ainsworth to its Sheffield hub.
With more than 24 years’ experience, he has joined from Knights plc, where he spent the past seven years as a partner. Prior to this, he worked for Irwin Mitchell and DLA Piper.
Specialising in corporate finance, Ainsworth advises public and private companies, individuals and institutions on domestic and cross-border mergers and acquisitions, private equity investments, IPOs and secondary fund raisings, restructurings, and joint ventures, spanning a wide variety of sectors, including manufacturing and industrials, healthcare, digital and technology, and hospitality.
He said: “I am thrilled to have joined a highly rated and respected national law firm that has its roots centred around client-focused delivery, and values the development and ambitions of its partners and people.
“Whether acting for institutions or corporates that are committing a significant level of capital investment or owner-managers who are exiting businesses they have grown for many years, I get a real buzz in delivering solutions and advice on what are usually critical, high-value deals.
“In my new role, I am looking forward to developing Shakespeare Martineau’s corporate and wider legal offering across South Yorkshire, transforming the brand into the ‘go-to’ mid-market law firm in the region.”
Michael Stace, partner and head of corporate, added: “We are continuing our investment in the South Yorkshire market – a region in which we see a lot of potential – and we are thrilled to welcome Matt to the Sheffield team, a move that will help to boost this commitment.
“Matt has a strong reputation in Sheffield, and his technical knowledge and broad experience will be a real asset to our national corporate team as we look to enhance our transactional offering and, additionally, to cement our reputation in South Yorkshire.”
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Sheffield and Leeds-based integrated marketing agency, Jaywing, has made two senior hires in business development and strategy to accelerate its ambitious 2024 growth plans.
Sophie Munton joins as commercial director, with over 15 years of industry experience in CRM, media and customer loyalty experience in FTSE 500 companies.
She has worked with some of the biggest names in retail and loyalty including Nectar at Sainsburys and Morrisons on their More card proposition, as well as previously leading commercial teams at Audience Collective, Ponderosa Agency and The Loyalty People.
Leading the commercial team, Munton will be responsible for spearheading the agency’s growth and leading new business development.
She said: “I’m excited to be joining the incredible team at Jaywing and to embrace this new challenge.
“Jaywing’s unique brand proposition, ‘stories written with numbers,’ perfectly encapsulates our identity and sets us apart.
“Our distinctive integration of creative, media, and data science, all underpinned by numbers, creates a blend that differentiates us from other marketing agencies. I’m thrilled to be part of the next stage of Jaywing’s growth journey.”
Danni Smith, who has spent the last five years at Skipton Building Society, also joins the business as media strategy director. She has previously held senior positions at Victoria Plum and Carat.
As a strategic partner for Jaywing’s clients, she will ensure that media investment is made where it will have the greatest impact on business objectives, both short and long-term.
Smith will work with the Media and Data Science teams to assess the effectiveness of campaigns and support the implementation of data-driven media strategies.
Catherine Kelly, managing director, said: “We are welcoming aboard two exceptional professionals in Sophie and Danni.
“Our goal is to be the most inspiring and valuable partner for our clients. With Danni and Sophie joining our talented leadership team, we are extremely well positioned to achieve this.
“We’re excited about the year ahead and committed to delivering top-tier solutions for our clients across all aspects of integrated marketing.”
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Hull-headquartered Pagabo Group, has appointed Amman Boughan as its new chief financial officer, taking the business past the milestone of 100 employees.
Having initially started his career in accountancy, Boughan has spent the past decade working in CFO and senior roles across a number of tech and digital businesses, including Preventx, Sky Betting & Gaming, and Lights4Fun.
His focus has been developing strategies to professionalise and drive growth, scaling operating models through leveraging data.
Boughan said: “I’m already really enjoying supporting the team on the exciting journey we have ahead of us.
“Pagabo Group is leading the industry on digitisation across the built environment, but the opportunity to scale this even further is clear – making sure to support our partners across social value, procurement and compliance services.
“The private sector has a great opportunity to leverage digital solutions to support the public sector in improving outcomes that enhance lives.
“That’s the unique position Pagabo Group holds in the market, with the offering across the group divisions providing a fantastic blend to collaborate with our clients at every stage – and enhance everything from procurement to project management through an increasingly digital led approach.
“I’m looking forward to working with the whole team on how we unlock our data potential to enhance our services even more.”
The business has also welcomed another seven new starters this quarter. These hires cover all areas of the business, including a new senior economist, a new software developer, and regional delivery and framework managers.
Simon Toplass, group CEO, said: “Working heavily within the built environment, we understand the power of data in improving services, processes and outcomes – and this is perfectly aligned with Amman’s fantastic reputation for his data-led approach to business growth.
“His track record speaks for itself, and we’re incredibly pleased to be welcoming him into the team and already working on a number of areas where we can enhance our offering to clients across the board.
“When we reflect on our journey so far, the business has come a very long way in a very short time, so taking our overall employees beyond the 100 mark feels like a significant milestone.
Pagabo Group is the parent organisation for a group of cross-industry businesses including national procurement specialist Pagabo, construction and asset management software organisation Sypro, social value software and consultancy organisation Loop, and digital-first training platform Tequ.
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Ian Miles
Ramsdens Solicitors, which has grown to 11 offices throughout Yorkshire, has made two more associate promotions.
The 150-year-old firm’s clinical negligence and personal injury team has been further strengthened by the appointment of Ian Miles to senior associate, while Ramsdens’ private client practice sees Kirsty Dunn promoted to associate.
Based at the Leeds office, Miles joined the practice in 2022 as a litigation executive, having previously worked for a number of sector-leading international law firms.
With 20 years’ experience, he has expertise in handling complex injury claims, including brain injury.
His specialisms cover employers’ liability, occupiers’ liability and road traffic accident claims, as well as claims involving clinical negligence against medical and healthcare providers.
Dunn, a chartered legal executive and Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (CILEx) probate practitioner, joined in 2021 having predominately worked in litigation before transferring her skills and expertise to specialise in wills, lasting powers of attorney and the administration of estates.
She is now based at the firm’s Edgerton office. Her expertise includes advising on the severance of jointly owned properties to enable families to put in place protection from care fees, when making a will.
Kirsty Dunn
Paul Joyce, managing partner, said: “It’s extremely satisfying to see talented members of the team like Ian and Kirsty developing their legal skills with us.
“Both are technically adept lawyers who consistently put their clients first and deliver outstanding service in their respective niche areas of the law.
“We are pleased to celebrate these promotions with Ian and Kirsty as we pride ourselves on providing a supportive, nurturing environment where up-and-coming lawyers can flourish with the support of more senior colleagues.”
