People: Sheffield Technology Parks; Reward Finance Group; and more

Experienced company leader and operations manager, Brent Woods has joined the team behind tech hub, Sheffield Technology Parks, as the head of operations.

He has nearly 30 years’ experience heading organisations in the creative and technology sectors.

Former CEO of The Media Centre in Huddersfield, he also spent a decade at the helm of Sheffield’s DocFest during which he carved out an international reputation for the festival and its host city.

Sheffield Technology Parks (STP) was established more than 35 years ago. A non-profit organisation, STP combines work and meeting spaces, business incubation, scale-up support,  networking and social events for Sheffield’s innovators.

The hub currently accommodates 17 start-ups on The Cooper Project – its business incubator – and is home to 35 established businesses including several that have relocated to Sheffield from London.

Woods will oversee day-to-day management of the building as well as leading on a number of transformational projects to enhance STP’s reach and capabilities.

He said: “What’s exciting about joining Sheffield Technology Parks is the opportunity to bring fresh perspectives and innovative approaches to further enhance our offerings.

“It’s about ensuring everyone who visits, works with, or is part of STP has the best possible experience, and I am committed to continuing that focus.

“I really wanted to be working in and contributing to Sheffield and its growth, so I think I’ve landed in the perfect spot.

“What’s so important about STP is that it is a purpose-led organisation. We can do things that are generous and supportive to businesses, especially start-ups.

“It gives businesses that are based here an advantage and that’s great for Sheffield’s economic growth because it creates more employers, producing potentially higher waged job opportunities within the city.”

Tom Wolfenden, STP CEO, said: “There is no lack of talent, innovation and ideas in Sheffield, but there is a shortage of suitable space, infrastructure and business support for highly innovative start-ups and scaleups.

“While we are in a strong position at STP with full occupancy and a busy, thriving incubator, we are on a mission to create more touchpoints in the city; more spaces to grow and more infrastructure to support businesses at every stage.

“Having Brent on board is a gamechanger. Our team can now fully execute the ideas and plans that we’ve had for a while, which I believe are going to make a lasting impact on Sheffield’s economy and reputation as the best UK city to start and grow a tech business.”

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Alternative finance lender, Reward Finance Group, has further supported its expansion aims across Yorkshire by appointing an experienced relationship manager to join the team at its Leeds head office.

Anthony Cope has been appointed to meet the needs of Reward’s growing client portfolio in the region, having worked within the financial sector for over 25 years.

He spent the majority of his career in a similar client-facing role at Yorkshire Bank (now Virgin Money) before recently moving into the growth funding space at The FSE Group.

With Reward providing property investors and SMEs with tailored business finance loans and asset based solutions of up to £5m, he will primarily be tasked with supporting new clients on a face-to-face basis with their ongoing borrowing requirements.

He said: “Reward is one of the largest and most established alternative finance lenders across the UK and on a terrific growth path, so I jumped at the opportunity to be part of its success.

“Having spent so much time in the banking sector, I’ve seen first-hand the pressures and obstacles SMEs face when trying to access finance and the critical role alternative lenders like Reward play in providing fast and flexible funding solutions to meet that need.

“I’m looking forward to working with our clients across the region and supporting them along their borrowing journey, to help them unlock further business opportunities and growth.”

Chris Ibbetson, Reward’s regional operations manager, added: “Our entire business is built on forging strong relationships, especially across our SME and property investor client portfolio, and so Anthony is a key appointment.

“He brings a wealth of financial and client services knowledge and experience to the role which will further bolster our expansion plans and hugely talented team in our Leeds head office.”

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Law firm, Mills & Reeve, has appointed Bethan Davies as lead employment counsel.

She joins from Leeds chambers, Parklane Plowden, in a strategic move to strengthen Mills & Reeve’s internal advocacy unit and offer clients greater cohesion between solicitor and counsel.

A qualified barrister, Davies, who will be based in the Leeds office for the national role, already has an excellent relationship with the firm after being regularly instructed by the employment team.

Paul Johnson, head of the Leeds office, said: “Bethan’s appointment as leading employment counsel is a strategic move for the team.

“Bethan already works closely with our employment lawyers, and her appointment demonstrates our ability to recruit high calibre people to assist our clients in this region and nationally.”

Employment partner, Richard Barker, said: “Bethan’s arrival as a qualified barrister is a key development for the employment, pensions, and immigration team.

“Her appointment gives the firm a real USP in the market, as very few firms can offer in-house counsel to their clients.”

Davies added: “Joining Mills & Reeve in-house presents an exciting opportunity to streamline the relationship between client, solicitor, and barrister, and provide consistency for clients.

“I hope this new structure will allow scope for a more collaborative approach to Employment Tribunal litigation.

“This new role allows me to focus the entirety of my practice on well-prepared employment work across a wide range of respondent clients. I’m really excited to see how we can develop this role.”