People: Circus PPC; Roxy Leisure; and more
Leeds-based Circus PPC Agency is changing its structure, to develop the agency further and offer new opportunities for progression.
As part of the structural shake-up, the current board of directors will all be taking on C-suite roles – founder and managing director Rick Tobin becoming chief executive officer, commercial director Ahmed Chopdat becoming chief strategy officer, and operations director Will Cheng becoming chief operations officer.
From left, Anna Wood and Meg Wilson
Operations manager, Meg Wilson-Taylor, will be taking over the role of operations director, and head of client services Anna Wood will be stepping into the newly created role of client services director.
Tobin said: “As Circus turns 15 we’ve been reflecting on our past successes and have begun to put plans into place that we hope will secure another 15 years success.
“This new iteration of Circus allows our account management team to expand in a far more constructive and supported way, to help drive further growth, expertise, experience and results, as well as providing opportunities throughout the whole agency.
“We are very excited about this next phase, and we hope to welcome more members and more clients to work with us in what we believe is one of the greatest agencies in the world.”
:::
Roxy Leisure has appointed its new operations director, Leane King.
She joins Roxy Leisure after 11 and a half years at The New World Trading Company, supporting its growth from two to over 30 sites nationwide.
In August, Roxy Leisure Holdings revealed a name change to Professionals at Play, creating a group brand for competitive socialising operators, Roxy Leisure and Pins Leisure.
The rebrand to Professionals at Play was also bolstered with a management restructure, with new chief operating officer, Colin Sadler, appointed to take the group forward.
Roxy Leisure was founded by brothers Matt and Ben Jones, and now houses the Roxy Ball Room and Roxy Lanes brands.
It opened its first Roxy Ball Room site on Leeds Boar Lane in December 2013, with the first Roxy Lanes venue opening Leeds Bond Street in 2014.
The Roxy Leisure group now has 19 sites across UK including venues in Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Sheffield, Leicester, Cheltenham, York and Leeds, with plans to open a first London site in 2025.
King brings over 18 years of experience in the hospitality industry to the role at Roxy Leisure.
She joined The New World Trading Company as a general manager in 2013, taking on the roles of senior operations manager and regional manager, before being appointed head of operations in 2022, and regional operations director in 2023.
She led a national team of 25 operational managers, overseeing 22 direct sites to drive growth, while maintaining brand identity and core company values.
King said: “I am thrilled to be joining Roxy Leisure as operations director. I’ve been a huge fan of the brand for many years now and have admired the team’s ambitious nature and passion for creating a great company culture.
“Entering the competitive socialising environment provides a new sector full of huge opportunities for me personally, and I’m looking forward to supporting Roxy with its exciting expansion plans.”
Colin Sadler, Professionals at Play COO, added: “Leane has great experience from New World Trading Company and a detailed knowledge of working in busy high street bars.
“It’s an exciting time for Roxy as we look to cement our position as one of the country’s leading competitive socialising businesses and we are confident that Leane’s appointment will help us achieve this goal.”
:::
River Holme Connections has achieved a milestone with the appointment of its first chief executive officer, Rosslyn Colderley.
The CEO appointment coincides with the charity’s upcoming 10th anniversary, marking a decade of community engagement and environmental conservation in the River Holme catchment.
Colderley brings over three decades of experience in the environmental and charitable sectors, having held leadership roles at Sustrans, the Wildlife Trust, the Canal and Rivers Trust, and the Conservation Volunteers.
In her most recent role as England director north at Sustrans, she led numerous high impact projects, securing substantial funding that enabled the growth of key environmental initiatives across the nation.
She said: “The transformation of the River Holme catchment has been remarkable, and I look forward to using my experience to further the charity’s mission of connecting people to landscapes, their communities, and one another.
“I am excited to bring fresh insights and work alongside talented colleagues, supportive volunteers, and local stakeholders to make a lasting positive impact on this wild and beautiful place.”
Colderley will join the team in January and participate in a tree planting ceremony to celebrate the milestone of the 100,000th tree being planted, symbolising River Holme Connections’ ongoing commitment to enhancing the local environment.
Founder Lynva Russell and chair of trustees said: “Rosslyn’s extensive experience in conservation, coupled with her infectious enthusiasm, makes her the ideal leader as we enter our second decade.
“I look forward to working alongside her to continue making the River Holme catchment a better place for people and wildlife.”
