People: Mills & Reeve; BPI; RWO; and more

Mills & Reeve is celebrating a move into its new Leeds office with confirmation of seven appointments.

The Leeds office has taken more than 10,200 sq ft at 1 City Square to accommodate its expanding team.

While headcount has increased by more than 25% in the last 12 months, further recruitment has taken place to service a growing client base.

The employment team has been boosted by the appointment of three associates; Ingrid Tarlageanu, who has joined from Lyons Davidson, Chloe Higgs, from Gordons, and Tamina Aslam, who was previously from Capsticks. 

The corporate team has recruited Katherine Baker as a professional support lawyer, while Natalie Gray has joined from Walker Morris as an associate in the tax team, with a focus on real estate, corporate and charity.

Yasemin Dogan has been appointed as a trainee solicitor. The appointments follow the earlier recruitment of Danny Appleyard as a principal associate in the real estate team.

Paul Johnson, head of the Leeds office at Mills & Reeve, said: “It’s fantastic to finally move into our new office.

“The state-of-the-art space is an exceptional working environment for existing staff and is part of our strategy to recruit highly skilled lawyers to our expanding team, with a particular focus on key sectors of technology, healthcare, education and food and agribusiness.

“We’re also looking to launch practice areas with the recruitment of new partners.

“As our local, national and international client base continues to grow, we remain fully committed to the Yorkshire region, therefore it’s essential we recruit the best skilled lawyers and support staff possible.

“The region has an exceptional talent pool, and our latest recruits share our beliefs and values as we strive to offer an unrivalled service to clients.”

The office fit out was managed by specialist firm, Overbury.

David Vaal, managing director at Overbury Northern, said: “We are pleased to have had the opportunity to design and deliver this exceptional new workplace for Mills & Reeve in Leeds; which we are confident will support their growth and aspirations to attract the best talent in the region for many years to come.”

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Normanton-based BPI, which specialises in asset disposal, says Richard Martin, who is former head of Synetiq Auctions and Motorhog, has been appointed to its board as well as becoming a shareholder.

With over 30 years of experience, he brings expertise in growing businesses that have a strong customer proposition based on circular economy principles into national and multinational brands.

He was a pioneer in the development of one of the UK’s first salvage auction platforms, managing the sale of over 150,000 vehicles annually for his own business and other independent operators, while working with insurance companies and police authorities.

David Boulton, managing director of BPI, said: “We’re incredibly excited to welcome Richard to the BPI board.

“Having been a market disruptor in salvage auctions for years, he initially experienced BPI as a customer and quickly saw the value we deliver.

“This partnership marks a huge step forward in BPI’s growth plans, and we’re all looking forward to what the future holds.”

Martin said: “BPI is a company that has really impressed me over the last few years and I am incredibly positive about what we can achieve.

“I’m excited to add my expertise to the BPI team and join the board as a director, where I plan to draw on over 30 years of experience and a broad network of industry relationships. This is just the beginning of an exciting new chapter.”

BPI consists of BPI Asset Disposal Solutions, BPI Auctions and BPI Asset Advisory.

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Leeds-based civil and structural engineer, RWO, has strengthened its team with several new appointments as it continues to invest in developing its services and national capabilities.

Appointed at the Leeds office in Mabgate Mills are Nabeel Arshad, who comes in as a senior civil engineer alongside newly appointed assistant civil engineer, Saif Rehman.

Also joining the North East office are Andrew Doyle, who comes in as senior structural engineer, bringing extensive steel structures and civil engineering industry experience to the role, together with expertise in Revit, AutoCAD and Building Information Modeling (BIM). He is joined by senior structural technician, Ben Gill.

Currently employing a 35-strong workforce and led by an experienced team of directors, they join as RWO’s targets a £3.5m turnover in 2025.

Managing director Ross Oakley said the firm continues to  develop and expand on the back of investment in high performance staff and will recruit further this year across all its North East and Yorkshire operations.

He added: “Our strength lies in our people, so I’m pleased to welcome Andrew, Ben, Saif and Nabeel to RWO.

“Their experience and knowledge in the world of engineering will help to drive forward our offering, joining up parts of the business to ensure we always deliver the best for our clients and projects.

“This is an exciting time for RWO as we pursue further growth in all areas of operations and as we continue to take on increasingly challenging and ambitious schemes as the business matures.”

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Executive search consultancy, Spencer Riley, has reinforced its senior team, with a key promotion and two high-profile appointments, following a period of growth.

The Leeds-based consultancy has promoted Adam Garvey to divisional director and welcomed Jonathan Russell and Gordon Roy as head of Future Mobility and head of Business Advisory & Consultancy, respectively.

As divisional director, Garvey, will lead the expanding teams in both the Construction and Food & Ingredients divisions, and drive Spencer Riley’s international reach, with a focus on the USA, Europe, and Benelux regions.

Russell brings nearly a decade of recruitment experience within software-as-a-service software and autonomous technologies, focusing on C-suite and VP-level roles in electric vehicles, robotics, and autonomous driving.

With a forward-thinking approach and global experience, he will be helping to drive growth within these industries by placing high calibre personnel who will be instrumental in forging the brands of tomorrow.

Roy will be leveraging his international expertise in business advisory and consultancy.

Specialising in corporate finance, cybersecurity, and economic consulting, he has been tasked with building a dedicated team to meet today’s business challenges and future-proof organisations by upskilling their leaders and teams.

Scott Ellam, managing director, said: “Adam’s promotion and Jonathan and Gordon’s appointments are key to our sustainable growth plans and to ensure we continue our upward trajectory.

“All three are highly respected in the industry and, in their new roles, will help us deliver the world-class recruitment solutions Spencer Riley is proudly renowned for.”

Garvey said: “In my new role, it’s key to drive not just my team, but the entire business towards achieving the best results for our clients.

“We’re revamping our website and services to further improve the quality we deliver to both clients and candidates.

“Spencer Riley is here to connect excellence, whether it’s business critical positions, high volume assignments, or embedded partnership solutions.”

Russell said: “I’m excited to join Spencer Riley to lead the development of the Future Mobility division.

“This is a sector brimming with innovation, and we can make a significant impact by placing exceptional leaders into the companies that are shaping the future of mobility.”

Roy added: “Joining Spencer Riley allows me to leverage my international experience and help businesses find the right leaders to navigate complex challenges in today’s market.

“The company is enjoying great success, and I look forward to growing a strong team and contributing to the success of our clients.”