People: Schofield Sweeney; The Education Network; PwC

Law firm Schofield Sweeney has started the year by promoting six staff.

Pardeep Khela has been promoted to partner in the real estate team. His expertise include high value landlord and tenant matters, real estate finance, investor purchases, commercial developers and corporate support.

Tina Morris takes up the role of director in the commercial services team. She leads the education team, and project manages the academy conversion process, bringing significant experience with both single and multi-academy trusts.

Seema Gabbi has been promoted to director in the residential conveyancing team. She leads the team offering expertise and guidance throughout the house buying and selling processes.

James Farrell moves up to director within the corporate team. He advises on a wide array of matters, including M&A transactions, share buy-backs, management buyouts, and group re-organisations.

Alex Aitken has been promoted to associate in the corporate team. Having trained with the firm and qualified in September 2020, Alex has quickly established himself as a trusted advisor on a diverse range of corporate transactions.

Rajveer Basra moves up to associate in the employment team. She consults with clients on all aspects of day-to-day employee management and issues arising from recruitment through to termination.

Graham Sweeney, managing partner, said: “Congratulations to all those who have been promoted. It reflects their hard work in helping the business grow and their dedication to excellent client service.”

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A specialist recruitment consultancy for the education sector, The Education Network, has announced its expansion into Leeds again – the consultancy formerly had an office in Leeds which closed during the pandemic.

At the same time, two new senior members of staff have been appointed as part of consultancy’s expansion plans.

Firstly, Vikki Lowrey has been appointed as director of Yorkshire and is responsible for establishing the Yorkshire division. She brings a wealth of experience within the recruitment sector, not only running her own business in the past, but also holding a position within a similar recruitment consultancy in Newcastle.

She is supported by Matthew Shone as branch manager at the consultancy’s new offices in Aire Street. Shone has also previously worked for another national education recruitment firm and is a SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) specialist.

CEO Kevin Gill said: “It was a very difficult decision to close the office during the pandemic, so it is great that we have been able to hit the ground running. The team has already made many good connections and is getting its message out to schools in the area. The location of our office on Aire Street was a big factor when choosing where to re-establish the business because not only is it centrally situated but it also has a roof terrace where we can hold networking events.

“We take great pride in our work and will continue to grow the business without compromising any of our core principles of acting responsibly, honesty and ethically to make a valuable difference within the sector.

“We look forward to bringing our own particular brand of education recruitment to schools in Leeds and making The Education Network the sector’s first choice when staffing issues arise.”

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Emma Suchland has been appointed as PwC’s new Regional Market Lead for the North, succeeding Armoghan Mohammed who is retiring.

Before stepping into this new role, Suchland led PwC’s national UK Private Business practice, where she was responsible for the firm’s 650plus strong private business team. She joined PwC as a tax partner in 2016 from BDO.

She said: “I’m truly excited to lead our Northern business and continue building on the outstanding work that Armoghan has accomplished. My focus will be on leveraging the exceptional talent and diverse expertise within our Northern team to support our clients’ growth and navigate the evolving market landscape.

“I’m committed to working closely with local businesses and convening across our communities to foster collaboration, to deliver meaningful results and promote long-term sustainable growth.”

Carl Sizer, PwC’s chief markets officer, said “We are thrilled to have Emma step into the role of Regional Market Leader for the North. Emma’s brings extensive experience and a proven track record in driving strategic growth and fostering strong client relationships.
“Everyone at PwC extends their gratitude to Armoghan Mohammed for his exceptional leadership and contributions during his tenure as Regional Market Leader. We’re looking forward to building on the strong foundation he has established.”