People: HBD; Blacks Solicitors; Pabasso; and more
HBD, part of Henry Boot, has made a senior hire in its Leeds office, appointing David Nuttall as director.
He joins following roles with Cole Waterhouse as MD of Industrial and Logistics, and Tritax Symmetry where he spent three years as development director.
Nuttall will lead on the delivery of HBD’s industrial and logistics schemes across Yorkshire, while supporting the continued expansion of its £1.3bn development pipeline.
HBD is underway with a number of industrial and logistics developments across the region, including Wakefield Hub, a 200-acre logistics scheme at J30 of the M62, and various projects at Markham Vale.
Ed Hutchinson, managing director, said: “Industrial and logistics remains a major focus for HBD so it’s great to have David on board as we progress new development opportunities across the region.
“He brings a vast amount of knowledge and expertise and will be a huge asset to the team as our I&L pipeline continues to grow.”
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Blacks Solicitors has boosted its Planning offering with the appointment of a new partner, Emma Thomas, who brings more than 20 years’ experience in planning law to the Leeds-based legal firm.
She will lead the Planning team to support investors and developers, including acting on behalf of landowners and public authorities across a range of sectors, from holiday and home parks and energy to housebuilding and retail.
Her previous experience includes advising commercial and residential developers including Keyland Developments and Strata Homes and retailers such as Lidl on their planning needs.
She said: “Blacks is a firm which is thriving in the Real Estate market and I am happy to have joined such a knowledgeable and experienced team, with strong connections throughout the Property sector.
“The start of 2025 sees considerable changes to planning law and policy; with the revised NPPF, the anticipated March publication of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, and the newly published Government’s working paper on changes to how Planning Committees will function.
“This, along with the ongoing saga of BNG (biodiversity net gain) provision, creates a myriad of opportunities and challenges for developers and local authorities alike and the Planning team at Blacks is looking forward to supporting clients throughout.”
Partner and head of the Real Estate team at Blacks, Nick Dyson, added: “We are thrilled to strengthen our planning team with Emma’s appointment.
“She is a fantastic addition to the firm and will help transform our offering and aid clients in unlocking development opportunities.”
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A Yorkshire business that provides peer support and mentorship for MDs and CEOs in the region has made a strategic hire to support its growth plans.
Carlos Horner joins Wetherby-based Pabasso as associate director and board chair, in a dual role that will see him work on expanding the reach of Pabasso as well as forming his own peer support board of Yorkshire business leaders.
Horner began his career as an equity research analyst in London’s financial hub before transitioning to investment management, where he managed specialist funds for Charlemagne Capital and Progressive Asset Management.
As sales and marketing director at Progressive, he supported launches of investment funds to investors globally.
He will leverage his expertise to develop the company’s vision for growth alongside Pabasso’s founder, entrepreneur Richard Doyle, who founded Esteem Systems in 1985 and grew it to a £30m technology business before selling it in late 2004.
Post Esteem, Doyle worked for many years as a plural non executive director before founding Pabasso.
Horner said: “The Pabasso model is incredibly powerful because it creates a space where SME business leaders can share their significant knowledge and wisdom to benefit one another.
“As well as being a rewarding experience, sitting on a Pabasso board is transformational for the MDs & CEOs involved, who can draw on the experience in the room to drive their organisation forward.”
Doyle added: “I am happy to welcome Carlos to the Pabasso team and am confident his leadership will drive meaningful results for our members and the organisation as a whole.
“Having Carlos on the team means we can immediately open up new opportunities for MDs and CEOs to experience the benefits of peer advisory boards.
“We welcome interest from MDs and CEOs with an ambition for growth who will benefit from the strategic leadership, sales and team development experience that Carlos and other board members can share with them.
“Our mission is to make peer advisory boards one of the key support functions for established business leaders to help fuel economic growth in the region.”
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Yorkshire-based housebuilder, Thomas Alexander Homes, has welcomed Laura Pickles as its new sales & marketing manager.
She brings nearly a decade of experience in the property sector to her new role, having previously held senior sales positions at other UK home builders, including Persimmon Homes and Gleeson.
Pickles said: “I’m happy to have joined the team at Thomas Alexander Homes.
“It’s a company whose values closely mirror my own, with quality always prioritised over profit and the needs and wellbeing of every member of staff taken into account, whether through the focus on work/life balance or the friendly, supportive work environment that encourages creativity and enables staff members to thrive and flourish.
“By helping to develop our Sales team, I’m certain we can take the next steps to becoming Yorkshire’s leading high-end and design-led SME house builder, delivering high-quality, luxury homes to our customers.”
Alex Blease, managing director, added: “We’re extremely excited to have Laura on board at Thomas Alexander Homes.
“Her deep industry knowledge and commitment to excellence align perfectly with our vision and I’m confident her leadership will accelerate our growth plans and further our mission to build more top-quality, sustainable homes throughout Yorkshire.”
