People: Finance for Enterprise; Henry Boot; Translink Corporate Finance UK; Thurston Group; FRP
South Yorkshire-based Finance For Enterprise (FFE) has strengthened its team with the appointment of experienced financial professional Michael Hydari as fund manager.
Bringing a wealth of expertise in business finance, he joins FFE from UKSE, where he worked as an investment executive, helping businesses secure the funding they need to grow.
Prior to that, he held various finance analyst roles at Specsavers while completing his CIMA accountancy qualification.
In his new role as fund manager, he will be responsible for making credit decisions and managing FFE’s diverse range of funds, ensuring SMEs across the region can access vital financial support to drive their businesses forward.
Hydari said: “I enjoy helping SMEs access funding and supporting their growth journeys. Finance For Enterprise is the perfect place for me to continue doing that, and I’m excited to be part of a team that makes such a positive impact on businesses.”
Andrew Austwick, managing director, said: “Michael’s extensive experience in business finance and his passion for helping SMEs make him a fantastic addition to FFE. We are confident that he will play a key role in supporting businesses as they look to grow and thrive.”
Originally from Castle Donington, Hydari is a passionate supporter of Arsenal and has a keen interest in finance and economics, particularly in areas such as Bitcoin.
He also has a unique background, having previously spent five years as a professional poker player before transitioning into the finance sector.
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Earl Sibley
Henry Boot has appointed Vistry Group’s former chief operating officer Earl Sibley as a non-executive director.
Sibley left Vistry after 10 years at the end of 2024 and will now join the board of Henry Boot on April 1.
Peter Mawson, chair of Henry Boot, said: “Following a thorough selection process, we are delighted to welcome Earl to the Board. His depth of leadership expertise, and his detailed understanding of both residential development and strategic land, will be invaluable.
“This is particularly so given our recent announcement regarding the group’s acquisition of the remaining 50% of Stonebridge Homes, which is a key pillar of our business strategy for the future.”
Sibley will become a member of the Audit and Risk Committee, Nomination Committee, Remuneration Committee and the Responsible Business Committee.
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Translink Corporate Finance UK has appointed two corporate finance executives, Alex Archer and Lauren Woodward.
Based at the firm’s Leeds and Sheffield offices, they will contribute their expertise to support the delivery of Translink’s cross-border deals.
Archer brings five years of audit and assurance experience from a large regional firm based in the North of England.
In his previous role, he worked with a diverse range of businesses, including SMEs and multinational companies across sectors such as manufacturing, logistics, and technology.
He said: “I’m thrilled to join Translink Corporate Finance and be part of such a well-respected team. The opportunity to work on cross-border deals within a large, global firm is a fantastic next step in my career.
“I look forward to supporting our clients in achieving their strategic goals.”
Woodward joins Translink, the corporate finance arm of BHP Chartered Accountants, after spending four years in the Audit department at BHP.
During her time at BHP, she worked with businesses across a wide range of sectors, including business services and industrials.
She said: “I’m proud to join Translink Corporate Finance and work alongside experienced professionals in the industry.
“Translink and BHP collaborate on a number of projects to deliver the best possible full-service solutions for our clients, which is another reason why I’m excited for my new role.
“As a global leader in mid-market M&A, Translink opens up many of opportunities for our clients who I look forward to working closely with throughout the deal process to better understand their businesses and industries.
“I believe this knowledge is key to delivering added-value client service. I’m also very excited to learn from my colleagues, whose expertise will guide my growth.”
Andy Haigh, partner, said: “We are really pleased to welcome Alex and Lauren into the team.
“They both share our ethos and have already shown they are prepared to work hard to provide great client service and added value which is aligned with the culture engrained in our team.”
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Yorkshire-based off-site manufacturing specialist, Thurston Group, has brought six new starters on board, as well as promoting five existing team members, as it continues to expand.
The new appointments and promotions span Thurston’s three sites; Catfoss, Horbury and Hull, and cover the production, HR, sales, administration, planning, and business development departments.
The company achieved a record turnover of £51m for the year ending October 2023. New appointments include:
- Andy Harrison – production manager
- Joanne Marshall – administrator
- Sam Johnson – senior planner
- Paul Mason – business development manager
- Lindsay Griffin – proposals manager
- Dorota Kopec – sales coordinator
The promotions include a new group production manager, Richard Kirk, and two new production managers, Jeremey Waddell and Joe Hatfield.
Dominique Rock has been promoted to key account manager, while Hayley Stephenson, business development manager, will focus solely on finding new business that stimulates growth.
Matt Goff, managing director, said: “I am thrilled to welcome Andy, Joanne, Sam, Paul, Lindsay and Dorota to the business. Their expertise will be vital to our continued growth in 2025 and beyond.
“I am also incredibly proud to recognise the dedication and achievements of Richard, Jeremy, Joe, Dominique and Hayley.
“As we strive to become an employer of choice for Yorkshire manufacturing, I am pleased that we have the team and foundations in place to nurture talent and help individuals to thrive and progress their careers with us.”
Griffin, who has previously held roles at John Sisk & Son and Laing O’Rourke, added: “I can’t wait to get stuck into to my new role at Thurston and am confident that my 20 plus years’ experience writing bids across various sectors like rail, infrastructure and construction, can help us drive for future success here at Thurston.
“It takes a team to win a bid, not just one person, and the team here at Thurston really is something to celebrate.
“Key to my role is managing all the moving parts to make sure we collaboratively develop the best tender submission possible.
“I’ve been responsible for successful tender wins with values from £5m to £500m. I’m hoping to replicate this success at Thurston.”
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Specialist business advisory firm, FRP, is expanding its offering with the appointment of Neil Withington to the newly-created role of director for corporate simplification.
Withington, a qualified accountant who will be based in FRP’s Leeds office but work with clients and teams across its national network, joins the business with 23 years of experience in corporate simplification, legal entity reduction and solvent wind down.
This includes six years in the corporate simplification team at EY and 13 years at Deloitte, which included a secondment to HSBC, advising on the removal of over 400 entities from its global group structure, and dissolution planning for the 2012 London Olympic Games.
At FRP, he will support colleagues across the business’s office network to develop the corporate simplification service that it offers alongside its existing restructuring advisory, corporate finance and debt advisory solutions.
This will include strengthening FRP’s capabilities in the pre-elimination phases of work, on top of its existing expertise in carrying out solvent liquidations on a local, national and global basis.
Withington said: “Corporate simplification is an incredibly powerful part of businesses’ toolkits – allowing them to manage risk, reduce costs and respond to regulatory change.
“While it’s often thought of in terms of large global organisations dealing with highly complex legal structures, it is equally as beneficial for any organisation where organic growth or M&A activity has increased the legal entity footprint.
“FRP has a real opportunity to build on the skill it already has across its business to further develop the breadth of services it offers to both existing and new clients in this space.
“I’ve always been aware of the business’ stellar reputation in the market, and it’s exciting to now be part of the team.”
Jeremy French, chief operating officer at FRP, added: “Neil will be a fantastic addition to FRP, serving as a valuable resource for our office network.
“His deep expertise and experience will be in high demand from the market, and his appointment demonstrates our ambition to expanding our offering to deliver the most comprehensive service to our clients.”
