People: FW Capital; Doncaster University Technical College; Clive Owen; and more
Fund manager FW Capital is expanding its team at Electric Works, Sheffield, with the appointment of Connor Marshall as investment executive.
This forms part of FW Capital’s commitment to supporting the regional economy through the £20m South Yorkshire Debt Fund, which was launched last year by the South Yorkshire Pension Authority.
Marshall joins the team responsible for delivering tailored debt funding solutions to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) across Barnsley, Sheffield, Doncaster, and Rotherham.
A graduate of Sheffield Hallam University with a degree in Finance and Economics and a Masters in Finance and Investment, he brings over seven years corporate finance experience and is ACCA qualified accountant.
He joins FW Capital from SHORTS, where he was a corporate finance manager, having previously held a role as a corporate finance executive at Castle Square Corporate Finance.
In his new role, he will work directly with South Yorkshire business owners seeking capital to fuel growth, manage working capital, and execute strategic developments.
Paul Wainwright, senior investment executive at FW Capital, said: “Connor is an excellent addition to our team, and his appointment further demonstrates our commitment to supporting local businesses and ensuring we have dedicated, on-the-ground expertise in our Sheffield office.
“By strengthening our team, we are ensuring South Yorkshire’s entrepreneurs have direct access to the expertise required to navigate complex funding landscapes.”
Marshall added: “I’m very happy to join FW Capital’s South Yorkshire Debt Fund team and work alongside Joanne Whitfield, Paul Wainwright and Joseph Parikh.
“We can help businesses scaling up, investing and innovating across the South Yorkshire region with loans of up to £2m available for a variety of purposes including boosting working capital, product or service development, business acquisitions and ESG initiatives.
“Being a local lad, I am eager to leverage my new role to support our regional economy and ensure South Yorkshire businesses have the funding they need to thrive.”
Joanne Whitfield, fund director, said: “I’m pleased to welcome Connor to the team. His appointment highlights our commitment to South Yorkshire’s long-term prosperity.
“By strengthening our team, we’re ensuring businesses across the region continue to receive the vital funding and support they need to scale.”
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Documentary maker and multi media specialist, Wayne Sables, has joined the Doncaster University Technical College’s (UTC) Employer Advisory Committee.
Doncaster UTC aims to provide all students with access to careers information, advice and guidance, ensuring they gain a competitive advantage in the job market and are supported in making well-informed decisions about their post-16 and post-18 education and career pathways.
Doncaster-based Sables has 20 years experience working with a range of businesses, councils, freelancers, creative organisations, producing, designing, developing and delivering high quality large scale multi art projects and creating films that tell his partners’ and clients’ stories.
Working within both the creative and commercial industries has given him an insight into how the two can work together to create projects that have mass engagement and can increase a companies reach.
He said: “I am pleased to have been invited to join Doncaster UTC and look forward to working with the team. As the father of two teenage daughters, I know just how important it is that we give this generation the support they need to make the correct education and career choices.
“Having grown up in Doncaster and based my career here, I know too how many great opportunities the city has to offer and I can’t wait to start sharing my experiences and inspire our young people to make a difference.”
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Independent accountancy, business and tax advisory firm, Clive Owen, has appointed seven associate partners as part of a newly created leadership development programme designed to support the next generation of senior leaders.
The appointments are part of the firm’s new associate partner (AP) Pathway, which recognises individuals already making a significant leadership contribution while providing a clear route towards partnership.
Those appointed as associate partners are existing team members Angela Mikola, Brad Haywood, Elizabeth Layfield, Leanne Leftley, Liz Rothery, Rebecca Davison and new recruit Suzanne Layfield.
Layfield joined the firm in March 2026, bringing significant experience in audit and assurance.
She began her career as a trainee at a small practice in North Yorkshire in 2007 before moving to the North East in 2015, gaining experience at both national and independent firms.
A Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (FCA), she specialises in the audit of owner managed businesses, with a particular interest in group structures, and has worked across sectors including hospitality and leisure, manufacturing and construction.
Alongside the associate partner Pathway, the firm has also introduced a Partner Track programme to provide greater transparency and support for those preparing for potential partnership in the future.
Kevin Shotton, managing partner, said: “We are pleased to recognise the achievements of these six colleagues through our new associate partner Pathway, and welcome Suzanne to Clive Owen LLP.
Each of them has demonstrated exceptional technical expertise, leadership and commitment to both our clients and the wider firm.
“The introduction of the associate partner role reflects our ambition to provide clear and meaningful career progression while strengthening the leadership of the business as we continue to grow.
“It also supports the development of future partners by giving talented individuals the opportunity to broaden their influence, build their commercial experience and contribute to the strategic direction of the firm.
“We are targeting significant growth over the next five years and are seeing increased demand from clients looking to appoint a local independent firm.
“These appointments will assist in us being able to increase capacity at the same time as maintaining client service.”
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The Hull & Humber Chamber of Commerce elected Irene Keal as its new president at its 189th AGM.
Keal is a director of kitchen equipment and hygiene product supplier Sylvester Keal based in Grimsby. Paul Jackson, the head of customer and stakeholder engagement for Hull Trains, is this year’s Chamber of Commerce vice president.
Handing over the presidential chain to Keal at the AGM, outgoing president Kirk Akdemir, of AaGlobal Language Services, told the audience it had been a great privilege to serve as president of the Chamber of Commerce.
Keal said: “I am genuinely excited about the year ahead and I would like to thank the Chamber team for the great job they do.”
Her Chamber journey began in October 2021 when she became the chair of the Chamber’s North East Lincolnshire Area Council. She later joined the Chamber board of directors in March 2023.
Jackson added: “It’s a real honour to be invited to be the vice president of the Chamber, and I’m looking forward to working with Irene and Chamber team in the coming months.
“Hull Trains and the Chamber have a long history of working together, and I look forward to strengthening this long-standing relationship.”
