Appointments: N Brown takes Asda exec; PwC; Finn Communications

MULTI-channel retailer N Brown Group has hired a former Asda executive as property acquisitions manager as it prepares to roll-out its dual branded stores.

Manchester-based N Brown, which specialises in plus-size clothing, has recruited Guy Price to lead its store expansion programme for its Simply Be and Jacamo brands.

Simply Be and Jacamo currently have nine outlets across the country including Manchester’s Arndale Centre, Liverpool One and recent store launches at White Rose Shopping Centre in Leeds and Westfield Shopping centre in Derby.

Mr Price, who previously worked for property consultants Cushman and Wakefield, will manage growth plans that will see between 15 and 20 new stores openings.

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PwC has appointed Leeds-based director, Cherry Stewart to head up the firm’s business resilience team in the north.

Her role will oversee the business resilience element of the firm’s risk team across its six northern offices. She will focus on supporting organisations across all sectors in areas such as risk management, governance and control frameworks, and supply chain risk so they can develop and maintain a more resilient business.

Cherry joined PwC in 2002 and has over 11 years’ experience as an internal audit specialist, performing reviews on corporate governance, risk management and fraud risk assessments. In addition to her new role, she leads the firm’s UK retail internal audit team and has previously spent two years working within the internal audit team at Asda.

Commenting on her appointment, Cherry Stewart said: “Our business resilience team has increased significantly over the last couple of years to service demand from clients who are looking to ensure their organisation is resilient in an environment of ever-increasing regulation, scrutiny, policy and risk of fraud.

“It is an exciting time to be taking up this role as business resilience moves higher up on the corporate agenda with businesses more open to embedding a risk management framework into their organisation.”

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LEEDS-BASED communications agency, Finn, has announced the appointment of Yorkshire Water’s deputy head of media relations, Matt Thompson, to its expanding corporate communications team. 

With nine years’ experience managing and enhancing the reputations of some of the UK’s biggest national and regional brands, Matt joins Finn as an account director helping to lead the agency’s growing corporate portfolio.  Previously at Yorkshire Water where he was deputy head of media relations for five years, Matt also held a role at retail giant Asda, where he was responsible for managing media relations for the business’ non-food offering.

Alison Puente, head of corporate at Finn, said: “Matt will join former editor of TheBusinessDesk.com, Ian Briggs, to further enhance our already strong corporate communications team. We’re delighted to welcome Matt on board, his wealth of experience across media relations and issues and crisis handling is a true asset to Finn’s corporate offering.”

Finn Communications was created by managing director Richard Rawlins in 2005 and works for major national and regional brands, including Merlin Entertainments, Pork Farms, Quorn Foods and R&R Ice Cream.