Appointments: RE: Group, Blacks Solicitors, Commercial Estates Group

HULL fuel company RE: Group is being boosted with the appointment of an experienced industrial fuel sales manager.

Paul Brown joins after 10 years as a waste management broker and solvent sales representative.

He previously worked at a chemicals company in Castleford, and moved into the recycling industry.

RE:Group currently handles more than 50 million litres of marine and industrial oil each year and sells specialist fuels to sectors such as brewing, food production, aggregates and abattoirs.

Phil Evans, RE:Group’s commercial director, said: “Paul has a wealth of relevant experience and has worked with a wide range of industries across Yorkshire, Lancashire and around the UK for many years.

“He has been brought on board to help us with the growth of our fuel oils business for a range of industries that are heavy users of heating oil.”

Mr Brown began his career working in the stores of a chemicals company in Castleford, where

RE:Group, which was established in 1996, now has three sites in Hull, including its new head office, and a collection site in North Lincolnshire.

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AS PART of a Leeds City Council and BPP initiative, Blacks Solicitors has taken on its first apprentice, Samuel Floyd, formerly of St Mary’s School, Menston.

The BPP initiative aims to open up a new route and help young people start a career in law, without necessarily completing typical academic study and qualification requirements.

The BPP Law School and Leeds City Council are seeking to encourage every law firm in the city to take on an apprentice via the Legal Apprentice Scheme.

Sam, who has just completed his A Levels, will begin at the firm in October, working initially in the employment team.

Chris Allen, managing partner at Blacks Solicitors LLP, said: “The benefits of this new programme for us are plentiful: any new apprentices will become aligned with the Blacks culture at an early stage, and Solicitors within the team will be given the opportunity to develop their management skills.

“We are confident that Sam will flourish under our expert mentoring – he is bright, articulate and already focused on a career in the professional services.”

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ENVIRONMENTAL litigator Peter Village QC has joined the team of Harrogate’s Commercial Estates Group (CEG) as in-house counsel, advising on strategic planning issues.

Mr Village joins on a part-time basis to enable him to continue private practice at 39 Essex Chambers.

He has worked with CEG for almost 15 years through his private practice and was instrumental in securing planning permission on a number of CEG’s sites.
Peter Village QC has been a planning and environmental law litigator since he started at the bar. He was recognised by Chambers and Partners as their ‘Planning & Environment Silk of the Year’ in 2012.

Jon Kenny, Director at CEG, said: “Peter joining the team is great news for CEG. Our heritage as an investment and asset management company with more than 1,000 tenants is still the backbone of the company but we have also evolved into a much broader based business which also specialises in developing high quality new places and communities.

“Peter’s unparalleled experience in residential, commercial and mixed-use development will ensure he can help to guide bespoke strategies across our portfolio as well as providing advice when we are looking at new investments.”

In recent years, CEG has successfully secured planning permission for more than 15,000 new homes and 1.3million sq ft of new business development and is currently promoting land for a further 45,000 homes and 1 million sq ft of commercial space across the UK.