Appointments: Additions to management team at food supplier; Tax specialist boosts team; and more

CALBEE UK, a European subsidiary of Calbee Inc, the £1.2bn Japanese savoury snack supplier, has bolstered its Leeds-based management team with the appointment of Caroline Longfield as supply chain assistant and Emily West as sales administrator.

Both will use their skills and knowledge to support the company to reach its ambitious target to achieve £65m sales in the next five years.

Ms Longfield has more than seven years’ experience working for a leading FMCG business in the confectionery market. Ms West joins Calbee with nine years’ experience in procurement having previously worked for the Yorkshire Ambulance Service in the ICT department.

Managing director for Calbee UK, Richard Robinson said: “We really do value every single member of the team and know that they are all essential in helping us to achieve our goals, Caroline and Emily are no exception. We look forward to working closely with them both and know that they will be instrumental in supporting the business as we aspire to become one of the UK’s leading savoury snack suppliers.”

In June 2015 Calbee UK officially opened its £6.5m factory in Deeside, North Wales.  Its first branded product, Yushoi, followed shortly after when it was launched to the market with the help of Olympic gymnast Louis Smith.

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THE team at creative agency INK Digital has welcomed Debbie Kitchen as senior strategist at its Halifax HQ.

INK’s client portfolio has been increasing on both UK and Australian shores and Ms Kitchen will be working with the agency’s studio teams in Halifax and Melbourne to manage client projects from conception to completion. She brings eight years’ digital experience having worked with the likes of BBC Sport & Live, CBeebies and BBC Radio 2 during her time at Magnetic North in Manchester where she spent two years as a producer.

Helen Darlington, founder and head of creative strategy at INK Digital, said: “Debbie’s skills, positive attitude, approach, experience and general loveliness stuck in my mind and I’m delighted she is now part of the INK family. We’ve got some great projects for amazing clients on the horizon and Debbie will be a big part of these, as well as helping shape the agency and together we will drive it onto even bigger and better things.”

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HMRC-handling and tax dispute specialists Independent Tax has welcomed a strategic tax planning expert with almost 40 years of experience to its East Yorkshire-based team.  

The firm said the appointment enables it to broaden its horizons beyond its traditional role in dealing with tax and HMRC disputes.

Mike Leigh, a chartered accountant and chartered tax adviser who has previously been a partner in a firm of accountants, is now based at the team’s headquarters on the Brackenholme Business Park near Howden.

He trained with the international firm Coopers and Lybrand, and spent several years working in its Guernsey office, where he developed an interest in offshore structures.

He brings with him access to a network of independent, specialist tax planning advisers, further increasing the range of services that Independent Tax can offer.

Managing partner Gary Brothers, said: “We’re delighted to welcome Mike to our team of experts. He brings with him a wealth of experience and is highly skilled at assisting clients to plan to save tax. His innovative approach considers that all taxes need to be taken together – it’s Mike’s belief that there is no point in saving corporation tax, for example, if income tax and National Insurance Contributions increase too much.”