People: BHP Consulting grows team; Investment manager welcomes new head of office; and more

BHP CONSULTING has grown its team with the appointment of two consultants Simon Dixon and Steve Kerridge.

The two join a team of four consultants and support staff based across offices in Leeds, Cleckheaton, Sheffield, Chesterfield, and York.

BHP Consulting, which is a division of BHP Chartered Accountants, helps businesses of all sizes from across the region identify and deliver their growth potential.

Partner at BHP Consulting David Mitchell says: “Simon Dixon has 20 years’ experience working in industry on supply chain and operations issues.  He began his career on Asda’s logistics graduate scheme, where he opened new distribution centres, worked on performance improvement projects and latterly managed a high throughput distribution centre.  He is the former head of PwC’s logistics consulting practice, where he led and worked on performance improvement projects with Blue Chip clients across Europe.

“Steve Kerridge also brings a wealth of experience to the team.  He has a mechanical engineering degree from the University of Sheffield, and a career that spans the UK, Europe and Australasia at both SME and multinational organisations, with a particular emphasis towards technology based businesses.  With previous roles in procurement, logistics, treasury management, consulting, private equity and technology, he has a strong track record for building value and has been CEO of two software companies, growing one of these from an early stage venture with a team of six into a successful and profitable business with 60 staff.

“We already offer owners of expanding businesses a full range of consulting services, and Simon and Steve’s involvement has added to the breadth of knowledge and advice we can provide.”

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ANDREW AITKEN has joined JM Finn & Co as head of the Yorkshire office.  
 
Mr Aitken, who has spent the last nine years at UBS Wealth Management, has worked in the investment management industry since 1997 both in London and in his native Yorkshire.  He will take over the regional management responsibilities from David Barstow while supporting the firm’s business development efforts.

Investment director Mr Barstow said: “I am delighted that Andrew has joined the business. His experience and enthusiasm will help us enormously and allow me, after 11 happy years as head of the office, to focus solely on managing my clients’ investment portfolios.”

JM Finn & Co has had a presence in Yorkshire since 2002 and currently has eight investment managers, with nearly £500m of client funds under management and administration.

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LAW firm Andrew Jackson has welcomed paralegals Yasmin Fenton and Rachael Scott to its growing team.

Ms Fenton, who joins Andrew Jackson’s property department from another Hull practice, has specialised in property law since graduating with a first class law degree from the University of Hull.  She will assist the partners across a full range of freehold and leasehold commercial property matters.

Ms Scott gained a distinction in the Legal Practice Course at Leeds’ University of Law and, prior to joining Andrew Jackson’s private client team, helped develop a smartphone app aimed at entertaining and informing young people about the law. In her new role she will assist with the preparation of wills, the administration of estates and the team’s rapidly increasing Court of Protection work.

Mark Pearson-Kendall, managing partner at Andrew Jackson, said: “Delivering legal services specifically tailored to meet clients’ needs is our key focus at Andrew Jackson. As demand for our property and private client services continues to grow I’m very pleased to welcome Yasmin and Rachael to the firm.”

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PLANNING consultancy Planning Potential has boosted its presence in Yorkshire and the north of England – welcoming three staff to its specialist team.
 
Vicki Freestone has joined as an associate director. She joins Planning Potential from Turley and has over 15 years’ experience working in both the public and private sectors and expertise in commercial and retail planning.  She has been based in Yorkshire for over ten years.

Senior planner Dan Elvin joins Planning Potential from Peacock and Smith. He has ten years’ experience in the private sector having worked for property developers, landowners and consultancies. Prior to joining Planning Potential, Mr Elvin worked in Sheffield, Lincoln and Leeds on a wide variety of planning projects.

Emily Baldasera has also joined Planning Potential’s Harrogate team as a planning assistant. She graduated in Town and Regional Planning from the University of Sheffield and had previously developed her knowledge of the planning system through work placements with local authorities.

Planning Potential director and co-founder Helen Cuthbert says: “We are delighted to welcome Vicki, Dan and Emily to our Harrogate team. We have been asked to support our clients with an increasing number of projects in Yorkshire and the north of England and, alongside this, we want to ensure that we continue to provide the same level of service our clients have come to expect from us.”