Top 10 people on the move in 2016
WE have compiled a list of some of the most significant job moves, in no particular order, in the Yorkshire region in 2016.
Taking over from his beleaguered predecessor Andy Clarke, his namesake Sean Clarke returned to the UK in June following global positions with Wal-Mart, Asda’s owners.
He has a big job ahead of him after months of sales decline at the struggling business which has been losing market share fast. It remains to be seen if he can pull a ‘David Potts’ at the Leeds-based supermarket and turn its fortunes around.
It was announced in December 2015 that Beth Butterwick would be leaving for a role at Karen Millen with Ms Connolly, a former Asda senior buying director for its George clothing brand taking over.
However it has not been smooth sailing for Ms Connolly after a profit warning in September saw Bonmarché’s share price plummet, with no recovery in sight.
The HS2 project took a hit following the departure of HS2 chief executive Simon Kirby in September. Rumours abounded that a larger paycheck at Rolls Royce than his £750,000 salary at HS2 convinced him to make the move. A replacement has still not been hired.
Formerly an employee of York-based CPP Group, Jason Walsh made a return in May following the unceremonious deposition of turnaround chief Steve Callaghan following a boardroom coup by major shareholder Hamish Ogston.
Mr Ogston presided over the company when it was fined £10.5m by the Financial Conduct Authority and was forced to pay out £65.8m in compensation to customers.
5.Alistair Scott Somers, Progeny Law
Bond Dickinson’ corporate division in Leeds was hit by the departure of Alistair Scott- Somers to become a director at Progeny Law in October.
6.Joanne Roney, Wakefield Council
It was announced at the beginning December that Wakefield Council chief executive Joanne Roney would be staking over from experienced Manchester City Council chief executive Sir Howard Bernstein. She has big shoes to fill, as Sir Howard had been in the position since 1998.
It was announced that Will Richardson will be taking over from long-serving PwC Leeds office head Arif Ahmad at the end of this year.
Mr Richardson has been with PwC for 23 years and has worked in the firm’s assurance, transaction services and forensic practices. Yorkshire born and bred, Mr Richardson hails from Masham in North Yorkshire, and spent some of his career down in London.
Mr Ahmad will take up a new role within PwC in London focusing on privately owned and private equity backed businesses, and listed companies outside the FTSE 100.
In October, the return of David Richards to the helm of the company he founded in 2005 after an abrupt departure in September belied a tricky situation on the board or software company Wandisco.
It was the end of an era when the managing partner of Leeds agency Brass stepped down, with 32 years under his belt at the business having joined the predecessor of Brass, Brahm in 1983.
10. Andrew Percy, Northern Powerhouse
PM Theresa May appointed “proud Northerner” Andrew Percy, MP for Brigg and Goole, as Minister for the Northern Powerhouse in July – a surprise commitment by the then new Prime Minister for a concept launched by her predecessors.
