Member Article

This week's North East appointments

Fast-growing accountancy practice Evolution LLP has welcomed experienced North East dealmaker Mike Russell as its new corporate finance director to aid the group’s ongoing expansion.

Mr Russell joins the business and tax advisory practice after a ten-year spell in corporate finance – most recently serving as associate director of Tait Walker in the Tees Valley.

A major part of his new role will be to help grow Evolution’s client base through quality support and advice for business owners at a time when entrepreneurial activity is picking up as the economy recovers.

Mike said: “I am excited to be joining a growing firm with an excellent reputation and am looking forward to getting to know the wider team and working with it in the coming years.

“I have a strong affinity with Teesside and being part of a successful, locally based firm like Evolution appeals strongly to me.”

Sarah Thorpe with UKSE’s Peter Taylor

Sarah Thorpe has joined UK Steel Enterprise, the Tata Steel business-support subsidiary, as Regional Executive covering the Northern region.

Sarah, who is 35, has wide expertise in portfolio management, business planning and strategy, start-ups, funding and preparing businesses for investment. She has built up considerable experience in public and private sectors, working region-wide with companies, investors and business angels.

For ten years she worked with North East business-support organisation Entrust where her responsibilities included managing European-funded projects and the North East Business Angel Network.

Ernie Richardson

Neuro and spinal rehabilitation healthcare specialist Keiro has appointed a new general manager to head up The Gateway, its new £10 million facility on Teesside, which is set to open in January.

Ernie Richardson was offered the position following a 30-year career in top level roles within the NHS and care services including speciality manager at the Northern Centre for Cancer Care in Newcastle, Northumbria Healthcare operational services manager and director of operations at Surrey Ambulance Service.

Ernie also served four years as manager at Rothbury House, part of a respite charity for ex-RAF personnel.

He said: “Not only is this a great opportunity to provide Middlesbrough with a first of its kind facility, but it is an exciting challenge that we have in making this the model for future rehab centres.

“The high standards in training and level of care will be established from day one so that we can set it as a precedent for the other facilities over the next few years.

A martial arts expert is swapping his mat for a mouse after joining one of the North East’s leading digital media agencies.

Aaron Milan-Vega, who is a third dan black belt in Goju-Ryu Karate-Do, has been appointed system administrator at Shout Digital, Keel House, Garth Heads, Newcastle.

25-year-old Aaron, originally from Essex, graduated from Northumbria University with a BSc (Hons) in Multimedia and Digital Entertainment Computing in 2010 and has since combined freelance computing with teaching a range of martial arts to children and adults of all ages.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Tom Keighley .