Member Article

This week's Yorkshire appointments

James Newman, Sheffield City Region LEP (continued)

James Newman has accepted a request from the Sheffield City Region Local Enterprise Board (LEP) to remain as the LEP Board Chairman until September 2015.

The Board’s request follows the recommendations of a cross sector review panel convened as James’ three year term as Chairman came to an end. The panel included representatives of key private sector stakeholders – the Chambers of Commerce, Federation of Small Businesses, LEP Board members and sector group chairs, as well as local and central Government partners.

LEP Chairman James Newman said: “I am delighted to have been asked to continue my leadership of the LEP, and will maintain my focus on helping the public and private sectors work together to drive economic growth in the City Region.”

LEP Board Member and Barnsley Council Leader, Councillor Sir Stephen Houghton CBE, said: “The LEP Board has recognised the strong contribution and leadership of James Newman over the last three years and felt it right that he stays on to lead the LEP through the significant challenges of delivering the SCR Growth Plan deal and the LEP’s partnership with the new Sheffield City Region Authority.”

Christian Hunt, Langleys Solicitors

The Corporate Commercial team at Langleys Solicitors in York has further strengthened its corporate offering with the appointment of partner Christian Hunt, who joins the firm from Leeds based Clarion, where he was a partner for six years.

Highly experienced in the full range of corporate finance matters, Christian’s expertise includes mergers and acquisitions, management buy outs and buy ins, reorganisations, refinancing and disposals.

Christian’s appointment caps a particularly successful period for Langleys, which has offices in York and Lincoln; a healthy 10% increase in revenue is predicted for this financial year and the firm has recently announced further strategic appointments in risk and compliance, learning and development, and finance.

Commenting on his appointment, Christian Hunt said: “It’s a great time to be joining Langleys, and I’m looking forward to developing the team, further enhancing our corporate offering and delivering a high quality service to our client base.”

Langleys’ managing partner David Thompson said: “We are delighted to welcome a partner of Christian’s calibre to the firm. He brings a wealth of experience, knowledge and contacts, and he will undoubtedly prove key in further developing our Corporate Commercial team, and ultimately in realising our overall strategic aims as a business.”

Simon Holian, Bibby Financial Services

Graduate, Holian, appointed as Business Development Manager to support local SMEs

Specialist funder, Bibby Financial Services, has strengthened its Yorkshire and Humberside business finance team with the appointment of Simon Holian as Business Development Manager on 3rd February.

Holian joined as Business Development Executive in 2011 as part of the Bibby Financial Services’ graduate scheme, following completion of a degree in business studies from The University of Liverpool.

In 2013, Holian structured in excess of 30 deals, providing much needed funding to the regions’ small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs).

In his new role Simon is responsible for increasing the level of funding available to businesses in Hull, Doncaster, Grimsby and Scunthorpe – all of which are seen as growth areas for the funder.

Commenting on the appointment, Simon said: “I have enjoyed my time at Bibby Financial Services and it’s been great to develop a network of professional contacts, which has helped me contribute to the local area by increasing funding support.

“There are great opportunities for businesses across all sectors in Yorkshire and Humberside and my new role will enable me to help these businesses with vital cashflow needed to grow.”

Bibby Financial Services is the UK’s largest independent invoice finance provider, with a network of 16 local offices, including teams in Leeds and Bradford.

Mike Day, Head of Sales for Bibby Financial Services Yorkshire and Humberside said: “In the past 12 months alone, we have increased funding to businesses in Yorkshire and Humberside by over 40 per cent. We have been extremely impressed with Simon’s performance since he joined the business and we’re confident he will help us to further increase funding to businesses in the area.

“The area Simon is responsible for offers significant opportunities for Bibby Financial Services. It’s likely that we will see much inward investment in the area over the next 12 months - particularly with Hull being awarded City of Culture.

“Simon’s innovation, commitment and determination to succeed are a perfect fit with our core values as a business and I’m sure he will become a real asset to us and the SMEs we support.”

Jonathan Saddington, Steve Hesmondhalgh & Associates

Harrogate-based planning consultancy Steve Hesmondhalgh & Associates has expanded its team with the appointment of chartered town planner Jonathan Saddington as an associate.

Saddington joins the firm with 15 years’ experience in local government. Working at both Stockton Council and as principal planner at Hambleton District Councils, he has dealt with several high profile projects including the Sowerby Gateway scheme to build a new village on the outskirts of Thirsk, and a controversial five-turbine wind farm at Seamer, near Yarm.

Managing director of the practice, Steve Hesmondhalgh, said: “Jon’s in-depth experience of large-scale housing, retail, commercial and renewable energy planning applications gives him a unique insight into the project management skills that are vital for the success of large development proposals. His local government expertise is second to none and he will be a valuable addition to our team.”

Saddington, who will be based at the firm’s Harrogate and Darlington offices, said: “I’m really excited to be joining Steve Hesmondhalgh & Associates. It’s an opportunity to bring the skills I have honed over many years in the public sector with me to a growing private sector firm, which has developed a reputation for offering planning advice that results in successful, commercially viable schemes.”

He added: “My experience in local government means that I know what elements planners want to see in a project. I’m looking forward to being able to influence development in the right places, and to help see clients’ proposals become a reality.”

Steve Hesmondhalgh & Associates works for clients in Yorkshire and the North East as well as across the UK. With a background in both local authority planning and private practice, Hesmondhalgh ran one of the North’s largest independent planning teams, within law firm BHP in Newcastle.

Elevation Recruitment, Engineering & Manufacturing Division

Yorkshire recruitment firm Elevation has announced a number of new hires in its Engineering and Manufacturing team.

Expert recruiters Mark Reed, Vanessa Scott and trainee Natalie Davis bring with them expertise in specialist recruitment within the manufacturing and processing industries.

The trio have more than 17 years’ experience between them and are the result of an extensive search and selection campaign across Yorkshire.

Director John Bohan, who heads up the now seven-strong team in the Engineering and Manufacturing Division, said: “To respond to this demand, we are always looking to ensure we hire the best consultants to work side by side with those organisations looking to grow, and so we are delighted to welcome Vanessa, Mark and Natalie to Elevation – bringing with them a myriad of expertise that will help meet the needs of our clients.”

Rob Divall, AdviserPlus

Outsource HR specialist and provider of advisory services, AdviserPlus, has announced the appointment of Rob Divall to its Board as Director of Strategic and Service Development with effect from 3rd February 2014.

AdviserPlus supports large organisations across the UK, and beyond, by providing HR and other professional services on their behalf.

Divall joins AdviserPlus from Lloyds Banking Group where he held a variety of senior positions, most recently as HR Director for the Lloyds, Halifax & Bank of Scotland Branch Network (the UK’s largest Retail branch network).

Commenting on his new appointment Rob Divall said: “To have the opportunity to be part of, and to shape, suchambitious growth is a rare and exciting challenge, and I’m looking forward to getting started.”

CEO of AdviserPlus, Chris Clarke, said: “ Rob will be an asset to us and to our customers given his customer-oriented HR experience in large businesses.

“He is a perfect fit for the culture within AdviserPlus and we’re looking forward to working with him.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Clare Burnett .