Member Article

This week’s Yorkshire appointments

Langleys Solicitors, Tamsin Cooper, Ian Torkington, Wendy Forrester

Tamsin Cooper takes up a new role as director of risk and compliance, responsible for strengthening risk and compliance with professional and legal requirements within the practice. Tamsin previously worked for Drydensfairfax Solicitors across their Leeds and Bradford offices.

Ian Torkington joins as a senior finance executive and specialises in financial planning and strategy. He too worked at Drydensfairfax.

Wendy Forrester is working as a consultant at Langleys focussing on learning and development and ensuring it is firmly embedded as part of the company’s strategic plans to grow and develop the practice.

Langleys’ managing partner David Thompson said: “All three appointments are important additions to the business, bringing as they do a wealth of experience and knowledge in their individual specialisms. They will prove key in supporting the operations of the business and the delivery of our strategic plans.”

Sheffield Forgemasters, Kate Winder, Nathan Jordon

Kate Winder and Nathan Jordan will help implement, integrate and sustain the Continuous Improvement culture using Lean tools and techniques within the 21st Century Supply Chains (SC21) framework.

They will be working with all 800 employees at all levels across the engineering giant changing everything from the way documents are managed through to how they approach manufacturing processes.

Kate said: “We are both looking forward to our new roles and the challenges they will bring. We will be assisting with all aspects of improvement activities including planning, management, communication and progress meetings through the adoption of lean and engagement in SC21.”

Nathan added: “There are widely recognised benefits of using these working methods and the long term commitment to this strategy by Forgemasters means exciting opportunities for further change and progress within the company.

“Our roles will allow us to develop an excellent overview and understanding of the whole of SFIL’s operations and business activities.”

Lean consultant Andy Nicholson, of Nicholson Consultancy, who is working with Forgemasters on the improvement systems, added: “The overall objective is to help SFIL deliver better customer service, to increase profitability and to engage employees in improvement activities.”

Grant Thornton, Mike Crawley, senior manager

Mike joins from BDO where he was tax director following the merger with PKF. Based at Grant Thornton’s Leeds office, he will bring his many years of experience to the firm’s Yorkshire tax team.

“Mike is well-known as a specialist in his field having enjoyed a long and impressive career providing tax advice to dynamic, entrepreneurial businesses,” comments Neil Sengupta, tax partner at Grant Thornton in Leeds.

“His knowledge and skills will complement our team here, and we will also be able to benefit from Mike’s experience of building and managing service teams, using his skills to mentor emerging talent at Grant Thornton.”

Mike comments: “I have known many of the Grant Thornton tax team for a number of years and have been impressed by their professionalism, breadth of technical knowledge and innovative planning ideas and also by the strong working relationships they establish.

“The firm is acknowledged, certainly locally, as the market leader in the private entrepreneurial business sector and I look forward to being part of the tax practice as it continues to flourish.”

Barber Titleys/Eversheds, Russell Burnett

Property lawyer Russell Burnett has left the Leeds office of Eversheds to become a partner in the property department at Harrogate solicitors, Barber Titleys, in a significant appointment for the firm.

Russell Burnett, who has broad property experience, including providing strategic advice to a national house builder, will work alongside head of property, Richard Davis, a partner, who also joined Barber Titleys from international firm Eversheds 12 years ago, and head of planning Tim Axe.

Barber Titleys, which can trace its roots back to 1880, has 30 staff with specialist strengths in planning, commercial, residential and agricultural property, family law, private and charitable trust services and all matters relating to wills and inheritance planning.

Keycare, Matthew Lindsay, Gaynor Owens and Christine Smith

Keycare has promoted three of its 35-strong team to the roles of associate director.

Matthew Lindsay, Gaynor Owens and Christine Smith have been jointly employed by the second generation family business for two decades in positions spanning sales, new business development and operations.

Integral to the company’s strategic succession plan, the newly created associate director position acknowledges achievement and anticipates the vital contribution the trio will play in the development of the business. They also follow the appointment of three senior board appointments aligned with the company’s planned strategic growth.

Keycare chief executive David Robertson said: “These posts reinforce our commitment to strong corporate governance, giving us a robust base to ensure Keycare goes from strength to strength.

“Matthew, Gaynor and Christine will be instrumental in helping to take the business to the next level and we congratulate them on their well-deserved promotions.”

Matthew said: “It’s very exciting to have the opportunity to play a formative role in Keycare’s vision, strategy and succession planning as the company continues to go from strength to strength.

“It’s a very interesting time for Keycare as we consistently deliver high levels of customer satisfaction, retain and further grow our existing policy base - and expand our expertise and knowledge into other sectors.”

Keycare’s commitment to developing, recognising and rewarding employees’ contributions is reflected in its Values in Action reward scheme. Introduced in 2004, it entails team members nominating each other for positive behaviours and/or outstanding work. 50% of Keycare employees have been with the company for at least four years.

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