Member Article

This week’s North West appointments

Anne McKee & Carol Reilly, Praetura Asset Finance

Blackburn-based Praetura Asset Finance has appointed Anne McKee and Carol Reilly to its team.

Anne joins the firm as operations supervisor from a competitor and has 13 years’ experience in the financial sector.

A major part of her remit will be to develop the company’s processes and structures to prepare it for further growth.

Carol Reilly has also been appointed to a key role on the operations team as operations administrator.

Having joined the company in August, Carol was promoted just four months later to enhance the firm’s resources in pre-underwriting finance proposals before they are processed for credit appraisals.

Carol brings 14 years’ experience to Praetura, on both the finance house and brokerage side of the sector, having previously worked in similar roles.

Anne said: “Praetura has been in business for just a year and has already become a major player, so this is a very exciting opportunity for me to join a dynamic company and play a significant role in implementing best practice systems.

“The company’s rapid success in the marketplace is thanks to the expertise of its team and it’s great to be part of a team that is driven, pragmatic and service-oriented.”

Mike Hartley, managing director at Praetura Asset Finance: “We believe in offering flexibility at every stage, as well as adopting a more holistic approach to valuing our clients than most lenders.”

Tim Kirby, Quintessential Finance Group

Macclesfield-based Quintessential Finance Group has appointed Tim Kirby, former managing director of Caudwell Communications, to the new role of group sales director.

Tim Kirby brings over 12 years’ experience within the financial sector, covering lending as MD of TML Financial Solutions, and credit repair as MD of Blair Endersby.

In his new role, Tim will broaden the group’s technology/product offering and help make in-roads into new and emerging markets, looking to build on the company’s £25 million revenue through 2015.

Tim Kirby said: “It’s an exciting time to be joining Quintessential, as we explore, develop and establish our technology in new markets.

Together with the leadership team, we can make a huge impact on sales revenue across all channels over the next year, establishing ourselves as ‘best in class’ across our chosen markets.“

Greg Cox, co-founder and chief executive at Quintessential, said: “Tim’s wealth of knowledge and impressive track record of delivering fast growth, whilst maintaining operational control, made him the ideal candidate to lead us through a time of major growth across emerging markets in four countries.

Jonathan Cook, CBRE

CBRE’s Manchester office has appointed Jonathan Cook as surveyor within its Office Agency team. Jonathan joins from the Co-operative Group where his role included the asset management of the non-trading portfolio in the regions.

In his new position at CBRE, Jonathan will be assisting the leading Manchester team with the disposal and acquisition of offices, working with retained clients such as Bruntwood, Orbit, Carlton House Group and F&C REIT.

John Ogden, Head of CBRE’s North West business and its Office Agency division, said: “Jonathan joins our busy office agency team as we approach the end of another successful year of significant deals and major instructions.

“The North West business has expanded across multiple service lines this year with 12 new members of staff joining our Manchester and Liverpool offices since January as we further strengthen our leading position within the region.”

Julia Livsey, Certas Energy

Certas Energy has appointed Julia Livsey as head of talent & development to its HR team.

Julia brings nearly 25 years’ Learning and Development experience to Certas, which includes an impressive bank of skills, knowledge and experience, undertaking L&D roles at all levels with market leaders across a wide variety of industries including Talk Talk, BT, British Gas and Astra Zeneca.

Most recently, Julia was Head of Academy for the Integrated Dental Holdings Group where she was responsible for implementing an L&D strategy, vocational learning and capability development for 9,000 staff.

Emma Wordsworth, HR director, said: “Julia brings another set of key skills to our HR team. We will be able to draw on her extensive personal experience to bring out the best in our employees and to ensure that Certas Energy becomes well-established as ‘employer of choice’ to both existing and potential employees.

“This is one of the core aspirations of the business, which we have been working towards over the past year and is a goal which Julia will help us to achieve.”

James Currie, Encirc

Cheshire-based market-leading glass manufacturing, filling and logistics company, Encirc, has appointed James Currie as HR director to oversee its 12-strong HR team.

James will direct all aspects of the company’s HR provision across its sites in Elton, Cheshire – where James is based – and Derrylin, Northern Ireland.

With more than 20 years’ HR experience, James started his career on a graduate programme with GEC Alsthom and has progressed through a series of HR roles in high profile, industry leading organisations across the UK.

His experience includes working for Michelin as HR manager at Ballymena, assuming EMEAI HR responsibility for Cooper Bussmann, and administering Network Rail’s leadership and professional development function.

James said: “Encirc is a highly successful business, with huge growth potential. HR is the engine behind that potential, so it’s imperative we enable each of our employees to get the most out of their roles and support them along the way.

“I look forward to working collaboratively with the team and wider business to ensure we deliver industry-leading HR practices.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ellen Forster .