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This week’s North East appointments

Dave Johnson Kate Powell, Deloitte

The Newcastle office of business advisory firm Deloitte has been boosted by the arrival of two senior figures in its Corporate Audit team.

Dave Johnson joins the team as a partner, working alongside senior director Kate Powell.

Dave is a graduate from Newcastle University who has been with Deloitte for the past 18 years, latterly in its Leeds office. He has advised a wide range of PLCs and privately-owned companies and has substantial experience of reporting and governance issues, as well as transactions.

Dave said: “I’m really looking forward to coming back to Newcastle. The North East is a great region with lots of exciting opportunities. Our Newcastle practice has grown rapidly over the last two years, expanding to over 180 people, and I look forward to playing a role in its further growth.”

Kate, who has been with Deloitte since 1998, is an audit and advisory specialist in both the listed and private markets sectors, and she leads Deloitte’s manufacturing sector team across Yorkshire and the North East.

“Everyone knows the North East is one of the UK’s top regions for manufacturing, but I also want to help the team in Newcastle build on our presence in the wider private markets sector,” said Kate.

Paul Feechan, office senior partner for Deloitte in Newcastle, added: “Dave and Kate are two very important additions to our leadership team in Newcastle. I’ve worked with both of them for many years, so I know that they’ll be great assets to us and our clients over the coming years.”

Caroline Rye, Watson Burton

Watson Burton LLP welcomes Caroline Rye as an associate as she returns from 10 months working for one of the firm’s key clients, Hiscox Insurance, as part of the in-house legal professional indemnity claims team.

Caroline has worked for Watson Burton for eight years after joining as a trainee solicitor in 2006.

With knowledge of both regulatory and construction law, she is part of the firm’s successful professional indemnity insurance (PII) team, where she acts on behalf of Insurers advising on policy coverage and also on behalf of Insureds in claims against various sectors of professionals, including solicitors, construction professionals (including surveyors, architects, engineers, asbestos surveyors), accountants, recruitment consultants and directors/officers.

Professional indemnity claims are often a very sensitive issue for Insureds and Caroline’s secondment at Hiscox has furthered her understanding of this key client, its claims processes and approach, and the professional indemnity insurance market more generally.

Caroline can now apply this understanding at Watson Burton to provide an enhanced level of service to both the firm’s Insurer and Insured clients.

Commenting on her promotion, Caroline said: “I am grateful to both Watson Burton and Hiscox that I have been given this opportunity with one of our leading clients – I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. I am also delighted with my promotion. Watson Burton’s PII group is one of the most successful in the north and this is a reflection of the team’s ethos.

Richard Palmer, head of PII at Watson Burton, said: “As a firm we are committed to recognising the talent and hard work of our staff and we take great pride investing in their professional development. Caroline has been with the firm for a number of years and has worked extremely hard for both us and our clients. She thoroughly deserves this promotion and is a real asset to our team.”

Libbie Henderson, Watson Burton

Libbie Henderson has become a partner at the Newcastle-headquartered law firm, after moving from Bond Dickinson where she spent 15 years.

An established development lawyer, Libbie has adapted her skill set to specialise in energy, waste and minerals which will significantly strengthen the offering of the firm’s real estate team.

An expert in funding for real estate projects at a national level, she also has extensive project management experience. Her expertise includes development and regeneration of greenfield and brownfield sites and land-based energy projects, including wind, solar and nuclear.

Commenting on her appointment, Libbie said: “I am very pleased to join Watson Burton. The firm is well-established, and has an impressive client list. My expertise in real estate, including both the planning and environmental aspects of property transactions should add a new dynamic to the existing team, and will hopefully bring exciting new opportunities for the firm.

“Watson Burton is well known for its long-standing relationships with the North East’s business community, and I am looking forward to becoming more involved in sharing knowledge and expertise on behalf of the firm.”

Tracy Hall, partner and head of real estate, said: “Libbie is highly regarded for her work on a national level, and will be a real asset to the real estate team. We are delighted that she has chosen to join us as one of a number of strategic appointments which serve to reinforce our reputation as a firm of pragmatic and knowledgeable lawyers who have a real interest and expertise in the sectors which they operate.”

Andrew Somerville Donna Brown Lyndsey Walton Emma Bartle, Miller Homes

Miller Homes has promoted Andrew Somerville to regional sales manager, while Donna Brown and Lyndsey Walton have stepped up as sales managers and new recruit Emma Bartle joins the regional team.

Andrew’s new position will see him head up Miller Homes’ active developments from Northumberland down to Teesside, whilst directing a team of sales advisers. With over nine years’ experience in property sales he will also be responsible for putting Miller Homes North East on the map as one of the longest standing housebuilders with an unrivalled reputation for quality, craftsmanship and customer care.

Within Miller Homes’ recent staff promotions CRM manager Donna Brown and former sales adviser Lyndsey Walton have both moved up the career ladder. As sales managers, both will support Andrew alongside managing their individual developments to ensure everyone purchasing a new Miller home receives the best possible customer experience.

Alongside the list of promotions, new recruit Emma Bartle has been appointed as PA to operations director Michael Dunthorne. Emma’s new role will also involve her working closely with Michael on specific projects and research.

Andrew from Winlaton in Newcastle said: “It’s an exciting time for me to be heading up the regional team as we look towards achieving our final quarter sales targets and are actively seeking more land to build even more quality family homes in this superb region.

“I’m looking forward to taking the helm of the regional sales team and continuing the great customer service that Miller Homes is already renowned for.”

Miller Homes’ operations director Michael Dunthorne added: “We’re thrilled to unveil our new North East sales management team. The promotions within our sales team indicate a real upturn in the housing market and I am looking forward to working with them in achieving our sales figures for this year and beyond. I am also pleased to welcome Emma as my PA, which will allow me to focus further on our continued commitment to building quality homes and creating sustainable communities across the region, whilst offering the highest possible standard of customer care.”

Nick Holmes, Ramside Hall Hotel

A North East hotelier who helped to put one of the region’s top resort destinations on the UK map is now bringing his expertise to a new multi-million pound development.

Until recently, Nick Holmes, 57, was the Managing Director at the 5 star award-winning Rockliffe Hall Hotel near Darlington, helping take the property from the planning stages to becoming one of the top hotel, golf and spa destinations in the country.

And now he is bringing that skill to the new £16 million spa and leisure development at County Durham’s Ramside Hall Hotel, after joining the team in an advisory role

Mr Holmes left Rockliffe earlier this year after six years in the post and since then has been working as a consultant on a number of projects.

“Ramside is a fantastic product and I am sure the new spa development, opening in May next year, will become a major player on the North East and UK spa scene,” he said.

“I am delighted to be able to bring my knowledge and expertise to help make the spa a success with the added bonus that the team at Ramside are great people to work with.”

“We are very pleased to have someone with Nick’s level of experience on board to help us drive our new spa development forward,” said Tim Boyd, General Manager at Ramside Hall Hotel.

“We are sure his expertise will be a great asset.”

Jo Cross, Northumbrian Hills

Northumbrian Hills, a £15 million luxury development set between Morpeth and Alnwick, have appointed Jo Cross from Markey Interiors, who has over 30 years of interior design experience. Jo’s knowledge is vast and varied having worked on numerous show homes, restaurants, pubs and universities.

Jo, from Windermere Cumbria says “ I was delighted to be approached by William and was very excited to hear the plans for Northumbrian Hills. The show home interior will be rustic and sumptuous, with a contemporary twist mixing plaids with more modern fabrics to evoke a Northumbrian feel. We will be offering purchasers a vast choice on interior choices to suit all individual tastes.“

With Jo’s vast expert knowledge of high quality fabrics, she has selected a vast array of designers to create a fantastic show home including the likes of Harlequin, Sanderson, Zoffany, Osborne and Little, Prestigious and Jim Dickens.

William Kiely, Burgham Park Golf Club owner and developer at Northumbrian Hills says “We have seen some great interest to date and believe that once people see the quality of the interiors that we are supplying, it will create further excitement. The cottages make ideal holiday homes as well as brilliant property investments.”

Jo worked directly with William to create the selection of kitchens purchasers can choose from, as well as tiling and flooring choices. She then fitted out the sales office in the style of the houses to give a taste of what buyers can expect in their own property. There are a variety of furnishing package options available, enabling the purchaser to select the style that suits them as well as saving them time in the selection process. Jo is also available for private commissions should a buyer require anything further.

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