Member Article

This week’s North East appointments

Miriam Pinkney & Kathryn Mason, HLP

Durham-based architectural practice HLP has announced expansion within its interior design team with the arrival of two new faces.

In response to a steady increase in new work across the education, healthcare and hotel sectors, HL Interiors, part of the award-winning practice HLP, has appointed both Miriam Pinkney and experienced interior designer Kathryn Mason.

Both graduated from Northumbria University after completing its Interior Design BA degree course.

Miriam and Kathryn will not only use their creative flair to develop their skills in interior design, with further support from HLP’s architectural, technical and surveying staff, they will also gain a fuller understanding of the wider aspects of building design.

Interiors associate Lisa Orrick said: “I am delighted to welcome two talented interior designers to our established team.

“Apart from the work they will be doing on interiors projects, they will also benefit from working alongside award-winning architects, technicians and surveyors allowing them to expand their knowledge of building design.

“Working in this way ensures that clients appointing HL Interiors benefit from the same innovative design approach and service delivery whether we are working on refurbishment or new build projects.”

Jack Cullen, Darlington Building Society

Darlington Building Society has appointed Jack Cullen to its Board as a non-executive director.

John (Jack) Cullen has worked within the financial services industry for 40 years, exclusively within the banking sector.

He has held executive management positions for over 20 years including business development roles, the creation of start-ups, acquisitions & mergers (e.g. Sainsbury’s Bank).

However, his career has been primarily focussed on Risk and Control roles over the past 15-20 years including spells with the financial regulator, Bank of Scotland and National Australia Group (Clydesdale and Yorkshire Banks).

Following his appointment to the Board, Jack will put his past experience to good use when he will also take on the important role of chairman of the Society’s Board Risk Committee.

Chief executive, Colin Fyfe said, “We are very fortunate to acquire the services of Jack Cullen as a non-executive director and his experience gained over many years at a very senior level will be of huge benefit to the Society going forward as we build for the future”.

Following his appointment Jack said, “I am delighted to join the Board of Darlington Building Society and I look forward to supporting the Society in fulfilling its key objectives of providing straight-forward products and friendly, effective services to its customers and its local communities”.

Nick Dent, Endeavor Partnership

Teesside business law firm, Endeavour Partnership, has appointed Nick Dent to join its insolvency team.

Nick has spent over 20 years advising clients on Teesside, primarily in commercial litigation and contentious insolvency matters.

He has considerable experience addressing commercial disputes, intellectual property issues such as copyright and trademarks, as well as conducting high volume claims within liquidations.

Nick also has experience within the charity sector, working with organisations providing advice, information, support, and training on legal issues, including charity and company law and other legal matters relevant to the administration and governance of charities.

In addition to being a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives, Nick is accredited by the London School of Mediation as a Civil and Commercial Mediator and he satisfies the requirements of the United Kingdom Civil Mediation Council.

Lee Bramley, partner and head of the firm’s insolvency team, said: “Since launching our specialist corporate recovery and insolvency team in 2012, we have seen a dramatic increase in instructions. Nick’s experience will be invaluable to our clients as he can draw upon his specialist expertise to advise and assist in contentious matters, particularly in the charity sector.”

Vanessa Wood, North East Business and Innovation Centre (BIC)

Vanessa Wood has been appointed to head up the North East Business and Innovation Centre’s (BIC) newest venture, Business Central.

Vanessa, will be heading up the office development, located in the Central Park Enterprise Zone, Darlington. The BIC is working with Darlington Borough Council and the £6.6 million project has been supported with funding from the European Regional Development Fund and the Homes and Communities Agency.

Vanessa has many years of experience managing office space and is looking forward to the centre opening this spring, she said: “It is exciting to be a part of this new development the centre will offer space for up to 60 businesses, meeting rooms and an Open Space coworking facility.

“This is a great opportunity for forward thinking businesses who wish to take advantage of brand new state of the art facilities as well as having access to the support services on offer.

“Even those who don’t require a permanent office can take advantage of the Open Space facility and I see this as a real boost to businesses and networking facilities in the area.

“Business Central is perfectly located for travel links,, situated right next to the railway station as well as fantastic road, bus and airport access.

“The BIC team is very much focused creating a community, a centre for businesses not just to work from but to feel an alliance to and this is something that I am confident we can build upon at Business Central.”

Carl Moffett, Vocare

Newcastle-headquartered clinical healthcare services provider, Vocare, has appointed Carl Moffett as commercial director.

Moffett will lead the Finance, Commercial and Business Analyst teams, with a focus on managing Vocare’s performance during its planned growth. Moffett began his career with PricewaterhouseCoopers, where he qualified as a Chartered Accountant.

He went on to hold senior positions within a number of well known-brands, including finance director at Ringtons Tea and operations director at Peter Vardy Limited.

Moffett said: “Vocare is one of the fastest growing North East headquartered businesses in an exciting sector that is going through change. The business has won a number of new contracts nationally by offering added value to the NHS. By continuously developing new services we are able to improve the quality of patient care in more commercially attractive ways for our NHS partners. I look forward to helping the company achieve its enormous potential, as we continue to expand our services across the country.”

John Harrison, chief executive of The Vocare Group, said: “Carl will play a vital role within our senior management team, adding further commercial and financial knowledge to our business.”

Tom Gutteridge, Northern Film & Media

Television producer Tom Gutteridge has been appointed chair of creative development agency Northern Film & Media Ltd (NFM).

Founder of leading UK production company Mentorn Media and former North American head of FremantleMedia, Gutteridge has been a member of NFM’s board since 2008, joining shortly after he returned to his native North East to set up Standing Stone Productions.

He succeeds the late Sir Les Elton, who served as NFM’s Chair from 2007 until his death last year.

The International Emmy winner and Fellow of the Royal Television Society said: “I greatly look forward to helping oversee NFM’s work supporting the North East’s creative industries, especially television and film. Over the past 12 years they have achieved some extraordinary things – invested in 800 local companies and projects, leveraged nearly £100m of investment into the North East economy and helped attract numerous film and television productions to the region.

“Equally importantly, they have provided industry advice, training, contact brokering and networking opportunities to thousands of creative professionals, thereby helping to keep the lifeblood of the industry flowing.

“Happily we have seen a significant increase in production over the last few years. NFM has indisputably had a vital role to play in generating this success.

“But there is no disguising the fact that the backdrop against which these successes have been achieved is a very challenging one. I look forward in particular to helping NFM campaign against the current unjustifiable tilting of public funding and infrastructural investment towards London and the west of the UK.”

Chris Millen, Henderson Insurance Brokers

Henderson Insurance Brokers, one of the leading insurance brokers in the UK, is continuing to back staff to through their studies, with a new addition at its Newcastle office.

Chris Millen, 23, who has joined Henderson’s as a commercial broker, will be supported through a professional development programme including Chartered Institute of Insurance qualifications.

Chris, who lives in West Monkseaton, studied at Whitley Bay High School and Newcastle College before gaining work experience in customer service, customer advisor and sales roles.

Chris said: “Henderson Insurance Brokers has a strong reputation in the insurance sector and that is what attracted me to apply to work at the company.

“I am looking forward to the challenges of my new job and gaining the qualifications that will help me advance my career with Henderson Insurance Brokers.” Keith Ward, regional managing director, of Henderson Insurance Brokers, said: “Chris is a confident individual with a strong work ethic and he will be an asset to the Henderson’s team at Newcastle.

“His experience of travelling abroad on his own demonstrated he has the ability to use his initiative and deal with people from all walks of life, while his previous jobs showed he is equally comfortable being part of a team – qualities of which will be vital to his role as a commercial broker with Henderson.”

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