This week’s North West appointments

Jean Crisp, Diversity Travel

Diversity Travel, the Manchester-based travel management firm, has taken on a new customer relations professional.

Jean Crisp, who has been appointed to the newly created position of general manager, has 20 years of experience in customer-related service development, having worked in senior operational and management teams at organisations such as Liverpool Football Club and online retailer Shop Direct.

In her new position, Jean will be responsible for the day-to-day running of the teams handling Diversity Travel’s reservations, ticketing, visa, fares, rail services and training.

Diversity Travel’s MD, Christopher Airey, said: “With experience which spans across Premier League football to financial services as well as travel, Jean is the clear fit for this new role.

“Our customer service offering is commended by those that use it but we want to ensure that as we grow as a company, so too does our service and Jean has exceptionally strong skills in this area.”

He continued: “Jean will work closely with all departments to monitor quality standards and drive continuous improvement by developing key areas of Diversity Travel’s commercial focus, business strategy and implementation. We’re very excited to have her on board as her support will allow us to go even further to make sure our clients receive a high-quality bespoke service.”

Anna Beaumont, gunnercooke

Law firm gunnercooke has appointed Anna Beaumont as CEO.

Anna, who was the first partner appointed at gunnercooke, has been with the firm since 2011. Previously she worked for Enterprise plc (now Amey), advising on the group’s acquisitions and disposals for years. Much of her experience lies in corporate law, working on both private equity and M&A transactions.

Her work for gunnercooke over the last four years has seen her draw a number of large clients, such as plcs and private equity firms, to the company.

Darryl Cooke, a founding partner of the firm, said: “Anna is one of the most gifted corporate lawyers I have ever worked with and we were incredibly lucky to recruit her at an early stage of gunnercooke’s growth.

“Since then, Anna’s contribution has been a huge asset, and we are delighted to appoint her to the board as CEO.”

He added: “For both Anna and for the business this is a much needed step forward, and we’re very excited about what we can achieve together.”

As CEO, Anna will continue to develop gunnercooke across its Manchester and London offices.

Anna commented: “Since joining gunnercooke in 2011, we’ve been evolving at a rapid rate, and so too has our support structure. Now, at almost 100 partners, it’s crucial that we elevate a gear, so that we continue to deliver a better working environment for our lawyers, and service to our clients.

“I’m very proud of what we’ve achieved in five years since inception, and there’s a definite momentum behind the next phase of our growth. The next 12 months will be really very exciting.’

Elsewhere, gunnercooke’s marketing director Laura Jordan, who joined the firm three years ago, has been given a position on the board.

Julian Stott, MAG Property

The property arm of Manchester Airports Group has appointed a new development manager.

In his new role with MAG Property, Julian Stott will work across the company’s development portfolio encompassing Manchester, East Midlands, Bournemouth and Stansted airports.

Previously, Julian worked as a director in the hotels and hospitality arm of professional services firm Jones Lang LaSalle. He also has experience with PwC and real estate company Cushman & Wakefield.

Lynda Shillaw, the CEO of MAG Property, said: “It’s important for our business that we have scale and versatility, particularly as we look to bring forward a variety of development schemes in the near future.”

“Establishing a strong team is really important for us as we move into the next phase of our growth.”

She added: “MAG Property is well placed to capitalise on its knowledge and expertise gained as a leading property company within the aviation sector.”

Adam Hart, Haden Freeman

Process engineering design consultancy Haden Freeman Ltd has appointed Adam Hart as its alliance manager.

The firm, which is based in Denton, Greater Manchester, has taken Adam on to oversee its £5m, three-year partnership with Elstree-based Bio Products Laboratory (BPL) Ltd, a manufacturer of human plasma products.

Adam has three years’ experience in the nuclear, water and waste-to-energy sectors, gained since he obtained a degree in chemical engineering from the University of Manchester’s Institute of Science and Technology.

Commenting on his new role, Adam said: “My job is to ensure the relationship between Haden Freeman Ltd and BPL continues to run smoothly, especially now that we are fulfilling the role of Principal Designer on many projects, as stipulated in the new CDM regulations.

“The planning stage for BPL’s new £1.5m Water for Injection (WFI) is also progressing and we will be commencing work on site in the very near future, carrying out major engineering.”

He continued: “All of this is in addition to our existing scope of work, ranging from FEED studies to full project management.

“We currently have around 20 colleagues working on BPL projects, and the alliance will ensure that all of our engineers are completely familiar with BPL systems and enable us to be more responsive. I’m really looking forward to sinking my teeth fully into my new role.”

Grant Anderson and Lynette Day, Hill Dickinson

Following a recent recruitment drive, law firm Hill Dickinson has made two appointments in its 22-strong planning team in Manchester.

Grant Anderson has joined Hill Dickinson from corporate law company Addleshaw Goddard and will head up the new team. Lynette Day, also of Addleshaw Goddard, has been appointed alongside Grant to the position of senior associate.

In his previous work, Grant has served as an environmental and senior planning lawyer, advising clients such as developers and landowners on planning projects in areas like housing, retail, regeneration and infrastructure.

The head of business services at Hill Dickinson, David Chinn, said: “We have been biding our time to find an impressive planning lawyer for our team here in Manchester, someone with great contacts and track record, and we believe that we have found the right candidate in Grant.

“Grant is well-known and extremely well respected in his field, previously working as head of a retail planning group, advising clients such as Sainsbury’s. He will be an invaluable asset to Hill Dickinson.”

The latest appointments follow Hill Dickinson’s recent hires, including commercial property partner Jim Purves, and the relocation of Alastair Reid, also a property partner, the the firm’s offices in Manchester.

Commenting on his appointment, Grant said: “My decision to move to Hill Dickinson was based on the firm’s reputation and its significant growth plans for the property team, which is evident in the number of lateral hires over the last 12 months.

“The firm has a strong sector-led approach, something that I am keen to further develop building upon my own experience in key sectors.”

Malcolm Jones, DSG

Chartered accountants DSG recently appointed Malcolm Jones to the position of business development director.

Malcolm, who previously worked at Merseyside Special Investment Fund (MSIF) as an investment director, has been hired by DSG in an effort to capitalise on new business opportunities.

In addition to the 13 years he spent at MSIF, Malcolm was a corporate director at Barclays Bank for more than a decade.

DSG’s head of corporate, Andrew Moss, said: “We’re very pleased to be welcoming Malcolm on board.

“He’s a great character with unrivalled insight into the North West professional community and his depth of experience in corporate finance will allow him play a key role in ensuring that the firm is positively and professionally promoted in its markets.”

DSG, which provides tax, audit and business advisory services, has offices in Liverpool, Bootle, Southport and North Wales.

Commenting on his appointment, Malcolm said: “DSG is a fantastic firm with a great offering and I’m very pleased to be joining the team. I’m looking forward to helping the company to develop and promote its offering both in the Liverpool market and across the North West.”

John Green, Pierce

Chartered accountant John Green has been appointed to the role of chairman at Pierce, the North West-based accountancy and business advisory group.

John joined Pierce in 1993 as a senior manager and currently heads the Blackburn-based firm’s corporate finance and forensic teams.

As the new chairman, he has replaced Graham Boyes, who retired last month.

John said: “It is an honour and privilege to be given the opportunity to serve as chairman at Pierce. Having worked at Pierce for more than 20 years, I have seen very many exciting changes.

“I am ready to embrace the challenge of helping to steer the practice’s future development.”

He continued: “Pierce is proud to be situated at the heart of the North West business community and I look forward to continuing to provide support to our clients.”

A Lancashire native, John qualified as a chartered accountant in 1984 and served as the president of the North West Society of Chartered Accountants from 2009 to 2010.

The managing director of Pierce, Paul Warren, said: “I am delighted that John has accepted the position of chairman.

“His experience and standing as a respected member of the North West business community means that he is in a perfect position to support the continued development of Pierce.”

David Howard, Inquesta

Accountancy firm Inquesta has appointed David Howard as its new manager.

David previously worked for advisory company Leonard Curtis as an insolvency administrator. In his new role, he will work closely with Inquesta’s team as it helps indebted consumers to settle repayment agreements with creditors.

Steven Wiseglass, a co-founder of Inquesta, said: “David is an experienced and highly-qualified personal insolvency adviser who combines great technical skills with the ability to manage a growing caseload.

“We are confident he will prove to be a major asset to the firm as we develop our IVA practice.”

Founded by Steven Wiseglass and Rob Miller in January 2012, the firm moved from Manchester’s Riverbank Business Centre in 2014 to a four-storey building in Radcliffe to accommodate its growing team.

Susie Lee-Kilgariff, MPD Group

MPD Group, the fulfilment and delivery software firm, has taken on Susie Lee-Kilgariff as its marketing director.

Working from the firm’s HQ in Trafford Park, Greater Manchester, Susie will lead MPD’s six-strong marketing team. Initially she will focus on the launch and development of Electio, MPD’s new delivery management software, as well as increasing awareness of the firm’s comparison website, My Parcel Delivery.

MPD Group’s CEO, David Grimes, said: “We’re really excited to have Susie as part of the team. Her in-depth knowledge of the business, passion for data insight, and relentless focus on the customer leaves us with no doubt that she’ll be able to deliver on our vision to be the delivery industry’s leading challenger brand.”

Susie, who previously founded and ran Northern Light Marketing, has 20 years of experience in the industry.

She commented: “I decided to join MPD Group because of the incredible opportunity to be part of a growing business in such a fast-moving industry.

“I love the idea of being the challenger brand in a market with a dominant competitor and the chance to work with such a high-calibre team was too good to miss.”

Dave Saddington, Platform Black

Platform Black, the alternative finance provider headquartered in Basingstoke, has appointed a new regional sales director.

In his new position at Platform Black, Dave Saddington will be based in Manchester, helping the firm strengthen its presence across the North and Midlands.

Dave commented: “It’s an exciting time to be part of the alternative finance scene as it really is helping companies achieve their full potential.

“We’re keen to support SMEs with a structured approach to working capital, in conjunction with existing banking services, so that they can achieve growth.”

Following his appointment, Dave will work to boost the profile of alternative finance among the region’s accountants, solicitors and brokers. He has more than 35 years’ experience in commercial and business sector banking with Yorkshire Bank and The Royal Bank of Scotland.

James Lupton, DWF

Manchester-headquartered law firm DWF has appointed a new partner to its public sector team.

James Lupton, who has more than 15 years of industry experience, will advise on public law and procurement, and commercial issues stemming from the delivery of public-private partnerships.

James’ experience spans the transport, housing, waste, education, nuclear and health sectors, with clients based in the North West, North Wales and elsewhere in the UK.

Commenting on his new role, James said: “This is a really exciting opportunity to work with a well- established team at DWF.

“I look forward to building on the strong foundations that the firm has in this sector and bringing my extensive experience across a wide range of complex transactions, advising both public and private sector bodies.”

The appointment follows several new hires at DWF, which merged earlier this year with insurance firm Watmores.

Jonathan Branton, a partner with DWF and the firm’s head of EU competition, said: “Recognising that devolution and governance are currently a big topic on the public sector agenda, James’ strong track record and experience with high-profile transactions puts DWF in a strong position to deliver innovative results and make a real difference for our clients in this sector.”

Keith Kennedy, Pearson Solicitors and Financial Advisers

Pearson Solicitors and Financial Advisers, the North West law firm, has strengthened its commercial offering with the appointment of Keith Kennedy.

In his new role, Keith will head up the corporate commercial team. Having joined from Manchester-based Berg, he has more than 14 years of experience in corporate and commercial law, across sectors such as software, telecoms, retail and manufacturing.

Keith, who is described as “dogged and determined” in the latest Legal 500 ranking, said: “I am delighted to have joined Pearson. The firm has a great client base and offers a full range of high quality legal services to the North West business community and beyond, combining traditional values with a modern approach.

“Pearson’s ability to provide bespoke financial services, in addition to those legal services, gives it an edge over many of its competitors.”

He continued: “I am looking forward to working in particular with entrepreneurs, acquisitive companies and exiting shareholders.

“Across the firm we will continue to challenge the view held in some quarters that it is necessary to go to a city centre firm for high quality legal and financial advice.”

In his new position at Pearson, Keith will advise on general corporate and commercial agreements and work to resolve shareholder disputes alongside the company’s commercial litigation department. Additionally, Keith will work with the commercial property team as it handles the funding aspects of property deals.

A commercial partner at Pearson, Michael Pitt, commented: “This is an exciting time for our commercial team as we continue to grow and assert ourselves as major players in the North West legal commercial landscape.

“Keith brings with him a wealth of experience, reputation, good humour and excellent client rapport and I am pleased to welcome him to the team - our presence is bolstered by his appointment and we are all looking forward to working alongside him.”

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