Member Article

This week's North East appointments

The latest appointment news from across the North East this week.

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Catherine Burns and Andrew Steel, Jacksons Law Firm

Jacksons Law Firm has bolstered its ranks with the recruitment of two solicitors, appointing Catherine Burns to its Commercial Property division and Andrew Steel to the Private Client department.

Catherine, originally from Derbyshire, graduated from Newcastle University with a BA Honours degree in history before completing the law conversion at Northumbria University.

She continued her studies at Northumbria University to complete her Law Practice Certificate before joining Eversheds in Nottingham.

Catherine came back to the North East to join one of the large law firms in Newcastle where she spent eight years as a solicitor in their commercial property department.

She is now based in Jacksons’ Newcastle office and has experience of dealing with all types of commercial property transactions with clients across the North East.

Solicitor, Andrew Steel joins Jacksons Wills, Trusts and Probate team, following a ten and a half year career at a law firm based in Teesside, where he started as a trainee before qualifying as a solicitor in 2008.

He brings with him a wealth of experience in private client matters. Andrew, who lives in Durham, spends his time between Jacksons’ Teesside and Newcastle office advising clients from our region on wills, trusts and probate matters.

Geoff Skeoch, Senior partner at Jacksons said, “We are delighted to welcome both Catherine and Andrew to Jacksons at an exciting time for the firm as we enjoy continued growth and a move to new office premises in Teesside.

“Catherine and Andrew are both already making many positive contributions to our team and I am sure they will both have very successful careers at Jacksons”.

Rebecca Dawson, Mincoffs

Newcastle Law Firm Mincoffs has appointed Associate Solicitor Rebecca Dawson to its Commercial Property team.

Rebecca graduated from Northumbria University with a BSc (Hons) in Building Management and went on to complete her RICS exams in building surveying.

She later qualified as a solicitor in 2003 with a prominent Newcastle law firm where she spent 4 years in the commercial property team before moving to an in-house legal role for a North East developer. She then spent 2 years in the commercial property team at another North East firm before joining Mincoffs in July.

Rebecca said: “I am delighted to join Mincoffs and am already enjoying working in such a respected commercial law firm which has a great client base.”

Ryan Bannon, Partner and Head of Commercial Property, added: “Rebecca is an excellent addition to the Commercial Property Team at what is an exciting time in the commercial property landscape both regionally and nationally.”

Paul Hardcastle, Allay

Newcastle-based PPI claims firm Allay has appointed Paul Hardcastle, as its new marketing and business development manager.

Bringing over ten years’ industry experience, Paul will be based in the company’s regional headquarters in Generator Studios

His appointment forms part of ambitious plans from Allay set out earlier this year to grow its workforce to over 400 in 2017. Further recruitment has also seen the company recently employ a number of sales advisors, inbound operatives and case handlers.

In his new role Paul will be responsible for overseeing B2B sales development strategy and marketing, aiding growth by bringing on board new partners and introducers, whilst working closely with the teams across Allay’s four UK contact centres.

Commenting on his appointment, Paul said: “Allay struck me as a forward thinking, progressive business which puts the consumer at the heart of everything it does. This paired with the vision of the directors and long-term development plans really drew me to the role.

“My aim is to see measurable growth in the business through my work with new partners and introducers. The senior team are really supportive of ideas that are put forward and give you the support needed to implement them which is fantastic.

“Looking to the future, and the introduction of the deadline for claiming compensation for the mis-selling of PPI, I will be focused on a cross-selling strategy to allow our partners to continue to work with us across our other products.”

Paul Reid, ION

Gosforth-based ION has added Paul Reid to its team

Paul Reid, a former senior support engineer for global recruitment specialist Nigel Wright,has joined Gosforth-based ION.

ION Industries was established in August 2016 and secured significant private funding in January to help boost its team of developers and specialists, and expand its Salesforce CRM solutions into new markets.

As well as overseeing the delivery of Salesforce across ION’s key markets, including manufacturing, engineering and pharmaceutical sectors, Paul will work closely with technical director and former Nigel Wright colleague, John Huggins, who joined the firm earlier in the year.

ION’s managing director Rob Mathieson said: “Paul is a very welcome addition to our team. We have some exciting new projects underway, so with a new developer on board to help deliver the high quality work we are becoming known for, the future for ION looks very exciting.

“His experience of working with Salesforce already, ensures he provides our clients with the best possible solutions and ongoing technical support.”

Paul added: “I have always had a great deal of respect for both John and Rob and their previous careers within the digital sector.

“When the opportunity arose to join an ambitious company in its infancy, I relished the challenge of being there at the start of what looks to be a very exciting journey.

“Salesforce isn’t as well known in the North of England as it is further south and across Europe, so it is exciting to introduce the software to forward thinking businesses and enjoy their success as they quickly see the benefits of using the CRM system to grow revenue and increase customer engagement.”

NE Procurement

NE Procurement has appointed three new members to its board in the final part of the organisation’s governance restructure.

Ian Johnson, chief executive of Tyne Housing, Charlotte McMurchie, partner and head of Real Estate Dispute Resolution Muckles LLP, and Barry Pollock, ‎managing partner of ‎The Works, will be officially appointed to the board later this month.

The trio will be joined by previous board members, David Langhorne, director of property services at Your Homes Newcastle, Alan Smith, group director of finance and resources at County Durham Housing Group and Rod Brasington, chief executive of NE Procurement.

Ian Johnson, chief executive of Tyne Housing, who will become chair of the board, said: “I was delighted when I was asked to join the NE Procurement board. The procurement landscape has changed dramatically over the past few years and the direction NE Procurement is now moving in is very different to where it has been previously.

“The new members bring a wealth of experience with them and we all have a clear idea of where NE Procurement should position themselves in the sector. I’m really looking forward to helping the organisation in its next chapter.”

Over the last six months, NE Procurement has been re-evaluating the way they’re structured, how they operate and the services they offer to ensure they’re fit for purpose for both existing and future members.

Rod Brasington, chief executive of NE Procurement, added: “We are very happy with the new board structure.

“The candidates we have chosen all have a good understanding of NE Procurement and our aims and values for the future. We are confident we have the right people to help us on our journey.”

Simon Quin, Lloyds Banking

Lloyds Banking Commercial Banking has appointed Simon Quin as area director for SME Global Transaction Banking (GTB) in the North East, Yorkshire and Scotland.

He will lead a team of 10 regional managers specialising in the provision of invoice finance facilities to businesses with a turnover of between £1m and £25m.

Andrew Charnley, national sales director for Lloyds Banking Group SME GTB, said: “We know from our recent Working Capital Index research that British businesses have £498bn tied up in excess working capital.

“SMEs often need help to access their share of this, and Simon and Tracy’s expertise and enthusiasm are just one of the ways we can add real value to our clients’ business and help Britain prosper.

“They’ll also play a major role in working with knowledge-based industries and brokers as we continue to attract new clients to Lloyds Bank.”

Simon Quin added: “SMEs are the lifeblood of our economy, and helping them to better manage their cashflow is a key focus for us at Lloyds Bank.

“Working alongside my team, we’ll be helping firms across the North East to improve their working capital management and continue to grow.”

Hannah Wilde and Chloe Page, The Office Rocks

Since moving into their new office overlooking the stunning Sunderland Marina, The Office Rocks has continued to grow, with 2 new recruits in the past month alone.

Hannah Wilde, who recently graduated English Language & Literature from the University of Sunderland has joined the publishing team managing their Everyone Loves Christmas brand.

Chloe Page’s addition to the team as Marketing Coach and Mentor, marks the beginning of a new venture; Chloe will be running The Social Media Academy, due to launch in September. Chloe was previously Marketing Assistant at Lexus GB plc and has returned to the North East from Surrey to take up this role.

Laura Middleton, Founder and Director said: “This is a really exciting new venture for us. We often get asked about social media management, which we’re happy to do on behalf of business, but we’d really like to help business owners and marketing managers understand how to get the most out of social for themselves.

“We run 14 Facebook pages with a combined audience of over 1 million people in the UK alone and a weekly reach of around 15 million, so we understand fully what it takes to nurture and grow an audience.”

Kasey Hartney, Horizonworks

Newcastle-based marketing agency Horizonworks has expanded its team with the appointment of a new designer.

Kasey Hartney has joined the team as a designer within the firm’s creative division, a role which will see her support the creative director in the delivery of client design projects.

Horizonworks has experienced a period of rapid growth over the last six months, welcoming clients such as: Cellular Solutions, a leading integrated communications company; Building Surveyors, a team of commercial and residential building surveying specialists; Arcinova, a contract research and development company to the pharmaceutical sector and Newcastle Premier Health, a leading provider of medical services.

2017 has also seen Horizonworks co-host several Marketing Clubs as the strategic marketing partner of The Advanced Manufacturing Forum (AMF), the largest manufacturing forum in the North East. Samantha Davidson, managing director at Horizonworks, was also recently appointed to the AMF board.

Kasey, from Halifax, has B2C and B2B work experience across marketing divisions including graphic design, PR, digital and video production. As designer she will be supporting on all aspects of design for client marketing campaigns, developing creative ideas across a wide range of channels, including both print and digital.

Speaking of her appointment, Kasey said: “I feel honoured to join a growing, successful and ambitious team here at Horizonworks. This role offers the perfect opportunity for me to utilise my experience to create captivating design work for clients.

“Horizonworks has a fantastic reputation in the North East for delivering innovative B2B marketing campaigns and I look forward to progressing in my career and furthering my design skills.”

Castle Building Services

Castle Building Services Organisation (Castle Building Services), one of the region’s leading independent building services contractor, has announced the arrival of three new faces and three key promotions at its North East headquarters on Monkton Business Park, Hebburn, to support continued growth.

The latest to join Castle are Mick Harrison Shauna Roberts and Dillon Tait, with existing team members and Steve Robson, Andrew Trewick and Steve Bibby all promoted to new roles.

Looking for a fresh challenge after working with the same company for 23 years, Mick Harrison has joined Castle Building Services as a senior project manager. Mick, an experienced electrician, also brings with him project lead and project management experience which he will put to good use in his new position.

Andrew Trewick, an experienced site supervisor, has been promoted to the role of electrical project engineer. Shauna Robertson joins as an apprenticeship in Business Administration and is currently studying for her Level 2 qualification. She is joined by Dillon Tait who has joined as a trainee estimator.

In recognition of their contribution to the success of the company and their desire to further develop their skills, long serving employee and the first to join Castle Building Services, Steve Bibby, has moved from site where he worked as a plumber has taken on the role of estimator working alongside a team of six highly experienced estimators.

Meanwhile, Steve Robson, who initially joined the contractor late last year as a mechanical supervisor, has been appointed to the newly created role of mechanical compliance engineer – a key position within the growing organisation.

Speaking about the new additions and promotions, commercial director, Andrew Dawson said: “As the company continues to grow at a steady pace I’m delighted to announce both the creation of new jobs and staff promotions.

“We have a very strong team and it is important when recruiting that we attract people with the right skills and experience which not only add to, but also complement, our existing resources. I believe Mick, Shauna and Dillon all tick these boxes.

“Equally when planning for the future it is important to look internally to identify employees keen to widen their skills set and take on more responsibility. Both Steves and Andrew have clearly demonstrated that they are ready for their new roles and I look forward to their ongoing contribution to our continued success.”

Matthew Ord, LV Valenbeck

Matthew Ord has been appointed as business development lead for LV Valenbeck, which offers export packing services in the shape of bespoke cardboard boxes and timber crates.

In time, this role will expand and we will require Matthews expertise in shipping, projects and other serviceable areas of LV.

Matthew, whose background lies in dealing with North East exporters, has developed strong relationships in the region over the last 10 years.

He explained: “The opportunity to join such a prestigious and well-established business with its heart in Teesside and additional operations all over the world was a real big draw to me, that combined with then meeting the directors and staff to get a better understanding of LV and their family culture meant this was an opportunity with a great challenge not to be missed.

“Starting out with the team at LV Valenbeck will allow me the opportunity to re-engage with my old exporting clients from my days with the local chamber of commerce and the International trade team. Understanding the needs of these local exporting businesses, as I do, is key to making LV Valenbeck even more successful.

“I know first-hand the frustrations of exporting when it’s not done in accordance with HMRC guidelines, goods being damaged in transit, unnecessary delays at ports and goods being returned is not healthy for our exporters and I’m here to make sure that’s not going to be an issue.”

Join us for more North East appointment news next monday.

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