This week's London appointments

Dave Graham, Dow Schofield Watts

Advisory firm Dow Schofield Watts (DSW) has appointed Dave Graham to lead its London office, which launched earlier this year.

Dave was officially the company’s first employee when he was hired in 2007. He has relocated from the North West, where DSW is headquartered, to work with the team in Covent Garden.

Dave said: “The London market is incredibly vibrant and whilst there are many excellent corporate finance advisers, there is a clear gap in the mid-market for the type of hands-on, partner-led service that we provide.

“As well as providing a local presence to work on client projects, the London office will enable us to build stronger links between the regional offices and the London funder market.”

DSW’s London base offers corporate finance and transaction services.

Founding partner Mark Watts, who will be supporting Dave in his new role, commented: “Dave has been a key contributor to our growth over the last ten years, as well as leading the launch and development of our international network.

“With existing London relationships already being an important part of our business, Dave is perfectly placed to continue that development and provide the key link to our strong regional office network.”

Nicci Setchell, Yapster

Mobile messaging startup Yapster has appointed Nicci Setchell as its first CFO.

Nicci has joined the company from online food order business Just Eat Group, where she worked for six years. Her most recent role at Just Eat was global strategic lead, before which she was head of finance M&A and integration.

At Yapster, in addition to serving as the company’s CFO, Nicci will also take on chief operating officer responsibilities.

She said: “When I was introduced to Yapster I was struck by the quality of the team, the brands already on board, and the potential market size for technology that serves the ‘deskless’ workers in our economy.

“We want to become a category leader and I’m excited to be taking on this new challenge and helping us get there.”

Rob Liddiard, co-founder and CEO of Yapster, commented: “I can’t imagine someone better suited to this job than Nicci. We’re all thrilled to have her on board.

“Not only does she bring a wealth of financial, operational, and leadership experience, she knows exactly what it takes to achieve JustEat’s level of success. On top of that, she’s extremely good fun, so it’s a win-win for us.”

Michael Bryn-Jones, Joseph Homes

Developer Joseph Homes has appointed Michael Bryn-Jones as its new managing director.

Michael has more than 30 years’ experience in residential development, spanning roles at St George, Medici Development Services and City Lofts Group.

He said: “I was impressed by the way Joseph Homes always provides a bespoke solution, responding to the environment and market conditions.

“I also really like how they invest in the communities they work in, whether through supporting neighbourhood initiatives or speaking to locals to find out what’s really important to them.”

Michael added: “As a relatively small company everyone within the business is bought into the culture and has shared passion and involvement in the homes and places we deliver.”

Joseph Homes develops residential-led mixed-use schemes in London.

Dr Mark Boddy, PawSquad

PawSquad, a provider of telehealth services for pets, has appointed Dr Mark Boddy as CEO.

At the helm of the company, Mark will work to grow PawSquad’s 24/7 telehealth offering to make it the first point of call for pet owners.

He has over 30 years’ experience in the veterinary industry, including 10 spent as a veterinary clinician in the UK, New Zealand and Australia.

Mark said: “I am proud to be involved with PawSquad and its mission to make professional veterinary advice more accessible to caring pet owners.

“Technology has enabled us to bring the veterinarian from the consulting room to wherever a concerned pet owner happens to be. We can offer professional, personalised advice for pets, whether it’s a clinical problem, a general question about healthcare, wellbeing, behavioural issues or simply a need for general advice or reassurance.”

PawSquad chairman Diwaker Singh commented: “Mark brings unrivalled experience of the veterinary industry to PawSquad.

“He has first-hand experience of life as a vet and the pressures involved, but he also knows what pet owners need and importantly, has the business acumen and experience to take PawSquad to the next stage in its growth.”

Diwaker continued: “The veterinary industry is ripe for disruption and PetTech is still a relatively untapped market. The opportunities are vast – and we have full faith in Mark to make the most of that.”

Martin Stewart, OakNorth

Business lender OakNorth has appointed Martin Stewart as an independent adviser on its advisory board.

Martin is the former director of banks, building societies and credit unions at the Bank of England, which he joined in April 2013.

OakNorth’s CEO and co-founder, Rishi Khosla, said: “Our loans have already had a very significant impact on the UK economy, but Martin’s experience will help ensure we can continue building on this positive impact and supporting the SME community, despite potentially challenging economic conditions in the future.”

Martin commented: “SMEs are the economy’s job creators and wealth generators, and it is their success that will ultimately make or break Britain’s move out of the EU next year.

“Support for these businesses has been a passion throughout my career where I have worked with businesses ranging from startups to major corporates, helping chairmen, CEO’s and government ministers to identify emerging risks and opportunities and then building teams to turn strategy into action.”

Wes Nichols, Urban Airship

Customer engagement business Urban Airship has appointed Wes Nichols to its board.

Wes, a serial technology entrepreneur and investor, has previously advised companies all over the world on innovation, predictive analytics and machine learning, as well as on marketing technologies and the changing role of the chief marketing officer.

He was previously chief strategy officer at US tech company Neusta and is currently a board partner at Upfront Ventures, one of the largest venture capital firms in California.

Urban Airship’s chief exec and president, Brett Caine, said: “As an independent board of directors member, Wes brings an incredible breadth of experience and expertise in many areas our customers have strategic requirements along with a keen eye for what’s top of mind for today’s CMOs.

“His guidance will accelerate our efforts to enable marketers to make direct connections with their customers anytime, anywhere, using the real-time customer data, breadth of channels and global scale that our open platform uniquely provides.”

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