This week's North East appointments

This week’s round up of North East appointments includes NOF, EMG Solicitors, The Doxford Group, Route. Read on to find out more.

Lewis Abbott, Angus Kirkbride, NOF

NOF, the UK business development specialist for the energy sector, has expanded its team to support its growing membership and increased activity in energy transition.

The Durham-based national organisation has recruited two new team members, Lewis Abbott, who joins on an events administrator apprenticeship and Angus Kirkbride who has been appointed Energi Coast marketing and events executive.

Working closely with Events & Project Manager Kristie Leng, Lewis will help deliver NOF’s calendar of in-person and virtual events and conferences, encouraging engagement between members, partners and key players from across the energy industry to form valuable connections and generate new business.

Lewis, from Crook, County Durham, embarks on his apprenticeship after completing a BTEC in Business Studies at Bishop College.

Having completed his degree at Sheffield Hallam University, Angus joins the organisation as part of the team that manages North East England’s offshore wind cluster, Energi Coast.

Alongside Cluster Manager Caroline Lofthouse, Angus will help showcase the capabilities of North East England’s supply chain and the opportunities to attract inward investment into the region through a range of events and marketing activities.

Lewis said: “I’m really excited about the opportunities my apprenticeship offers. NOF is part of a really interesting and exciting industry, and its events are always really popular.

“I love the fact that I’m gaining first-hand experience of event management, earning while I am learning and working towards recognised qualifications that will help me progress my career.”

Angus said: “The offshore wind industry is so important to achieving net zero by 2025 in the UK and I am proud that I will be playing a part in supporting this ambition with the Energi Coast role.

“I am really keen to work with all the businesses and organisations involved in the cluster and help further build the reputation of North East England as a major hub for offshore wind.”

EMG Solicitors

A North East solicitors has consolidated its position in having one of the largest Court of Protection (COP) teams in the north, following new appointments.

EMG Solicitors, based in both Durham and Newcastle, has a third office opening in Cumbria in 2022, and specializes in COP work, looking after the management of people’s property and affairs who don’t have the capacity to make those decisions for themselves.

The company has now strengthened its offering, with further expansion of its health and welfare arm which now has a specialised team of seven dealing with this specific area of law.

The COP health and welfare team is headed up by Senior Associate Solicitor, Eilish Ferry-Kennington, who has been with EMG since 2017 and has also recently been appointed to the Law Society’s Mental Health and Disability Committee.

Eilish said: “We are very excited to have extended our COP health and welfare team with the appointment of a new solicitor, Laura Wilson, who specialises in mental health law.”

“And because she is already so busy, we are now recruiting further and will be seeking to recruit a further solicitor in 2022 in line with the firm’s growth plans into Cumbria.”

Also, now part of the COP team is solicitor Charlotte Greenwell, who joined in 2019 on a training contract and was given a permanent position when she qualified in September 2021.

The team are either appointed by the court or a ‘litigation friend’ to represent the interests of someone who does not have the mental capacity to make decisions on their own behalf, to ensure that their wellbeing is safe guarded. They also act for family members of people in such situations.

This expertise has led to Eilish’s appointment to the Law Society’s committee, where she now plays an active role in helping shape future legislation around COP matters.

The Doxford Group, Mark Gubbins, Kevin Shanahan

Northumberland’s The Doxford Group has appointed a new group finance director and group general manager.

Mark Gubbins previously worked as finance director at The Apartment Group, Mark brings over 12 years of experience to the role overseeing several key acquisitions and redevelopments within his career.

Mark’s main focus will be driving efficiencies within the existing business at the groups Charlton Hall and Doxford Barns venues, as well as raising external finance to allow the group to expand in line with the Director, Richard Shell’s vision.

Mark Gubbins, commented: “I’m thrilled to be joining such a strong and ambitious team and looking forward to supporting the group’s growth plans.”

Joining as Group General Manager, Kevin Shanahan, originally from Limerick in Ireland, relocated to the UK to build his career within the hospitality industry in 2008 before settling in the North East.

With over 20 years industry experience working in renowned venues including The Ritz Hotel and The Royal Academy of Arts in London, Kevin’s most recent roles include senior management positions within North-East based hospitality groups.

Kevin will oversee the day-to-day running of both Charlton Hall and Doxford Barns working alongside the operational team, building on customer experience, training the team to the highest standard and playing a vital part in upcoming new projects.

Kevin Shanahan, said: “To have the opportunity to work within the beautiful Northumberland countryside and step into a fantastic role is very exciting. I’m honoured to be part of such a reputable and professional company with great vision and strong values.

“I’m looking forward to building on the great work already done by Richard Shell and the fantastic team as well as bringing new faces into the group as we grow.”

Director of The Doxford Group, Richard Shell, said: “We’re looking forward to welcoming Mark and Kevin to our ever-growing team.

“As a family-run business, it’s vital that we recruit the right people into these senior roles, and I have every confidence that both Mark and Kevin will assist us to lead and drive our properties to achieve great things.”

Route, Martyn King, Sarah Tomas, Molly-Ann Hughes, Lewis Wallwork

Newcastle based media agency, Route, founded by Gateshead born Darren Davidson and his business partner Ben Dascombe, has made four new appointments.

The media-buying specialists have won a series of national clients accounts in the built environment, automotive and eCommerce sectors over the past year. Clients include First Bus, Group 1 Autos, Vines, Berry’s, Snows, Sovereign Centros, Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), Dutchview, Premier Kitchens, and Welsh Oak Frame.

Route has strengthened the team with four appointments reflecting its commitment to investing in specialist expertise. Martyn King, SEO account director and Sarah Thomas, paid social media manager will support Route’s vision to partner with clients to help them understand their customer touchpoints and maximise their investments.

Molly-Ann Hughes, account executive and Lewis Wallwork, data apprentice, will support clients and the company as demand for services increases across its three key sectors. The new hires and increased growth has led to Route doubling its office space at Newcastle’s Generator Studios within the last 12-months.

Darren said: “We’re delighted to welcome Martyn, Sarah, Molly-Ann and Lewis to our growing team. It is important that we invest in the right mix of skills and new talent to continue to deliver our multi-channel award-winning work.

“SEO underpins a significant part of our client and campaign work. That’s why as we experience growth in the built environment, automotive and eCommerce sectors it is vital for us to invest in specialist expertise. While Sarah is helping us to expand our social media capabilities which are in high demand across the board.

“I’m personally proud to be able to bring onboard new local talent. Both Molly-Ann and Lewis’ enthusiasm is infectious and it’s brilliant to give them the opportunity to learn from the team, as well as myself and Ben, and work on a diverse range of exciting accounts.”

Martyn King, Routes most senior appointment, served in the Royal Irish Regiment for 5-years before entering the digital space. He worked his way up from sales to managing PPC and SEO accounts acquiring a wealth of national expertise.

He said: “It’s great to join the team at Route and use my SEO expertise to not only support a range of exciting clients and campaigns but also help develop the agency’s young talent. SEO is my passion.

“I help clients to continually improve their website rankings and they can see the results in real-time. You can’t underestimate the power of SEO and its growing importance.

“One thing that has really helped me personally since joining Route is the agency’s family first, hybrid working approach. As a father of three children under 10 it means a lot to my family to have that flexibility and support from Ben and Darren who are both father’s themselves.”

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