Ward Hadaway has recruited seven trainees to its Newcastle team as part of a two-year training contract. It has also appointed a solicitor apprentice who will undertake a six-year apprenticeship.
The trainee and apprentice appointments follow a strong financial year for Ward Hadaway LLP which recently reported a 11% firm-wide growth. Caroline Jones, recruitment and emerging talent manager at the firm, said: “Our trainee programme is a key aspect of our people development strategy and aligned with our aim to recruit motivated, skilled and forward-thinking individuals with the right mix of competency, skills and attitude. A trainee role is a pivotal starting point in a law professional’s career and at Ward Hadaway we fully invest in each trainee to ensure they have a long, fulfilling and successful career in law.”
Martin Hulls, the firm’s managing partner, added: “At Ward Hadaway, a key priority is our investment in the lawyers of the future. The foundations of a highly skilled, vastly experienced team are based on the quality of training and development trainee and apprentice solicitors receive before they fully qualify. It’s something we commit a lot of time and energy towards.
“Every trainee is exceptional in their own way and whilst we implement a structured and well managed training programme to ensure every junior lawyer has a consistent, enjoyable and effective training contract, our trainees are encouraged to develop as individuals – each one having something unique to bring to the firm. It’s great to have our talented trainees on board and I am looking forward to working with them and supporting their progression.”
Newcastle technology and transformation business SPG has appointed Susan Bell, former CEO of Waterstons as advisor to the board.
The group, which also has offices in Leeds, includes SPG Transformation, SPG Resourcing and SPG Software, providing an eco-system of solutions that span people, digital transformation and specialist software. Ms Bell, who brings over 30 years industry experience to the team, is an independent advisor passionate about championing the region’s thriving tech sector. As former CEO at Waterstons, she led the business and technology company through successful growth and profitability, whilst maintaining the purpose and culture as the business scaled.
She said: “I’ve always been attracted to companies with a strong sense of purpose, that deliver meaningful work and put people at the core, and SPG epitomises this. They’re ambitious, innovative, and committed to being the change for their customers. Having previously worked in high growth companies I’m acutely aware of the challenges and the immense opportunities that come with scale – contributing strategically and exploring new possibilities with the team is where I look forward to adding best value. The business already has an incredibly impressive client list and a progressive approach to be proud of. With big ambitions for the future, it’s a really exciting time for me to get to know the business and support the board as they continue to map their future plans.”
Property specialist George F. White , which has offices across the North East, has promoted three of its team to salaried Partners. The promotions come at a key time for the business, as continued growth to expand its services and geographic footprint are top priorities.
Jessica Clark has become a partner within the rural team. Having been with the firm since 2007, she has developed a specialism for supporting clients with rural grants. Alexander Jackson has moved from associate to partner. After joining George F. White as a graduate in 2010, he has built his career with the business, specialising in rural property and land assets, with particular experience in advising clients on dispute resolution, tenancy succession and rent reviews. James Carruthers also takes the role of partner. He originally joined the business in 2017 as a senior surveyor and specialises in commercial property, leading on valuation work as well as negotiating commercial lease terms.
Sally Hart, managing director, said: “Jessica, Alexander and James have been with the business for a number of years and to see them grow during this time to now become Partners is something they should be incredibly proud of. I’m passionate about each of our team members understanding what their personal journey within the business could look like, supporting their development and keeping great people with us. Not only does the trio’s expertise offer a pillar of support to clients, but their progression is an example to young people that there are exciting career pathways in the property industry right here in the North East.”
Tech firm ITPS has announced the appointment of Andy Harris as its new chief commercial officer.
The move follows a series of new appointments to the senior leadership team at the Chester-le-Street business, as it aims to hit growth targets through the delivery of intelligent technology solutions across cloud, connectivity, cyber security, and data and analytics. Mr Harris joins ITPS from eight years with a London-based telecoms and networking specialist where he was European vice president of enterprise, and brings with him a wealth of senior sales management experience in the technology industry. His new role will see him work alongside new CEO Simon Newton and the rest of the board to set the commercial strategy and achieve growth objectives.
He said: “I’m very pleased to join a business with such potential for growth. ITPS has the advantage of a reputation for the highest technical expertise, giving sound advice at an individual level for every client, and delivering complex, challenging projects that help clients do business better. We’ve set some challenging targets and already made some changes to power the sales team and help us accelerate growth through new business and new channel partners. The energy and enthusiasm I can feel across the business is unique. It’s a thriving organisation and I’m looking forward to what 2023 has in store for us.”
The North East Automotive Alliance (NEAA), the cluster supporting the region’s automotive supply chain, has appointed Mark David as skills project manager.
Mr David, who previously worked at Business Durham, will lead on the North East Local Skills Improvement Plan (NELSIP), an employer-led plan that meets future business needs and provides a resilient and responsive supply of the skills needed to drive economic success and investment in the region. Initially, he will be 100% dedicated to the NELSIP, ensuring the plan is managed and delivered, and he will move to support further NEAA membership skills activity later in 2023.
He has over 10 years’ experience in the skills and education sector, including over six years at the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB), working on current and future training needs, which included digitalisation of the construction sector and developing new qualifications for emerging areas of construction.
Paul Butler, NEAA’s CEO said: “I’m delighted to welcome Mark into the NEAA team. He brings a wealth of experience in skills, training and development having worked at CITB, but in addition to this, he understands the funding landscape and SME business support, which is valuable to a cluster. Mark’s fundamental role from the onset will be to manage the NELSIP project, but we recognise the importance of skills and the ongoing challenges in this area, so Mark will be tasked with supporting further skills initiatives and NEAA working groups later in 2023.”
Kathryn Morris has joined Haines Watts’ Darlington office as associate partner, bringing over 16 years’ industry experience. Ms Morris will also oversee the firm’s business services offering across the Tees Valley, following a significant increase in investment in the area.
She said: “My motivation and passions have always been around people and building relationships. To be successful at building on such relationships in business you need to be authentic, and this underpins everything at Haines Watts. I met Donna and other members of the senior leadership team and could immediately see that they truly believed and acted on those values.”
Managing partner Donna Bulmer added: “I’m delighted to welcome Kathryn to the team. Her extensive experience and personal values make her the perfect addition to our team, and her positive impact will be felt across the Tees Valley.”
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