Companies are continuing to hire and promote talent in 2022. In recent weeks, businesses from across the region have announced new additions to their teams and new roles internally.
Businesses in industries including finance, accountancy, law, construction and insurance have all made announcements.
Here, BusinessLive runs through the latest South West appointments you shouldn't miss.
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Taxi Studio
The Bristol-headquartered agency behind brand campaigns including Tim Horton’s recent Holiday Range has made a series of appointments across the business. The appointments follow a succession of major new business wins over the past twelve months, including roster appointments with Nestlé Health Science, The Coca-Cola Company, Mondeléz and Kimberly Clark.
Ryan Wills will take the reins as agency chief executive; Spencer Buck will continue to lead Taxi’s creative output as chief creative officer; and Alex Bane will head up Taxi’s client and new business generation teams as chief business officer.
Mr Wills said: “Having already tapped into markets across North America, Asia and Europe, these major appointments come at an exciting period of growth for the business. We’re proud to have attracted talent from some of the most notable agencies and organisations globally.”
Altum Media
The Exeter digital marketing agency has appointed Owen Richards as a non-executive director.
Mr Richards is the founder and chief executive of Air Marketing, a provider of B2B outsourced sales.
“We feel privileged to have Owen Richards join our leadership team,” said Abby Millar, the company’s co-founder. From our first coffee together it was clear that Owen understood us and shared similar values.
“He'll bring a wealth of experience and knowledge to our business and we're confident that together we will create a better, more sustainable company for our team and for our clients. We're excited for the next year ahead.”
Wards Solicitors
Wards Solicitors has appointed a specialist employment solicitor to its disputes team. Laura Ramos specialises in all areas of employment law with a particular focus on dispute resolution.
She qualified in 2020 and joins Wards Bristol office from DAS Law where she worked with clients including local authorities, charities and SMEs as well as individual employees. She previously worked for Ince Metcalfe in Bristol.
She said: “I look forward to supporting our clients and local communities across the South West with any employment related matters and to contributing to the firm’s success.”
Wards’ head of Disputes Elizabeth Fry added: "We are delighted to have Laura on board. She brings a wealth of specialist employment law experience to our team.”
RED Construction South West
Robert Brooks has joined RED Construction South West, part of RED Construction Group, as pre-construction director. He joins the senior management team, led by managing director Derek Quinn.
Mr Brooks, who has nearly 30 years experience, has worked on several national schemes, including the £60m redevelopment of the Brent Cross Shopping Centre and the £50m Madejski Stadium.
Mr Quinn said: "Robert is a tremendous addition to RED Construction South West’s senior management team. His personality, passion and energy match our culture perfectly, while his experience, professionalism and track record will be highly prized by clients and partners alike.”
Mr Brooks added: "I am very excited to build on the team’s already impressive momentum.”
Forest Economic Partnership
The Forest of Dean-based voluntary community partnership has welcomed Ian Mean to the board.
The Forest Economic Partnership CIC (FEP) was launched in 2018 and constituted as a Community Interest Company in 2019. It seeks to build bridges between the community, businesses and local government for sustainable growth.
Mr Mean, an honorary vice president of Gloucestershire College and Gloucestershire director for Business West, has been part of FEP since its inception.
Mr Mean also sits on the board of GFirstLEP in Gloucestershire, is a former vice chairman of the Gloucester Heritage Urban Regeneration Company and a Freeman of the City of Gloucester.
He said: “I have joined the board of FEP because I believe that the Forest of Dean has great prospects for growth in Gloucestershire and believe I can help the area develop its assets to the full.”
Women in Property
Alice Brook has taken on the role of chair, leading the regional property and construction industry influencing and networking organisation.
Ms Brook is an associate structural engineer at Buro Happold, based in Bath, where she specialises in the leading of multi-disciplinary engineering design with a focus on projects that conserve historic structures in the creative re-use of existing buildings.
She said: “To achieve diversity in an organisation, you have first to be inclusive. This has been the Women in Property ethos since its inception back in 1987 and our work continues with this at our core.”
She will be supported in her role by vice chair Toni Riddiford, senior associate architect and head of office and workplace of Stride Treglown.
Ms Brook will hold the role of South West chair until February 28, 2023, when Ms Riddiford will succeed her.
Ecclesiastical
The insurance group has appointed Simon McGill as its new UK schemes development manager.
The Gloucester-based insurer has recruited Mr McGill to take up the position of UK schemes development manager as it looks to expand its schemes book and provide brokers and managing general agents (MGAs) with more opportunities.
Mr McGill began his career with Ecclesiastical in 1987 as a commercial underwriter before leaving to work in corporate broking and then insurance recruitment.
He returned to Ecclesiastical in November 2019 to take up the position of account manager for the northern region.
He said: “This is an exciting time for us as a business and we have ambitious growth plans for the schemes space which are fully supported by our board.”
Albert Goodman
South West chartered accountancy firm Albert Goodman has announced its managing partner, Richard Bugler, has stepped down after serving six years at the helm.
Iain McVicar, a current partner in the farm estates team at the firm, has taken on the role for the same term starting on May 1.
Mr Bugler trained at Albert Goodman before working his way up to partner status and eventually taking on the role of managing partner in 2016. He will continue to stay on at Albert Goodman as a partner with a particular focus on the firm’s corporate finance offering.
He said: “I’ve enjoyed 28 wonderful years at Albert Goodman, from my time as a trainee, to growing the business as one of the largest chartered accountancy practices in the South West.”
Mr McVicar added: “I know I’ve got big shoes to fill as Richard is well respected in the region for so many reasons and he’s done a sterling job of putting Albert Goodman on the map.”
St Austell Brewery
The South West’s family-owned brewery and pub company has appointed Holly Ninnes as its new head of wine.
Ms Ninnes joins from C&C Group where she was a wine buyer for more than three years working with Matthew Clark Bibendum - two of the largest national on-trade wholesalers in the UK. She was responsible for purchasing over 2,400 wines across the South American and Italian ranges. Prior to this, she was a senior wine buyer for Conviviality.
She has worked in the hospitality sector for more than 15 years, having started her career working in restaurants in her home county of Cornwall.
Ms Ninnes said: “I am absolutely delighted to be joining the team at St Austell Brewery, in my home county of Cornwall. When the opportunity arose to work for St Austell, which is renowned for its strong South West heritage and family values, it was a no brainer!”
Chancerygate
Industrial developer and asset manager Chancerygate has appointed a project manager at its Bristol office to support its growth ambitions in the South West and South Wales.
Paul Stayte joins Chancerygate from the Bristol office of nationwide property consultancy Gardiner & Theobald, where he worked as an associate director on the delivery of construction projects.
A chartered surveyor, he will be responsible for managing the delivery of industrial development projects across the region.
Chancerygate launched its Bristol office in October last year with the hire of development director Rupert Joseland from St. Modwen Industrial & Logistics.
Mr Stayte said: “I’ve seen Chancerygate continue to expand its operations both nationally and here in the South West. The company has a clear sustainable growth strategy and a fantastic reputation for project delivery, client service and looking after its people.”
Azets
The accountancy and business advisory firm has strengthened its team in Poole with the promotion of four key members of the team. Following the acquisition announced earlier this month, four new senior manager positions have been created within the accounting, audit, corporate finance and tax teams.
The new senior managers – all long-standing members of the team – are Helen Fraser, tax; Jon Huggins, corporate finance; Nick Bryant, accounting; and Paul Francis, audit.
Warren Munson, office managing partner at Azets, said: “I am incredibly proud of Helen, Jon, Nick and Paul. They are a great asset to the team and their dedication to our clients over many years has resulted in their very well-deserved promotions.”
The Bunch
The household bills management platform has bolstered its team with a flurry of hires.
Industry expert Oli Dickinson joins as chief operating officer, having been part of the team that took Glide from startup to £200m sale. In his new role, he will draw on his 11 years’ experience spanning energy, telecoms and bill splitting to improve operational efficiency across the business.
Technology professional Ashton Clapp has been appointed chief technology officer. He has over two decades’ expertise in software and hardware development. Max Maybury will join Mr Clapp’s team as senior software engineer and Claudiu Bejan as junior software engineer.
Newly-appointed operations manager Victoria Ward has spent the past four years working for energy start-up Pure Planet. She strengthens the ops team alongside new operations executive Catherine Chapman.
Elliott Herrod-Taylor, founder and chief executive at The Bunch, said: “I’m extremely pleased to be welcoming this cohort of new starters to the business, who I have no doubt will make a huge impact across so many areas of the company.”
Westcountry Savings & Loans
The not-for-profit Credit Union West has welcomed four new members to its North Somerset based team.
Claire Kelly has joined Westcountry as its new finance and operations manager; Steve Zebedee has been appointed as business development and marketing manager; Miriam Dunn as a financial well-being officer; and Amanda Woollaston as marketing officer.
General manager Jackie Simpson said: “We are delighted to welcome four new members to the Westcountry team, all of whom will help us to deliver the best possible service to our members and partners, offer important financial well-being guidance and make our members and potential members aware of who we are, what we do and how we can help.”
Avon Group
Avon Group Manufacturing in Bristol has made some appointments to support business growth fuelled by strong demand for its high temperature insulation and sealing products.
The company is one of eight businesses that make up Avon Group which makes industrial products and components for automotive and industrial markets.
The company has appointed Steve Cavanagh as production manager with responsibility for driving higher efficiency and quality standards.
Also recently recruited, Shaun Collins has joined as QHSE-T engineer and he will be overseeing all technical aspects of quality, health and safety, and environmental considerations.
Maria Lewis, operations director at Avon Group Manufacturing, said: “We’re delighted to welcome Steve and Shaun as they will help us to respond to the rapidly growing demand we’re experiencing following the pandemic.”
Tilney Smith & Williamson
Tilney Smith & Williamson, the wealth management and professional services group, which is re-branding to Evelyn Partners in the summer, has appointed Mark Bishop as an audit partner in its Bristol office.
He joins Tilney Smith & Williamson from Grant Thornton, where he spent more than 17 years specialising in working with fast growth and entrepreneurial technology clients and was its head of audit culture.
Guy Swarbreck, head of Tilney Smith & Williamson’s audit and assurance department, said: “I am delighted to welcome to Mark to the team. As we prepare to rebrand to Evelyn Partners in the summer, this appointment recognises our commitment to carry on bringing senior talent to the group to provide the best possible support for our clients.”
Novum Law
The South West specialist personal injury and medical negligence law firm and its sister firm, Hyphen Law, has appointed Sally Calverley as its new chief executive.
She has held senior positions at law firms including Carbon Law Partners, Bevan Brittan and Capstick, and is a founding partner of management consultancy business Richmonte Wells.
Ms Calverley has ambitions to accelerate Novum Law and Hyphen Law’s growth, in its seven regional offices, which include Bristol, Cardiff, the Isle of Wight, Plymouth, Salisbury, Southampton, and Swindon.
She said: “The business has huge potential for growth, and as we expand, we can help even more people to get their lives and their family’s lives back on track.”
Foot Anstey
Foot Anstey has appointed Felix Hebblethwaite as its new group HR director. He joined the firm in April after 18 years with Linklaters and is based at Foot Anstey's Bristol office.
He has worked across a broad range of senior HR roles at Linklaters and he has a particular focus on recruiting diverse talent and creating an inclusive workplace.
Foot Anstey's Martin Hirst, who became the firm's managing partner on May 1, said: "This is an exciting and important hire for Foot Anstey. Felix is a strategic thinker with a track record for delivering positive change.”
Mr Hebblethwaite added: “People are the driving force behind a successful business and I am looking forward to contributing to Foot Anstey’s ambitious plans for future growth.”
Osborne Clarke
International legal practice Osborne Clarke, which has an office in Bristol, has hired three specialist energy and infrastructure partners from law firm Orrick - John Deacon, Dominic O'Brien and Hannah Roscoe.
Following the hire of Hugo Lidbetter, who joined from Fieldfisher in January, Osborne Clarke said it was “continuing to invest” in the growth of its energy and utilities sector.
Matthew Lewis, UK head of energy and utilities sector who is based in Osborne Clarke’s Bristol office, said: "We're committed to investing and growing our energy sector to support our decarbonisation transformation strategy. John, Dominic and Hannah bring impressive experience to the partnership that will turbo charge our services and help us grow our existing client base."
Clayton Hotel Bristol City
Clayton Hotel Bristol City has announced the appointment of Laura Weare as director of sales and marketing.
The new four-star Clayton Hotel Bristol City is located in the Old City district at the medieval walls of St Johns, within the Grade ll listed Everards’s Printing Works building.
Ms Weare has been working in hospitality for 25 years after starting out as a waitress in the family business.
She said: “I love working in Bristol. The opportunity to open a new hotel in the city is a rare opportunity and one I didn’t want to miss, especially after seeing the plans to restore the beautiful façade of the Everards Print works.”
Vistry Western
Natasha Palmer has been promoted to area sales director of Vistry Western, which builds properties for Bovis Homes and Linden Homes.
Ms Palmer, who recently recovered from breast cancer, previously worked for Connells estate agents and Barratt Homes.
Regional sales director Sue Scholfield said: “Natasha has been incredible and has shown such determination at one of the most difficult periods of her life. She wanted to continue working throughout her treatment, where possible, and her commitment and approach to life in general has been outstanding.”
TLT
UK law firm TLT has strengthened its trust and estate team with the appointment of Claire Johnson as legal director.
She has more than 25 years of legal and tax experience and has long been recognised as a leading individual in the Welsh private client market where she previously headed up the private client offering at a substantial commercial firm.
Patrick Wooddisse, partner and head of TLT’s trust and estate team, said: “We’re delighted to have welcomed Claire to the team. Her reputation and experience further enhances our wealth planning offering for both private clients and those in the bank and corporate sectors.”
Grant Thornton
Business advisory firm Grant Thornton UK LLP has strengthened its corporate finance advisory team with the promotion of Nick Jones to director.
He has worked at Grant Thornton for more than 10 years. Based in the firm’s Bristol office, Mr Jones will lead on M&A transactions across the South West and Wales region with a particular focus on the healthcare and consumer sectors.
He said: “I’m delighted to be taking the next step in my corporate finance career, which feels like a huge achievement for me personally.”
Trefor Griffith, corporate finance partner and South West and Wales corporate finance team lead, added: “Nick is a much-valued colleague and this promotion is very well deserved.”
REIDsteel
Manufacturer John Reid & Sons (Strucsteel) Limited has appointed former British Constructional Steelwork Association (BCSA) president Tim Outteridge as its sales director.
The Dorset-based company – known as REIDsteel – welcomes him to the position as it continues to grow in the UK and globally.
Mr Outteridge is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Marketing and has been involved in projects including The Shard, Oxford Street, Regent Street, the British Library and London Bridge Station.
Simon Boyd, REIDsteel managing director, said: “Tim brings exceptional expertise in the structural steelwork sector built over many years. His passion for the industry and commitment to delivering the highest-quality structures cost-effectively while creating value for the client matches our own drive for continuous improvement and the greatest standards of customer service.”
Bruton Knowles
Chartered surveyor firm Bruton Knowles has appointed Harry Lea as the newest senior surveyor within the planning and development service.
As the company celebrates its 160th anniversary, Bruton Knowles is aiming to expand its headcount across all areas of the business.
Mr Lea will be based in Gloucester, at Olympus Park in Quedgeley.
He joins Bruton Knowles with almost a decade of surveying experience in both the public and private sectors, having most recently worked in roles across the county, including for Cheltenham Borough Council’s property and asset management team.
He said: “When the opportunity at Bruton Knowles came along, I snapped it up; the firm offered me career progression, ongoing professional development, and the ability to work flexibly.”
Stone King
Bath law firm Stone King has hired solicitor Sophie Levitt-Hughes to further strengthen its immigration services. She will be responsible for supporting clients with all immigrations issues from sponsorship to individual immigration matters across the firm’s sectors of education, charity and social enterprise, business and private client.
Partner Julie Moktadir, who heads the firm’s Immigration team, said: “We’re thrilled to have Sophie in the team. It’s an extremely busy time for us, with the aftermath of Covid and Brexit impacting many of our clients and further changes to Right to Work checks on the horizon in April.”
Prior to Stone King, Ms Levitt-Hughes provided legal services to clients of immigration law firm Fragoman, having completed her solicitor traineeship at KPMG UK.
Aster Group
Housing association Aster Group has appointed a new director to lead its £571m property investment programme.
Gary Bellenger joins from A2Dominion as property investment director and will take responsibility for co-ordinating investment in upgrades, maintenance and repairs across Aster’s 34,500-home portfolio and exploring smart and sustainable technology to improve customer experience and reduce environmental impact.
He is a member of the Chartered Institute of Building and has nearly 25 years of experience in asset management and investment in the social housing sector.
He said: “Aster has put delivering more for its customers at the heart of its strategy and is investing significantly in improvements to its homes. The drive and expertise to do this is already abundant in the business and I see my role as ensuring those efforts are focused and achieve the best possible outcomes for customers, crucially shaped by their feedback.”
Burges Salmon
Law firm Burges Salmon has re-elected its managing partner for a second four-year term.
Roger Bull joined the firm in 1995 as a trainee solicitor, qualifying in 1997 and became a partner on May 1 2003. In 2011, he became head of the firm’s employment team and its managing partner in 2018.
He has overseen a number of achievements including exceeding £100m turnover and 25% growth in the firm’s people.
He said: “I am honoured that the partners have put their confidence in me for another four years. I have very much enjoyed seeing Burges Salmon go from strength to strength since 2018, and the firm’s success during this period has given us an excellent platform to progress our exciting and ambitious five year strategy that we launched in 2021.”
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