This week’s Yorkshire appointments

DTZ has announced 132 promotions across its EMEA business, including seven for its Leeds office.

Charlotte Crawley (Property Management) and Niall Mackinnon (Professional Advisory Services) have been promoted to Director whilst Richard Brooke (Investment) is now an Associate Director. Emma Bainbridge (Consulting), Jack Kettlewell (Project & Building Consultancy), Philip Shopland-Reed (Professional Advisory Services) and Richard Gibala (Rating) are all now Senior Surveyor level.

Across EMEA 26 new Directors and 38 new Associate Directors have been promoted.

An additional 68 promotions have been made at Senior Surveyor level or equivalent and below.

Keith Hardman, senior director and head of DTZ’s Leeds office, commented: “I am delighted to announce these promotions for our Leeds team. We recognise that our success depends on our people and it is the calibre of our staff, celebrated in these promotions, that will help to carry our business forward.”

Matthew Briggs, Dynamic Networks

Dynamic Networks launched last month, when three members of the former Blue Logic Networks and Electrical team left to set up as a stand-alone data networks, IT support, security systems and electrical services business.

Yorkshire entrepreneur Matthew Briggs joins the Dynamic team as a non-executive director. Matthew’s career to date includes founding corporate/commercial law firm Brilliant Law (now Genus Law) here in Yorkshire, as well as chief executive roles with Aviva and Capita plc and running the $1.6bn sale of the RAC in 2011. He is also a non-executive director of the New Home Finder website, which launched in the region earlier this year.

Commenting on the appointment, Matthew said: “I’m very alive to the challenges small business face, and I see huge potential for James and his team to grow the firm from their already impressive platform. I believe that my experience, coupled with their drive and expertise, has the potential to be a winning combination.

“My role is to help Dynamic Networks develop a suite of sustainable, market-leading services that add value to their current clients as well as attracting new clients from new sectors.

“Lots of businesses talk about strategy and ideas. I’m here to help them make those ideas happen, and to keep the team focused on delivering the things we need to deliver in order to double the turnover James is targeting in the next 12 months.”

James Baird, Dynamic Networks founder and owner, added: “I’m very happy to have secured Matthew’s support. He has founded, developed and sold a number of very successful businesses, and the blend of start-up, SME and corporate experience that he brings to the team will be invaluable in helping us achieve our growth plans.”

Leigh Deighton, Esh Group

Construction and building services firm, Esh Group, has appointed Leigh Deighton as head of business development for Esh Construction in Yorkshire.

Ms Deighton will lead a coordinated approach to growing revenue for the Group’s operations in the region. She was promoted from the role of manager and joined the business following spells with Balfour Beatty and VINCI.

Andy Gawthorpe, regional managing director of Esh Group, said: “We are seeing increased opportunities across the construction sector in the region and Leigh will play a key role in taking our story to market. Esh Group has seen strong results and is well placed for continued expansion in Yorkshire.”

Esh Group recently announced a strong set of financial results with turnover up 43% on the previous year to £277m, and a leap in profit to £9.5m against £3.2m in 2013.

With 1200 people employed across the North, Esh offers multi-disciplined construction activities across civil engineering, commercial /public build, house building, facilities management, fencing & landscaping, plumbing , plant hire, specialist remediation and training.

Andrea Olsen, Katie Fraser-Smith, Jennifer Birss and Vanessa Wood, Claritas Solutions

Claritas Solutions, based in East Leeds, has appointed four new female members of staff to work within its IT business.

Andrea Olsen has joined the New Business Team as Account Manager and Katie Fraser-Smith as Marketing Manager. Jennifer Birss and Vanessa Wood have both been appointed as Account Managers.

Andrea has a career spanning 15 years in high achieving sales positions. Katie has nearly 20 years’ experience working in marketing and takes over the strategic and implementation of all marketing disciplines. Jennifer is a graduate of Leeds University and Vanessa is steeped in sales and customer service experience.

Overall in the UK the IT workforce is made up of only 16% women, while at Claritas it is approaching 40%. The first Women in IT Awards were launched in January this year and an inaugural International Girls in ICT Day in April next year, so there is a stirring in the industry.

Glenn Scaife, Managing Director of Claritas Solutions, said: “These girls are really proving their worth, and though we were not necessarily looking to weigh the scales towards female recruitment, it is certainly proving a very positive move for our sales performance.”

Andy Chapman, JM Glendinning Financial Services

Guiseley-based JM Glendinning Financial Services has expanded its team with the arrival of retirement planning and wealth management specialist, Andy Chapman.

With over 25 years’ experience, Andy Chapman joins the JM Glendinning financial services team in Guiseley as a senior adviser from Ashcourt Rowan. His career spans roles with Sun Life and Robson Rhodes in the 1980s, before launching, building and selling his own financial services business Skene Chapman in the 1990s.

He then helped set up the financial services division of accountancy firm Bentley Jennison (formerly WBS) and saw it through a number of mergers and acquisitions before joining Ashcourt Rowan in 2008, where he has worked for the last seven years.

Andy said: “I’m very pleased to be joining the JM Glendinning team. The culture and ethos of the business were both big draws for me. The fact that it is a forward-looking family owned and run business is refreshing, and a flat structure means there are opportunities for everyone’s voice to be heard. Working in a business of this size also offers scope for flexible, not prescriptive, means of advising clients, which suits my approach and preferred way of working.”

Nigel Stallworthy, JM Glendinning Financial Services managing director, added: “I have known Andy for many years. He is a highly experienced and respected financial adviser, with broad-ranging experience in the corporate world as well as setting up and running his own highly successful practice. I’m delighted that he is joining us; his skills and experience will complement those of our existing team and add the strength in depth we need to look after a growing client base and achieve our growth plans.”

Brandon Whittaker, Jack Trotman, Paul Watkins and Frazer Sparham, DS.Emotion

Creative and digital marketing agency DS.Emotion has announced four new recruits at its Leeds studio.

Brandon Whittaker has joined as Web Developer/Designer, Jack Trotman has joined as Creative Designer, Paul Watkins as Creative Artworker, and Frazer Sparham as a Design Intern.

Established in Leeds 24 years ago DS.Emotion has studios in London, Manchester and Leeds servicing a strong national client base.

Matthew Button, Founder of DS.Emotion, said: “Having studios in multiple locations is a different approach from our competitors that often have only one UK office. We value the diversity of multiple locations and our differing skills and personalities but cherish our ability to collaborate when a brief will benefit from this approach.

“It’s great to welcome Jack, Brandon, Frazer & Paul to the Leeds studio. Between them they have a great blend of youthful enthusiasm and strong experience of working with major corporate clients.”

Co-owner Angus Armitage added: “It is a great time in our industry with technology and innovation having a huge impact on the creative and strategic directions we are taking our clients in.

“We have recently undertaken two launches in China and the UAE on behalf of clients which has seen our clients’ proposition and our creative succeed even beyond our expectations. This is testament to the team here and their willingness to explore and experiment whilst staying true to our core values of intelligent design.”

Su Sutton, my fathers heart

Bespoke kitchen and furniture company my fathers heart has made a key appointment to its growing team.

As part of a major expansion, which will see the business move into a £1m showroom and workshop in Sheffield later this year, Su Sutton has joined the my fathers heart team.

Su started her career as a kitchen designer and then joined a Sheffield architects firm before moving to London to work for a top interior designer and advertising agency.

She will become the showroom manager at my fathers heart’s new Centre of Design Excellence when it opens on Broadfield Business Park, in Heeley, this autumn.

Su said: “I’m really excited to be joining my fathers heart at such an exciting time of growth for the business.

“Bespoke interiors and kitchens have always been my passion and they don’t come any better than my fathers heart so to be looking after the new showroom is a dream come true.”

Jonathan Coulthard, managing director of my fathers heart, added: “Su has a wealth of talent and industry experience so we are delighted to have her on board as our new showroom manager.

“Her skills and approach match the quality and attention to detail of our craftsmanship which my fathers heart has been built around over the last 20 years.”

Patricia Jameson and Michael Bentham, Calbee UK

Calbee UK, the first European subsidiary of £1.2bn Japanese savoury snack business Calbee Inc, has further reinforced its customer centric mission with the appointment of Patricia Jameson as Customer Service Manager and Michael Bentham as Sales and Operational Planning Manager.

The business, which has built its foundations on establishing a company that focuses on the customer in order to both meet and exceed expectations, has carefully selected the two new colleagues based on their unrivalled experience.

With years of experience working in customer service roles across a range of market sectors including savoury snacks, Patricia brings an unrivalled knowledge to the company. She will take on immediate responsibility for the implementation of a centralised process to support the customer service function of the business.

In addition Michael will implement and manage a single centralised procurement process, taking into account supply chain demands and manufacturing planning schedules, ensuring that the organisation can meet with customer service levels.

Richard Robinson, managing director for Calbee UK, said: “As a customer centric company it is essential that we achieve our mission to meet and exceed the expectations of the retailers we work with and having the right people in place is the first step to achieving this. Having the processes in place that make this seamless is fundamental to us meeting with our vision to be respected, admired and loved by our customers.”

Patricia commented: “Calbee UK is on an exciting journey; it is a business that has access to years of experience yet is making its mark as the first subsidiary in Europe. I am looking forward to implementing the systems and processes that will allow us to meet with our targets to become a respected and leading snacking supplier over the next five years.”

Michael added: “With previous experience of working with leading brands, I am confident that I can bring the skills that are required to meet with the agreed customer service levels that we have in place. This is a really exciting time for the organisation and I am looking forward to the challenge and to being part of something really special.”

Working from the company’s headquarters in Leeds, Patricia and Michael will join the growing team of colleagues that are securing listings and building profile for Calbee UK’s first branded product, Yushoi® SnapeaTM rice sticks.

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