Member Article

This week’s North East appointments

Phil Steadman, Naylors

Newcastle-based property consultancy, Naylors, is making a significant investment in new staff and a new brand identity as part of its growth strategy to increase turnover by 50% over the next five years and bolster its position as the North East’s largest independent property consultancy.

The business, which is in its 25th year, is taking advantage of the improving commercial property market and making a number of key appointments to strengthen its senior management team and accelerate the growth of key service lines.

The firm has appointed a new Director, Phil Steadman, who has joined the company to grow the valuation & lease advisory department. They have also appointed a new office agent and promoted Simon Taylor, head of office agency, to director. Other appointments include two new building surveyors, a facilities surveyor and a rating consultant.

Angus White, managing director at Naylors said: “We already have well established agency,building consultancy, asset management and property investment teams. We are now looking to grow our valuation, lease advisory and rating departments as part of our ongoing commitment to improve and diversify our client service. Investment in staff will be a continuing priority and we plan to make further strategic appointments including a non-executive director to assist in the business growth.”

Bob Forster, The Nicholson Group

The Nicholson Group – which comprises three transport and logistics companies based in Billingham – has appointed Bob Forster as its chairman.

Mr Forster, who has worked in a non-executive and HR Business Partner role for the Group for the past eight years, aims to bring greater independence to each business while sharing common values of staff development and excellent customer service.

The Group is made up of Nicholson’s Transport Ltd; lorry mounted crane company Nicholson’s Hi-ab; and caravan and storage firm Box Clever. It is also nurturing a range of new enterprises with a view to eventually bringing them under the Nicholson umbrella.

Mr Forster said: “The Group was set up six years ago but was immediately hit by recession. Now we are through that and stronger than ever, it was the right time to re-focus to free up each business to develop its own identity and leadership skills.

“We have staff who managed through recession, where they had to make tough decisions and experience prolonged periods of zero growth and downsizing – but they have learned so much from that process.”

Chris Clements, Deloitte

Deloitte, the business advisory firm, has strengthened its senior team with the appointment of a new Forensic Accounting Partner.

Chris Clements joins the North East practice from Grant Thornton, where he was Forensic and Investigation Services Partner - Head of UK Regions. His extensive experience includes arbitration, investigations, expert witness, alternative dispute resolution and advisory work.

At Deloitte, Chris will be the Forensic lead for the North East practice (Leeds and Newcastle offices) and Disputes lead across the North.

Chris commented: “The move to Deloitte represents an exciting opportunity to provide clients with the very highest quality professional support that supplements my own forensic experience across sectors and services locally, nationally and internationally”.

Marie Glanville, Port of Tyne

Marie Glanville has joined the Port of Tyne as Chief Financial Officer. Previously Marie was Group Financial Controller of Immunodiagnostic Systems Holdings plc.

Marie has worked in senior finance roles at other North East-based listed companies, including Grainger plc and the Go-Ahead Group plc, as well as the housing company Gentoo.

Marie, who qualified as a Chartered Accountant at PricewaterhouseCooper, will take responsibility for finance, IT and corporate governance. She commented: “This is a very exciting role at the Port of Tyne and I’m looking forward to being part of the team delivering strategies for success for the Port’s various businesses and helping increase the already huge contribution the Port makes to the regional economy.”

Dave Brannon, Gayle McCann and Chris Appleby, AIS

AIS has expanded its business development team with several industry specialists to accelerate its growth across the UK and globally. Newly appointed Dave Brannon, Gayle McCann and Chris Appleby join the existing AIS sales team of Richard Blakeborough, Mark Paterson, Gavin Taylor and Alison Isbister to raise awareness of the company’s multi award-winning passive fire protection (PFP) and insulation products and state-of-the-art training centre.

Dave Brannon speaks for all three of the new starters when he said: “I’m super excited to be joining AIS and am really looking forward to making a difference within the organisation. In my previous role I had done business with AIS, so was well aware of the company and its professional and innovative approach.

“After such a long time with my previous employer it was a big decision to move to somewhere new but I’m a North East lad first and foremost and really wanted to be part of a local company where I feel I can make a positive contribution.

“Although AIS is extremely well known for delivering high-quality offshore training, not many know about the range of specialised industrial training the company also delivers. I’m really looking forward to promoting this exceptional training offer throughout the North East and beyond.”

David Greensmith, Chemoxy

Teesside-based Chemoxy, one of Europe’s largest independent contract manufacturers, has appointed David Greensmith as Non-Executive Chairman following an investment by BGF (Business Growth Fund) in February 2015. Paula Tinkler was also recently appointed as the Chemoxy’s new Commercial Director.

David has 30 years’ experience in the global chemicals industry including senior executive roles at ICI Group and Zeneca and as COO of Avecia Group, which was formed following a buy-out from Zeneca. After leading the sale of Avecia’s electronic materials portfolio to Fujifilm Japan, David went on to run the business, known as Fujifilm Imaging Colorants, and completed its integration into Fujifilm.