Member Article

This week’s North East appointments

Russell Thompson, Thirteen

Russell Thompson has joined the leadership team at Thirteen as Group Director of Property Services.

The 52-year-old was welcomed into the Tees Valley-based group, which covers an area from North Tyneside to York, from his previous role as a consultant leading on a variety of projects across the country.

In his new post, Russell has overall responsibility for Thirteen’s in-house repairs and maintenance function, as well as the programmes of major refurbishment and investment covering properties owned by the landlord partners in the group; Erimus Housing, Housing Hartlepool, Tees Valley Housing and Tristar Homes.

He said: “I saw synergy at Thirteen; I felt I could really bring some value and the size and social purpose values of Thirteen really struck a chord.”

Tracy Clarkson and Nicky Gray, TEDCO

North East agency TEDCO Business Support has strengthened the expertise provided to start-ups and entrepreneurs in the region with the appointment of two new business advisors.

Tracy Clarkson and Nicky Gray will work with individuals looking to launch their own ventures and provide knowledge, expertise and guidance in a number of key areas. Their role will have a particular emphasis upon robust business planning, accessing start-up funding and unlocking future growth potential to create sustainable enterprises which can generate additional employment opportunities in the region.

Tracy, from Newcastle, said: “For anybody considering starting their own venture, there are a number of hurdles to overcome and it is important that they have access to the right support which will help them recognise the potential and develop their ideas into commercially viable operations.”

Nicky said: “The nature and type of support that an individual needs will change over the course of their startup journey; given my own background as a business owner, we recognise and understand this which is why the guidance that we offer goes beyond the initial launch phase and prepares an individual for the challenges they will face during the early months and years of becoming established.”

Baker Tilly

Accountancy firm Baker Tilly has expanded its team in the North East with the appointment of eight new trainees.

The group of graduate trainees will be working across the firm’s audit, corporate finance and accounting and financial reporting practices assisting clients from across the region.

Jack Smith, Rory Sewell, Shea Waters, George Philipson and David Matthias all join the audit faculty, Amy Thorns and Danielle Carrick become members of the accounting and financial reporting team while Charlotte Rogers joins the corporate finance practice.

The new recruits will start their Baker Tilly careers on an intensive training course and will also commence study towards their professional ACA qualifications.

Steve Railton, office managing partner for Baker Tilly North East said: “It’s fantastic that we’ve been able to take on so many new starters in the North East and this is an exciting time for them to join the firm as we prepare to adopt the new global RSM brand. These trainees are the future of the firm and it is important that we continue to invest in the best talent that the region has to offer.”

Kevin Anderson, Sintons

Kevin Anderson is the latest recruit to join Newcastle law firm Sintons, having moved from Samuel Phillips, and is the fifth new appointment in Sintons’ real estate team in only afew months.

Kevin said: “Sintons has a strong and growing reputation for its work in the construction sector, and I am very pleased to join an established team of lawyers that has as its focus its client’s commercial interests. We solve problems; be that getting the contract paperwork ready or sorting out a dispute, always with our client’s objectives and needs in mind.”

Iain Carter, SearchBI

Jesmond-based IT recruitment firm SearchBI is targeting further growth in the business intelligence (BI) software market with the appointment of specialist consultant, Iain Carter.

Iain Carter said: “The future is exciting for SearchBI and the BI recruitment sector is busier now than ever before. We are going for growth, so I’m delighted to join and provide my experience to both the management team and our customers.”

Dr Roy Valentine, High Force Research

North East chemical research and development company, High Force Research has announced a boardroom reshuffle.

Bob Redfern, one of three founding directors of High Force Research (HFR), has retired as managing director after 27 years with the company, based in Bowburn, County Durham.

He will remain as a director, working one day a week, to continue supporting the management team.

Research director Dr Roy Valentine has been appointed chief executive officer and the third co-founder, Stuart Penny, continues as operations director.

Moji Sobowale, Silk Family Law

Silk Family Law has further expanded its Newcastle team with the appointment of home-grown legal talent, Moji Sobowale.

Moji, who is originally from Middlesbrough, has returned to the North East after studying and working in Manchester, to join the award-winning Silk Family Law team in Newcastle. Moji says it is her love of the region and the opportunity to work at a top tier ranked family law firm that brings her back to the North East.

Moji grew up in Middlesbrough and attended College in Guisborough where she began on her legal learning path. She went on to study Law at the University of Manchester in 2007 and undertook a legal training contract in 2013 at Pannone, now Slater and Gordon.

She says, “I started my training contract in Clinical Negligence where I worked on various high value claims, followed by Travel Litigation which also involved niche high value claims with a focus on international law. I finally elected to do Family Law and knew as soon as I started that this was the area of law in which I would like to specialise.”

Gavin Hewitt and Dave Maughan, Bell Truck

North East Mercedes-Benz dealership has strengthened its team with the appointment of two new directors.

Longbenton headquartered Bell Truck and Van has appointed Gavin Hewitt as After-Sales Director and Dave Maughan as Truck Sales Director, both having progressed through a variety of roles within the business.

Trevor Simmons, Group Managing Director for Bell Truck and Van, said: “I am delighted to appoint Gavin and Dave to Bell Truck and Van Directors. They have both worked for the business for many years and have significantly developed their roles in that time.

“They have both displayed a relentless attitude to the very highest levels of customer service, professionalism and integrity commensurate with the Mercedes-Benz brand and an exemplary dynamism and positivity towards the development and growth of the Bells business.

Sir Peter Williams, Kromek

Durham-based Kromek, a radiation detection technology company focusing on the medical, security and nuclear markets, announces that Sir Peter Williams CBE has been appointed as a Non-Executive Director of the Company with immediate effect.

Sir Peter Williams, Non-Executive Director and Chairman Designate, added: “I am pleased to be joining Kromek at this exciting juncture. I feel I can contribute a great deal based on my significant sector experience and, in particular, my time at Oxford Instruments.

“I am impressed by the management team and the scale of the Company’s operations. Kromek is at the leading-edge in developing radiation detection solutions at a price point that is commercially viable - which has hitherto been a challenge with uptake of CZT-based sensors. I look forward to working with the management team and my fellow members of the Board to deliver further progress and shareholder value.”