This week’s North West appointments

Chris Taylor and Georgia Ashmore, Artez Group

Artez Group, the Bolton-based construction firm, has expanded its team with two new appointments.

Chris Taylor has been appointed to the role of site manager, while Georgia Ashmore is the firm’s newest administration assistant.

At Artez, Chris will manage a development site at The Tannery, a new-build apartment block in Altrincham.

Georgia, who is based at Artez’s new HQ in Bolton, will support the administrative team as the company continues to grow.

Their recruitment follows a raft of new appointments for the firm that included Artez Living director Antony Leach and Artez Interiors director Steve Knight.

The firm’s MD, Mike Banton, commented: “The construction industry is booming again and our turnover is set to increase by up to 40% this year, with new contracts coming through regularly, so the latest recruits are a vital part of our ever-growing team to keep the sites running smoothly and the behind the scenes process well oiled.

“We’ve secured a mixture of new-build and refurbishment projects in the Manchester area in the last few months – including a substantial amount of refurbishment work at The Market Place Shopping Centre in Bolton.”

He continued: “Most contracts range in value from £200k up to £5m. Attracting expert site managers and quantity surveyors to help deliver these projects to the high standards we expect is crucial.”

Now, the business is seeking to fill two more site manager roles and two quantity surveyor jobs.

Anas Duale (pictured) and Sam Brown, CBRE

The Manchester office of commercial real estate firm CBRE has grown its North West engineering services team with the appointment of Anas Duale and Sam Brown.

Anas has joined CBRE in the role of associate director from building services firm Beverley Clifton Morris, bringing with him experience in mechanical and electrical engineering services across the residential, commercial, healthcare, domestic and education sectors.

Sam (above) has been appointed as a graduate engineer after studying at the University of Manchester. With experience in mechanical engineering, Sam has a strong theoretical knowledge of building services, according to CBRE.

The head of CBRE’s North West engineering services team, senior director Daniel Clarke, said: “We are delighted to welcome Anas and Sam to what is already a highly experienced and dynamic team.

“The North West market is experiencing continued buoyancy and we are reacting to this by bringing in high quality engineers who can deliver technical energy efficient solutions for our valued clients.”

Six-strong team has grown after CBRE secured a number of high-profile contracts last year, including Birchwood Park, near Warrington, and the Royal Liver Building in Liverpool.

Pictured: Lisa Wilson and Dylan Fearon

Dylan Fearon, Cowgill Holloway

Accountancy firm Cowgill Holloway LLP has appointed Dylan Fearon as a tax trainee in its tax solutions department.

Dylan has joined the firm from a small accounting business, where he worked as a trainee accountant.

At Cowgill Holloway, Dylan will working towards his ATT qualification and, eventually, the CTA exams.

Dylan said of his appointment: “I was attracted to Cowgill Holloway because of the firm’s status as one of the biggest and most admired local firms in the North West.

“For me, a huge factor in joining the firm was the willingness to help me progress to the highest level thanks to the fantastic study support that is currently in place.”

He added: “In all honesty, this was by far the biggest attraction to me as I want to feel as though I am continuously developing and progressing.”

Headquartered in Bolton, Cowgill has additional offices in Manchester and Liverpool.

Partner Lisa Wilson commented: “As a company, we are dedicated to investing in local young people and working with them to develop their skills.

“Dylan will be a fantastic asset for the team. His ambition is admirable and we are eager to harness his enthusiasm and aptitude to deliver great results for our clients.

“We are confident that he has a bright future ahead of him and committed to helping him achieve it.”

She continued: “The problem with accountancy, like other professional services is that it can often feel like a closed shop, but the bottom line is we’re looking for talent and enthusiasm.”

Ed Wootton, Seddon

Building firm Seddon has hired Ed Wootton as its new regional director for North West construction.

Ed has joined the £190m-turnover company from construction business Galliford Try, where he started his career 22 years ago as a graduate trainee engineer.

Following his appointment, Ed will lead the division at Seddon’s regional office in Bolton.

He commented: “This is an extremely exciting opportunity and one that I could not pass up.

“The company has been involved in a number of prominent projects including One City Place in Chester and will soon commence on site with schemes for Stockport Council and Pegasus Life in Wilmslow.”

He added: “I look forward to growing Seddon’s portfolio of work with major retailers and leading developers.”

Further, Ed will also head up the company’s maintenance, small works and painting divisions, which recently secured a series of new clients, including Premier Inn Hotels and supermarket chain Co-operative Food.

Seddon’s managing director, Jonathan Seddon, commented: “Ed’s appointment lays down a marker for the future of the company. We are delighted to have attracted someone of his calibre to our team.

“We have built Seddon on strong family values and it is these, along with our heritage, that have allowed us to attract some of the strongest leaders and talent the construction industry has to offer.”

He added: “It is an exciting time for Seddon as we bring together our family heritage with commercial expertise to grow, win new prestigious contracts and continue to develop first-rate talent through our apprenticeship programmes.”

Jason Bell and Philip Stephenson, Grant Thornton

Business advisory firm Grant Thornton has promoted Jason Bell to the position of restructuring director and Philip Stephenson to the role of debt advisory director at its office in Manchester.

Jason has close to 20 years’ experience in the Manchester market and has managed a number of large insolvencies in the area, including Carcraft’s administration in 2015.

In his new role, Jason will focus on providing businesses ranging from SMEs to corporations with strategic, financial and operational advice.

Philip, meanwhile, is moving to Manchester from Grant Thornton’s office in Newcastle, bringing with him 18 years of experience advising businesses.

While at Grant Thornton, Philip has been a key player in establishing the company’s national debt advisory team and its wider UK network.

Following his promotion, Philip will advise clients on raising funds for various events, including mergers, acquisitions and general refinancing.

Philip commented: “This move to Manchester is a great opportunity for me and for Grant Thornton.

“The city has a vibrant and growing economy that has an effect all over the North. It is also an interesting period in the debt markets with borrowers having more options than ever before.

He added: “This does, however, make it confusing and difficult to understand what is possible.”

Grant Thornton’s North West managing partner, Carl Williams, said: “Combining Jason’s range of experience in the restructuring arena and Philip’s deep knowledge of debt advisory, together with Grant Thornton’s wider advisory offering, will be a powerful asset for any business leaders seeking to work on their key strategic, financial and leadership issues.”

George Boden, Ian DeCordova and Matthew Gibson, mmadigital

mmadigital, the Cheadle-based legal sector marketing firm, has announced a trio of new appointments.

Newcomers George Boden, Ian DeCordova and Matthew Gibson have experience working on multi-million pound accounts with global digital companies, including Mediacom, iProspect and Lakestar McCann, among others.

Dez Derry, the CEO at mmadigital, said: “The demand for fresh enquiries is growing rapidly in the industry and it’s for this reason that law firms need to invest in lead generation teams who have the experience and expertise to help set them apart from the pack.

“With 80% of mmadigital’s business driven from lead generation campaigns, we want to ensure that our clients feel like they are in safe hands – especially as the industry continues to chop and change.”

Dez continued: “The insight and knowledge that George, Ian and Matthew have will be invaluable to our team, helping us to continue to put smiles on the faces of our clients.and enquiries through their door.”

George, who specialises in conversion-rate-optimisation, has worked with brands such as Monarch Airlines, jewellery retailer Ernest Jones and clothing business GO Outdoors.

He commented: “Taking into account mmadigital’s current position as digital marketing leaders in the legal sector, and plans for growth over the next 12 months and beyond - the opportunity to join the team was unique and exciting.”