Member Article

This week’s North East appointments

Start you week with a roundup of the latest job moves throughout the region.

Dan Gadd, Andy Bell, Keltie Cochrane

Newcastle-based creative digital agency Keltie Cochrane is bolstering its digital development arm of the business with two new roles.

Dan Gadd, 25, from Newcastle upon Tyne joins the agency as lead developer with over five years experience in digital development and technical engineering, having held previous roles at North East agencies including AllMedia and The Roundhouse.

Andy Bell, 27, also from Newcastle upon Tyne, is taking on the role of senior web and user interface designer. Andy joins the team with over five years experience in creative design and development, having worked at multiple London offices including AndSoMe and the Sabre Travel Network, as well as local agencies Fusebox, The Roundhouse and AllMedia.

Jason Cochrane, Keltie Cochrane creative director, said: “We created two new roles in the business as our digital work has seen significant growth over the past six months.

“Our success to date has been built on a solid reputation for fearless creativity, but we are also seeing increasing demand for complex online experiences. We are committed to providing market leading creative digital services on an international playing field, so it’s important to invest in new skills.

“Both Dan and Andy bring in a wealth of experience in technical development and creative design and have already made significant steps in improving our client facing services by streamlining processes and creating more client interaction and education.”

Newtons Solicitors

Law firm Newtons Solicitors has strengthened its North East presence with the appointment of two commercial solicitors.

Senior employment law solicitor, Paul Hargreaves, joins Newtons Solicitors’ Darlington office and employment and company commercial solicitor, Oliver Hebdon, joins in Stokesley. Both were previously at the Newcastle office of BHP Law.

Paul Hargreaves qualified as a solicitor in 2001 after time in the reinsurance industry and the RAF. He was employment team leader at BHP Law and has more than 15 years’ experience, including acting in several high-profile employment cases in the North East.

As well as supporting commercial team solicitors advising on acquisitions and disposals, he advises individuals, company owners and senior managers. He also has experience of dispute resolution, property law and private client work. He lives in Gateshead and will cover Durham, Teesside and North Yorkshire.

Oliver Hebdon, who has worked with national and international law firms in Australia, has been an employment solicitor since qualifying with a London-based national practice in 2014. He advises employers, managers and individuals and will also provide company commercial advice. He lives in Great Ayton and will cover North Yorkshire and the North East.

Newtons Solicitors managing director, Chris Newton, says: “The North East is becoming an increasingly significant part of our office network and we are pleased to be attracting top-quality lawyers from significant law firms who see their future with us.”

Newtons Solicitors has a £4.3m annual turnover and also has offices in Harrogate, Ilkley, Knaresborough, Leyburn, Northallerton, Ripon, Richmond, Thirsk and York.

Bond Dickinson

National law firm Bond Dickinson has promoted Ian Atkinson to Construction Partner and Richard Collins to Dispute Resolution Partner in its Newcastle office bringing the number of partners in Newcastle to 44.

Ian specialises in transactional construction matters and has a wide range of experience including major projects/PFI/PPP, real estate development, social housing, energy and infrastructure, education, health and local government regeneration projects.

Richard specialises in high-value commercial litigation and contentious procurement matters. Richard has a particular focus on the financial institutions, transport and public sectors.

The firm currently has 501 people in its Newcastle offices. The Newcastle corporate team at Bond Dickinson has advised Atom Bank plc on its recent £135m equity fundraising to fund its launch and has a long standing relationship with Grainger, the UK’s largest listed residential property owner and manager.

Jonathan Blair, Managing Partner at Bond Dickinson said: “We’re delighted to promote these partners. We are committed to promoting within the firm wherever possible, as well as bringing in strategic lateral hires where it fits with what our clients need.

“Our new partners have demonstrated that they support the firm’s vision for growth and its values through their hard work and commitment to providing an excellent service to our clients.”

CDS Recruitment

North East business CDS Recruitment, based in Boldon’s Quadrus Centre, has added specialist recruitment professional Martin Flett to the team as a Technical Recruitment Consultant.

Founding partner Chris Sultman launched the business to support expanding companies in key manufacturing and engineering industries including: oil and gas; chemical and pharmaceuticals; energy; automotive; aerospace; electronics; FMCG; food and drink and sub-contract engineering.

Chris said: “Martin’s appointment is a great step forward, as he brings with him years of experience of seeking out the brightest talent in the chemical, pharmaceutical, scientific and electronic engineering sectors.”

Martin added: “CDS Recruitment has a proven track record in its field, and is trusted among the best businesses in manufacturing and engineering. We all work closely together to recruit which helps share the work so I could not turn down the opportunity to join the team.

“The sector in which we operate is one that is growing at an incredible pace, and with a team that specializes in this field, we are ideally placed to support them. I can only see the company getting bigger and bigger.”

Kevin Greener, CCS

Sunderland-based IT and telecoms provider CCS has apponted Kevin Greener as a new UK sales manager.

Established in 1986, CCS supplied and installed the first mobile phone for business in the North East and currently provides a variety of B2B telecommunications and IT technology, including mobile phones, IT products and services, desktop support and telephony platforms.

With more than 27 years’ sales experience in the telecoms industry Kevin aims to increase CCS’ customer base by building on the company’s reputation for excellent client service.

Kevin said: “CCS is a company with real heritage and is one of the most well-established IT and telecoms firms in the North East, which is one of the reasons I was attracted to this role.

“Another is the retention rate, both for customers and staff, with many of our clients having been with us for more than 10 years, which is pretty unheard of in this industry and shows we are definitely doing something right.

“IT and telecoms is a sector which is always evolving and my role is to ensure CCS keeps up with that and builds on its fantastic foundations to bring in new customers, both here in the North East and across the UK.”

NET

Northern Education Trust (NET), the north’s largest multi academy trust, based at the Cobalt Business Exchange in North Tyneside, has made a senior appointment within its core team to lead its procurement function.

As NET becomes responsible for a growing number of academies (currently ten primary and ten secondary academies, spread throughout the North of England) the efficient procurement of all its support services is paramount to ensuring as much of the organisation’s funding as possible is directed to improving outcomes in the classroom.

Sarah Harty, the Trust’s new procurement adviser, is widely experienced within the public sector, having spent much of her career in the capital where she held a series of senior roles within various London boroughs, latterly working within the London Borough of Wandsworth.

As assistant director (planning and resources) at Wandsworth she was responsible for managing 65 staff engaged in the management of the capital programme, departmental and schools finance, HR, IT, schools traded services and contracts – experience which is ideally suited to her latest role with NET.

Sarah commented: “I was delighted to accept the role of procurement adviser with the Trust because it allows me to build on all my experience to date. It will be enormously challenging, but I relish the opportunity to build on my expertise.”

Nathan Baker, On a Roll

On a Roll Sandwich Company has strengthened its product innovation team with the introduction of New Product Development Chef Nathan Baker.

Nathan has previously been involved in the setup of Chadwick and Co Coffee House and Kitchen at the recently opened Barker and Stonehouse Teesside Park Store. As well as supporting Michelin star restaurant in London and a Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurant in York.

Nathan said: “Its great to diversify and get to grips with a completely different industry. Obviously I’ve never specifically looked at the manufacture of sandwiches and there’s so much more to consider when developing products rather than plated meals in restaurants.

“As a chef you make food to taste good, and although ingredient amounts and ordering do play a small part, this is nothing compared to ensuring exact measures and maintaining the quality and quantity in every sandwich.

“It’s definitely something I’m getting my head around and it has allowed me to be really creative in looking at the current lines that On a Roll manufacture, as well as looking at how we can further develop the tastes and ingredients for customer enjoyment.”

Catherine Bellhouse, The Inn Collection Group

Pub operator The Inn Collection Group has appointed Catherine Bellhouse to head up the £4.5m The Commissioners Quay Inn, which opens in the North East this summer.

Appointed general manager of The Commissioners Quay Inn at Blyth, Northumberland, Mrs Bellhouse brings almost three decades of hospitality and leisure experience to the 40-bedroom inn, which opens in July ahead of the Tall Ships Race in August.

Mrs Bellhouse said: “I’m excited to be joining an operator as highly regarded as The Inn Collection Group and to be leading the new Commissioners Quay Inn. It is a tremendous opportunity and one I am looking forward to embracing.

“I have a winning mentality and my inherent desire is to put The Commissioners Quay Inn on the map for the quality of its customer service. Giving people a truly great experience - whether they are staying, eating or drinking with us - is at the top of my agenda.”

Join us again next week for more appointment news.