Member Article

This week’s North East appointments

RMT Accountants & Business Advisors

First up is a string of promotions at Gosforth-based accountancy firm RMT Accountants, where five members of staff have all been appointed into new roles.

In the company’s RMT Healthcare division, Iain Dorkin has taken up a new role as Tax Supervisor, Samantha Ho has become an accounts supervisor while Sarah Conner is now an accounts manager.

Elsewhere, Liane Granger has been appointed to an audit manager role in RMT’s client services team, while colleague Ashleigh Petre has been promoted to an equivalent position in its commercial services division.

The North East firm, which has a history dating back 62 years, employs over 75 people and recently strengthened its senior management team with three internal appointments.

Commenting on the new promotions, Mike Pott, Managing Director at RMT Accountants & Business Advisors, said: “RMT has a strong team at every level of the firm that contributes directly to our success, and these latest promotions are due reward for my colleagues’ dedication, hard work and commercial expertise.”

Mike Guellard, NEL Fund Managers

Finance professional Mike Guellard has joined NEL Fund Managers as an investment executive.

Ponteland-born Mike joins from London-based Funding Xchange having held roles at HSBC, Entrust and microloan provider Fair Finance since graduating from Nottingham University.

Sitting on NEL’s investment team, he will be charged with seeking out and managing investments from the Finance For Business North East Growth Fund which is managed by the firm.

Mike said: “My new role gives me the chance to get out and about right across the North East to talk to ambitious companies about the things they need to keep growing, and to show them how we could provide the investment funding required to make these plans a reality.

“I knew of NEL from my previous roles in the North East and jumped at the chance to talk to them about coming home, especially as it would allow me to take up my Newcastle United season ticket once again!”

Yvonne Gale, chief executive at NEL Fund Managers, added: “Mike has terrific hands-on experience of working with small and medium-sized businesses to access the investment they need to help them grow.

“His passion for the North East is also extremely clear, and we’re very pleased to be welcoming him back to the region to be part of our team.”

“It’s a really interesting time to be joining the team and we’re working very hard to get the best of the business plans that we’re receiving through the Growth Fund application process as quickly as we can.”

Sarah Spence, The Mussel Club

North East business networking organisation has hired Sarah Spence as its new Head of Marketing.

Sarah, who was previously communications manager at the North East BRIC, has over ten years of communications experience.

The now ten-year old company, which holds social networking events for businesses across the region, will now look to offer a social media management programme following Sarah’s appointment.

Following her appointment, Sarah commented: “The Mussel Club is a company which puts its customers first and this is an exciting time to join. I look forward to contributing my experience and help to expand and develop the company further.”

Managing Director Jeni Banks added: “We are delighted to welcome Sarah to the team. The Mussel Club is expanding and we will be recruiting a fourth member very soon. The company is geared up for growth and it’s going to be a busy time ahead!”

Brian Alexander, Crowne Plaza

Newcastle city centre hotel, Crowne Plaza, has appointed Brian Alexander to head up its finance department.

Heading up a team of four, Brian will oversee all accounting and financial requirements as well as providing specialist advice and support to the general manager and hotel team.

Working in the hotel industry since the 1970s, having worked his way up to accounts manager at the County Thistle hotel in Newcastle before holding positions at various well-known hotels in the city, including Jurys Inn and The Village.

Brian said: “Having been open for just under a year, the hotel is still a relatively new addition to the city’s hotel stock and being part of the senior team at such an early stage is what attracted me most to the role. It’ll be both challenging and exciting to take the business forward into its second year and beyond; I can’t wait to get started.”