Member Article

This week's North East appointments

The latest appointment news from across the North East.

David Nixon, Ryecroft Glenton Corporate Finance

Ryecroft Glenton Corporate Finance (RGCF) has welcomed former Barclays Bank Relationship Director, David Nixon, to join the team as Corporate Finance Manager.

David, 37, is an experienced strategic adviser and has managed a broad portfolio of clients with turnovers ranging from £15m to £2bn.

Originally from the North East, David left the area to attend university before joining Barclays Bank’s graduate programme. He progressed through various roles at Barclays working in London, Oxford and Reading before becoming Relationship Director.

David, who returned to the region in 2015 to complete his MBA at Durham University, will help support Ryecroft Glenton’s existing corporate finance capability, whilst also developing its growing reputation for the provision of strategic advice.

He said: “Ryecroft Glenton Corporate Finance is establishing a strong reputation in the market and I was extremely interested in this opportunity to join the practice.

“As part of one of the region’s most established accountancy firms, the Corporate Finance division demonstrates a forward thinking attitude. I’m looking forward to working with new and existing clients to help them continue their growth and development.”

Phil Redman, Mott MacDonald

Engineering consultancy Mott MacDonald has appointed Phil Redman, who has been with the company since 2002, as director of its Newcastle office where he succeeds Alan Hymers who has retired after 13 years.

Phil, a chartered building services engineer with 25 years’ industry experience, has helped develop the firm’s technical advisory expertise in the buildings and infrastructure sectors.

Most recently, Phil led the London team of Mott MacDonald’s strategic advisory business. In this role he supported the team’s diversification into consulting on building information management and facilities management, as well as leading on the major healthcare public-private partnership programme in Turkey.

Prior to this, Phil oversaw all project and business development activities for the consultancy’s Canadian infrastructure finance team. This included Mott MacDonald’s role as independent certifier on the Centre hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal project, the largest hospital redevelopment in North America.

Phil said: “Having grown up in the north east and still having strong personal ties to the area, I’m thrilled to be able to bring my knowledge back for the benefit of the region.

“Mott MacDonald’s commitment and connection to the north east stretches back to the construction of the Tyne Bridge and we remain focused on delivering best value and sustainable solutions for our clients.

“We are known for our close working relationships with local organisations and I’m looking forward to supporting our team in further developing these associations.”

Shona Morton, Watson Burton

Newcastle-headquartered firm law firm Watson Burton has appointed employment and commercial litigation specialist Shona Morton.

Shona’s role will include working on tribunal claims, shareholder and boardroom disputes, partnership disputes and injunctions, and supporting the Commercial Litigation and Employment teams across a wide range of client work.

A graduate of the University of Nottingham, Shona undertook a Legal Practice Couse at York University before commencing a training contract with a large regional firm based in Lincoln, where she qualified and specialised in employment, commercial property and debt recovery.

Shona then undertook an in-house role at Virgin Money in Newcastle as a senior pay and governance manager, where she played a lead role in corporate governance and worked alongside the HR team – her responsibilities included overseeing executive pay structures, exit packages and incentives.

Following this, she practiced employment law at a Carlisle-based firm, before taking up her new post at Watson Burton.

Shona said: “Watson Burton offers high level work in a fast-paced environment, as well as having a warm, welcoming working culture – and I am therefore delighted to be joining the firm.

“Watson Burton is known throughout the north and further afield for the strength and quality of its work in employment and commercial litigation, and it’s exciting to be part of a team that has built up such a formidable reputation.”

iProspect

Newcastle digital agency iProspect has announced 3 new appointments in its management team.

Rebecca McEwan joins the firm as Business Development Manager, whilst Dan Barrett has been appointed as Client Services Manager along with Liam Waites, the company’s new Paid Search Manager.

A global media and marketing agency in the North East, iProspect works closely with their Northern counterparts based in Manchester, Leeds and Edinburgh.

Steve Underwood, Director, iProspect Newcastle said: “Our new appointments are further evidence of our commitment to recruiting and retaining the very best talent from the North East and beyond.

“Their joint experience will be invaluable to our team, allowing us to continue delivering a best in class service to our clients”

Mark Sutherland, Securiclad

Security systems manufacturer Securiclad has strengthened its sales team with the appointment of new project coordinator Mark Sutherland.

In a newly-created project coordinator role, Mark is tasked with supporting the North Tyneside firm’s sales team.

Mark, from Newcastle upon Tyne, will be a dedicated point of contact for customers, managing all aspects of after-sales service to ensure customer requirements are fully met, while overseeing the timely delivery of orders.

Highly experienced in both engineering and project management, Mark has a BSc in Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering as well as a Foundation Degree in Subsea Engineering.

Prior to joining Securiclad, he worked in the oil and gas industry for several high-profile companies such as Aberdeen-based well intervention specialist Altus Intervention and global oil engineering firm National Oilwell Varco.

Commenting on his appointment, Mark said: “The physical security sector has always interested me. It’s constantly adapting to provide innovative solutions to threats posed daily in today’s world such as acts of terrorism, industrial sabotage and theft - all of which require higher levels of security to overcome them.

“Securiclad is a growing company with an innovative, sought after product range and this is a fantastic opportunity to apply my years of experience to a role which will help to enhance the company’s service capabilities.”

Henry Scott, Bradley Hall

North East chartered surveyor Bradley Hall has bolstered its team with the appointment of Henry Scott as a new associate director.

Henry, 32, from Jesmond, joins the company following nine years in the building surveying industry.

His experience covers a range of sectors, including project work in the industrial, retail, leisure, healthcare and pharmaceuticals industries.

He said: “I am delighted to join the Bradley Hall team at such an important time of expansion and I am proud to have been appointed to add building surveying to the company’s existing service lines.

“After almost a decade of developing my own knowledge and experience in the industry I am looking forward to leading this section of the business, creating new opportunities for Bradley Hall and its clients.”

Neil Hart, managing director at Bradley Hall, said: “We’re thrilled to have Henry join the team as we continue to pursue our growth strategy in 2017.

“His knowledge of the industry and exceptional skills will allow us to expand our services to new and current clients, attracting new business and opportunities.”

Mark Dixon, Godfrey Syrett

North East furniture manufacturer Godfrey Syrett has appointed Mark Dixon as a new executive chairman to help drive forward its growth strategy.

Mark brings with him a wealth of experience and strong track record in developing highly successful business models. He previously established the Promanex Group in 1996, a facilities management company, which he successfully sold to Costain in 2011.

Mark now acts as chairman on behalf of a number of SMEs including Milton Keynes-based Maintenance Management Ltd and safety equipment manufacturer, Supply Plus Ltd in Cambridge.

The role at Godfrey Syrett will see Mark returning to his roots in the North East, where he grew up and attended Newcastle University Business School.

Mark said: “Being from the North East originally I was particularly drawn to the role at Godfrey Syrett. It is a great business with a fantastic range of products and a very loyal client-base.

“I am delighted to be joining a true North East success story to help take the business to the next level.”

David Hall, group sales & marketing director at Godfrey Syrett, added: “We are delighted to welcome Mark to the role of executive chairman at Godfrey Syrett, given his extensive knowledge and experience he is well placed to provide top-level leadership to help us achieve our new growth target.”

BHP Law

Mark Clayton and Ira Ghosh have joined BHP Law as demand for the firm’s services in land, business and industrial premises, together with corporate landlord and tenancy work, has increased.

Associate level solicitor Mark will be based at the firm’s office in Darlington, where he is well known having worked for two other firms in the town for the last ten years since moving from practices in Newcastle.

Legal executive Ira has travelled across the Pennines having worked for a high street firm in Whitehaven, Cumbria.

Meanwhile Matthew Copeland, who is the son of well known BHP solicitor Gary Copeland, graduated from Northumbria University, trained with BHP Law in the areas of dispute resolution, corporate and commercial and commercial property and is due to qualify in March.

Overseen by Peter Blackett and led by Jane French, the new additions have built significant capacity into the department.

Jane said: “Commercial and agricultural property has always been a particular strength of BHP Law and as well as additional work from existing clients we are seeing an increase in new work.

“We’ve restructured the department and recruited some high quality expertise into the team to meet the growth in demand.”

Mark, who specialises in agricultural property, added: “The local rural property market is particularly buoyant at the moment, both in land and residential properties, even in areas where prices are high.”

Arthur Jennings, U Hold The Key

The 80 year-old site manager of a Newcastle based self-storage business has decided to retire and hand over the role to a younger successor, aged 64.

Peter Robson from Jarrow has worked for the Parsons Containers Group’s U Hold The Key business since 2002, based at Benfield Business Park. Since turning 80, Robson has been mentoring Arthur Jennings, who has now taken hold of the keys for the site.

As site manager for U Hold The Key, Arthur Jennings now handles the day to day running of the company’s Benfield Business Park site in Newcastle, delivering a wide range of self-storage solutions for businesses and individuals.

Jennings has extensive experience of managing oil and gas operations worldwide and has returned to his native North East for his latest role.

Peter Robson comments: “Arthur is the new man at the helm and I am sure he will do a good job as he is keen and enthusiastic about the business.

“His vast experience in management in the oil and gas industry around the world stands him in good stead to deal with customers and manage the site. I wish him well.”

Commenting on his new role, Arthur Jennings said: “Peter has made everything seem so easy – I am looking forward to the task ahead and feeling well prepared.

“After many years working offshore and onshore overseas, I wanted a new challenge. I heard about the site manager role at the Newcastle U Hold The Key site which I used myself when I was moving house and took the opportunity to apply.”

Join us next week for more North East appointment news.