This week's Yorkshire appointments

KPMG has made three senior appointments to bolster its deal advisory offering in Yorkshire.

The new appointments, who will be based in the firm’s Leeds office, will help build the support of specialist sector knowledge KPMG provides Yorkshire’s business community.

The transaction services practice is one branch of KPMG’s deal advisory offering and advises on all aspects of transaction planning, execution and integration.

Simon Wormald joins the practice as a director from another professional services firm, where he spent 14 years advising on a variety of buy and sell side transactions.

For the last seven years Simon’s specialised in public and private sector health and social care M&A. He will continue to build this expertise at KPMG, focussing on local and national transactions in the health, social care and healthcare technology sectors. 
  Nigel Hinchliffe has also been appointed to the team as a director, after spending four years in the leisure and gaming industry, where he worked on a number of global transactions.

He brings 12 years of M&A experience to the role and, in addition to his leisure and gaming sector focus, is tasked with helping the firm’s transaction services practice grow its footprint in the South Yorkshire market.

Completing the trio of appointments is Claire Elcock, who joins as an associate director with 13 years’ experience advising Yorkshire businesses. She’s specifically charged with developing the practice’s offering that supports privately-owned businesses across the region.

Christopher Stott, head of transaction services in the North of England at KPMG, commented: “The vibrancy of the Yorkshire deals market is testament to the high standard of investors and businesses operating in the region and the health of the advisory community that serves them.

“Our Yorkshire transaction services team has had another great year, advising on a broad range of stellar deals and recording a second consecutive year of growth. We firmly expect that upward trajectory to continue in 2018, so investing in our people to strengthen the depth of talent we have here on the ground is essential.”

Lorna Mendelsöhn, EVO group of companies

The Sheffield-based EVO group of companies has appointed Lorna Mendelsöhn to the newly-created role of strategy and transaction director.

Ms Mendelsöhn, a qualified solicitor, has been general counsel and corporate services director with the organisation, the UK and Ireland’s largest multi-channel business supplies and services distributor, for the last two years.

The EVO group of companies provides sourcing, storage and fulfilment services to over 50,000 resellers, corporate clients and public-sector organisations.

Its two main trading businesses are business products and facilities supplies wholesaler VOW, which has a network of over 2,000 resellers, and Banner, a workplace supplies and service provider to the private and public sectors.

These organisations are underpinned by Truline, the group’s transport company, which manages deliveries on their behalf.

Ms Mendelsöhn will be assisted in her new post by acquisition manager Adrian Vaughan, previously EVO’s credit control manager, who brings financial expertise to her team.

After attending law school, Ms Mendelsöhn spent seven years with US law firm Sidley Austin, where she was a trainee solicitor and an associate in the corporate reorganisation team. She then joined Vasanta as legal counsel in 2012, assuming her previous role in 2016.

Explaining her new role, Ms Mendelsöhn said: “Our organisation dates back to the 2014 amalgamation of business supplies groups Vasanta and Office2Office. Following a period of post-merger stabilisation and Steve Haworth being appointed chief executive in 2016, we determined our new strategy last year, and my responsibilities now include implementing this blueprint across our group of companies.

“My role features managing all types of transaction - an area in which I have significant experience - as suitable acquisitions are a key part of the new strategy but by no means its sole element. I’ll also be implementing our corporate and business simplification process.

“In addition, I’m now responsible for corporate communications and brand building, for our group of companies overall.”

Andrew Logan, Gordons

A lawyer has joined Yorkshire law firm Gordons from telecommunications giant BT as its head of regulatory.

Andrew Logan has been appointed by Gordons following four years at BT where he most recently held the position of head of legal, environment.

Andrew has more than 13 years’ experience as a regulatory solicitor gained working both in house and for national law firm Weightmans.

Before joining BT, Andrew acted for several police forces, the Crown Prosecution Service, the Environment Agency and a number of local authorities in regulatory investigations and prosecutions.

At Gordons, he will lead a team advising clients on a wide range of regulatory issues. These include environmental, health and safety, data protection, product compliance, criminal investigations, business investigations and court proceedings.

Victoria Davey, Gordons partner, said: “Andrew brings an unsurpassed level of regulatory knowledge and experience to the firm.

“As importantly, he is someone who quickly identifies and understands the issues and opportunities, and how to best protect a client’s interests.

“Andrew is ambitious and wants to grow our regulatory team’s reputation throughout the region and beyond. We are looking forward to supporting him as he develops this increasingly sought after aspect of our offer.”

Simon Alderson, First Response Group (FRG)

First Response Group (FRG), the Leeds-based multi-service and security provider, has announced the appointment of a new CEO, Simon Alderson.

Mr. Alderson has nearly 20 years’ experience in the sector, gaining several directorships, including running the Netherlands division for VPS Ltd and as their UK commercial director.

In 2013 he became the first elected chairman of the British Security Industry Association (BSIA), Vacant Property Protection Group.

The FRG’s board of directors selected Mr. Alderson because “he is exactly the right fit for our business in view of the next 10 years strategic business planning, which seeks growth organically and via acquisitions.

“Simon has the experience, knowledge and ability to implement our new mission, which is to provide our customers with the best service and innovation, through supporting our employees, and creating a culture of inclusion and happiness.”

Mr Alderson added: “The two owners of FRG, Jamal Tahlil and Edgar Chibaka, have spent over 10 years building a superb foundation with a highly credible customer base.

“Their enthusiasm, commitment and integrity are why FRG is already known as a multi-services company to trust and rely on. Its key ethos is to treat customers as clients not as some commoditised account number, where only the bottom line counts.

“As such, this year we want to develop more great customer partners where we can deliver tailor made services that both meets their requirements precisely and adds value to their company.

“It will be exciting times as we continue to gain contract wins for our emphasis on service delivery to, and partnership with, our major customers, including transport hubs, insurance, utility companies and construction giants.”

Darren Martin, cap hpi

Derren Martin has been appointed to the new role of head of current valuations at Leeds-based cap hpi.

The new position will see him lead a team of industry experts and analysts to editorial and remarketing consultancy.

The announcement comes as cap hpi restructures its industry editorial experts to provide a greater range of consultancy services. The team of 11 will continue to manage daily adjustments to Black Book Live used car data and support customers with bespoke insight and support.

Mr Martin has spent two years establishing the international team of valuation experts and analysts. As the company expands, he is taking a new role to ensure that dealers, fleets and OEMs have access to real-time analysis and expertise.

Derren Martin said: “It has been an intense two years setting up the framework that will underpin the continued expansion of our international operations.

“I relish the challenge of leading our team of UK experts as the industry becomes increasingly digital and our customers, from all sectors, look to our data to drive their businesses and build customer engagement.

“We thank James for his hard work in recent years and wish him all the best in his new challenge.”

The Black Book team includes a mix of industry experts and data analysts that produce daily updates to vehicle valuations.

The team also analyse over 2 million transactional data records from a broad range of the wholesale market alongside over 5 million retail adverts each year.

Natalie Marrison, Ramsdens

Ramsdens Solicitors has appointed abuse and personal injury lawyer, Natalie Marrison to lead the new abuse team within the firm.

She brings with her more than 15 years’ experience working on a number of high-profile cases in the UK and abroad.

She will develop the existing client base of claims for survivors of both physical and sexual abuse against private institutions and establishments, working on substantial and already established group actions and will work closely in collaboration with the Child Care and Court of Protection Department within the firm advising on all aspects of Abuse Law.

Joanne Coen, partner and head of child care at Ramsdens, said: “We’re delighted to welcome Natalie to the team and having her on board to help grow this new service is a real coup for the personal injury division, and for the firm as a whole. She has a great deal of experience and we know she will be great with our clients.”

Natalie added: “I am thrilled to have joined Ramsdens as Partner leading the Abuse and Personal Injury team.

“Ramsdens is a firm which I have long admired for their forward thinking and innovative business development and the opportunity therefore to help build their Abuse department was one that I could not turn down. I am very much looking forward to playing a role in driving the business forward.”

Sandy Boyle, Yorwaste Group

Sandy Boyle has been appointed as the new managing director of Northallerton-based Yorwaste Group.

Sandy spent the last six months working as the Group’s finance director, before being promoted to MD.

He succeeds Steve Barker, who left the company last year.

Sandy, a qualified accountant, will have overall responsibility for driving forward a business which has experienced rapid growth over the last 12 months, aided by last year’s acquisition of the Todd Waste Management Group.

Sandy has previously worked in a number of different sectors, including distribution, manufacturing, hedge fund administration, facilities management and aviation.

His roles have included being general manager of an airside operation at Heathrow Airport and managing the Chinese export sales for a multinational paper company in Hong Kong.

Yorwaste now employs around 320 people and is the largest waste management company in North Yorkshire. Its sister company, SJB Recycling Limited, is one of the UK’s largest providers of green waste composting services.

Sandy said: “I would like to pay tribute to the work Steve Barker did in moving Yorwaste forward during his period as MD.

“He led the company from a loss to a profit, improved the safety culture and created a good culture of teamwork.

“I hope to build on these achievements as we continue to support our shareholder, provide excellent and efficient value for money services, invest in new technology and strive to be innovative in everything we do.”

Mike Kienlen, Armstrong Watson LLP

Armstrong Watson LLP, the firm of accountants, business and financial advisers, has announced that partner, Mike Kienlen, has been appointed chairman of the firm.

Mike is a partner in Armstrong Watson’s restructuring recovery and insolvency service line and has worked for the firm for 13 years, based at its Leeds office.

As chairman, Mike will support CEO, Paul Dickson, with the leadership and strategic positioning of the firm both internally and externally, focusing on business development and increasing Armstrong Watson’s presence in the Yorkshire region as well as throughout the North of England and Scotland.

Mike has over 28 years experience working in Insolvency, beginning his career as an insolvency junior in London with Arthur Andersen, qualifying both as an accountant and insolvency practitioner with Buchler Phillips and then moving to Leeds in 2000 with Kroll.

In 2005 he joined Armstrong Watson as a partner and established the Leeds insolvency offering, which together with the Carlisle and Glasgow teams now boasts 22 team members across the North and Scotland.

Mike’s role has developed significantly during his 13 years with the firm, joining the management board in 2007 and as an equity partner in 2008. Whilst he continues to be an acting insolvency practitioner, he is also involved with the strategic direction of the business and coaches and mentors directors and junior partners.

Commenting on his new appointment as chairman, Mike Kienlen said: “I am delighted to take on the role of Chairman. The next 5 to 10 years are going to see huge technological and cultural transitions both within Armstrong Watson and the outside market.

“We are extremely focused on the speed of change in the industry and to be a figurehead alongside Paul, to see us through these times, is a real honour.”

Paul Dickson, Armstrong Watson CEO, added: “Mike and I have served on the executive team of Armstrong Watson together for the past ten years and have seen the firm progress significantly.

“Mike has been a key driver to the success of Armstrong Watson, so the move to appoint Mike as Chairman is well deserved. Mike has skills that compliment mine and as a result we work well together.

“I am looking forward to working closely with Mike in his new role as we continue to make Armstrong Watson a great place to work and a great firm for our clients to do business with.”