This week's Yorkshire appointments

Hattie Ramsden and Esme Briggs, TCS

Town Centre Securities (TCS), the property investment and car parking operator, has announced two new hires to further expands its expertise within its portfolio.

Joining this month, Hattie Ramsden will oversee both the commercial and office space across the company’s single largest asset, the Merrion Centre, and manage upcoming developments across the 1m sq ft mixed use scheme in Leeds.

Hattie joins TCS with a varied property and investment background, having worked in both the industrial investment and private rented teams at JLL London. As part of the national investment team, she worked as a senior surveyor and focused on the acquisition and disposal of multi and single let property across the UK.

Also starting this month is Sheffield Hallam University student Esme Briggs. Esme will be assisting the asset management team across its entire portfolio.

Hattie and Esme will both be working alongside associate directors Helen Green and Alistair Smith.

Edward Ziff, chairman and chief executive of Town Centre Securities, said: “We are delighted to welcome Hattie to the team as she brings a fantastic wealth of knowledge and experience that will be a true asset to us.

“It has been an outstanding time of growth across the TCS portfolio, including us recently celebrating the successful completion of an initial 10 year £70m redevelopment project at the Merrion Centre, and the completion of Merrion House which is now home to over 2200 Leeds City Council staff.

“We are now working on our next ten-year plan for the centre, and look forward to it continuing to thrive with the expansion of the team.

“As a business, we are always looking to support and encourage young and local talent and are happy to also welcome Esme. We are confident that by working with the existing team that she will be able to further expand her knowledge and experience immensely within the property sector.”

Natasha Guest, Berwins

Law firm Berwins has expanded its Dispute Resolution team with the appointment of litigation specialist, Natasha Guest.

In addition to advising businesses on areas of conflict, she will head up the firm’s contentious probate division.

Natasha brings 12 years of legal experience gained with firms based in York and North Yorkshire.

During her career she has been an advisor to one of the ‘big six’ energy providers, acted on claims arising from industrial disease and, within just three years of qualifying as a solicitor, became one of the youngest heads of department in the region.

Paul Berwin, senior partner, said: “The recruitment of someone of Natasha’s quality further strengthens a unit routinely offering advice on business-critical matters to organisations which range from regional concerns to those with a multinational footprint.

“Natasha’s appointment comes after an exciting 18 months at Berwins, which has seen the complexity and volume of both litigation and wider commercial work grow to new heights.”

Natasha, who also holds the voluntary role of Community Director for Explore York Libraries and Archives, added: “I’m delighted to have joined such a forward-thinking firm with real plans for the future”.

“As a Litigation lawyer, I’m accustomed to working within an ever-evolving legal discipline – to have joined a firm which matches that fast paced, progressive approach in the way it handles business development and client care, is particularly exciting.”

Nick Wilson (middle), Andrew Jackson Solicitors LLP

Law firm Andrew Jackson Solicitors LLP has announced the appointment of Nick Wilson, who joins the firm as a partner.

Nick has advised both public and private sector employers on a range of matters including internal procedures, restructure/redundancies, industrial action and TUPE.

He has also represented employers as an advocate at Employment Tribunals nationally and at the Employment Appeal Tribunal.

Nick Wilson said: “I am delighted and excited to join a firm that has made such great strides regionally, nationally and overseas, yet remains committed to delivering a service with personal care and attention at its heart.

“I have been aware of the strength of the firm’s employment law team for some time, so look forward to joining such a well-established department.

“I’m excited to be playing my part in ensuring that, collectively, we build on our existing reputation and continue to provide an exceptional service that is tailored to the needs of the businesses and individuals we work with.”

Jonathan Dale, head of employment, added: “Nick’s client focused, committed and timely approach to delivering legal solutions for his clients is a perfect fit for the team and firm as a whole, so we are delighted to have him on board as a partner.

“Andrew Jackson’s commitment to the provision of trusted legal advice in a commercial and practical manner is consistently recognised in our client feedback, so it’s important to us to keep building on the specialist services we can offer them.”

Hamish Morrison and Lisa Leighton, BHP

BHP, the independent chartered accountancy and advisory firm, has announced that audit partner Lisa Leighton, and corporate finance partner, Hamish Morrison, will be taking the helm of BHP as joint managing partners from 2019.

John Warner, managing partner at BHP, said: “I will remain active in the firm and become senior partner for the foreseeable future, but I will hand over the reins of running the business in its entirety to Lisa and Hamish as Joint Managing Partners.

“Both 44, Lisa and Hamish have already been actively involved in the strategic and operational management of the business for several years.

“They have excellent knowledge, skills and experience across all service lines and operational divisions. They will bring a new wave of inspiration, dynamism and momentum.”

John will continue full-time to manage his ever-expanding portfolio of clients.

Hamish joined EY in 1999 and has over 20 years corporate finance experience, expertise and insight. He has been a partner at BHP for over seven years, and currently heads up the Leeds office and is a key member of the corporate finance team.

After graduating from Sheffield University, Lisa joined BHP in 1995. She became a partner in 2011 and group head of audit in 2015.

John added: “Lisa and Hamish are BHP through and through. I am delighted that they will lead the firm, its five offices and our growing team of 350+ professionals into 2020. The pair will bring a new energy and drive to the firm and the whole industry.”

Laurie Cottam, Pauline Lake and David Speddings, Race Cottam Associates

Chartered architects’ practice Race Cottam Associates is restructuring its senior management team as part of its long-term development and expansion plans.

The new leadership at Race Cottam, which specialises in the health, schools, university, energy and waste sectors, will be spearheaded by director David Speddings, who succeeds company co-founder David Cottam as managing director.

Joining David on the company’s new board of directors will be Laurie Cottam, who will take the lead in the company’s civic, public sector and commercial projects, and Pauline Lake, who is responsible for business development and specialises in the school sector.

David Speddings said: “It’s an honour for me personally to be succeeding David Cottam as managing director. Having spent such a large portion of my career at Race Cottam Associates, I’ve learnt an awful lot from David and owe him a great deal for helping shape my progression.

“I’m delighted to be joined on the new company board by Laurie and Pauline. Together, we will work to build on the solid foundations that David and Peter Race laid down almost 25 years ago - foundations which have seen the business grow from strength-to-strength.”

David Cottam, who as part of the new management structure will take on a more strategic role, added: “I’m very excited at the direction the business is heading following a period of sustained growth and success.

“Race Cottam Associates is in safe hands. David Speddings and I have worked with Pauline and Laurie closely in the build-up to this announcement and are confident in their complementary abilities and their strong commitment to take the business forward into the next period of its development.

“This is part of a planned strategic transition for the business which we have been working on for three years – and although I will remain on the board for the foreseeable future I am, to use a well-known phrase, ‘handing over the reins’.”

Louise Cheeseman, Hull Trains

FirstGroup has appointed Louise Cheeseman as managing director of open access rail operator, Hull Trains.

Louise started in the rail industry in 2001 as a guard with Northern Rail. Being quickly promoted through safety and operations roles, she became the general manager for Docklands Light Railway, which included responsibility for managing operations for the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Following this, she spent some time in Sydney to assist in the preparation of a light rail bid.

She spent a further two years with Metrolink in Manchester as service delivery director before she joined Hull Trains in a similar capacity, and has been acting as interim managing director since March of this year.

Steve Montgomery, managing director First Rail, said: “I am delighted to announce the appointment of Louise to lead Hull Trains. Louise has a wealth of global experience in the rail sector and has held several senior positions within the industry.

“We have exciting plans for Hull Trains including new rolling stock which will provide more seats for our customers and also offer the potential for more reliable journeys and further customer improvements when they enter service in 2019.”

Louise Cheeseman added: “I look forward to leading the team at Hull Trains and building on the successes that we have achieved over recent years, in which we regularly score highly in the industry’s independent satisfaction surveys.

“We will offer ambitious improvements for passengers. We recently invested £60 million in the development and production of five new hi-tech, bi-mode trains that will come into service next year.

“This will not only deliver a more reliable service, it will increase capacity and keep people moving and communities prospering as we connect the Hull and Humber region to the capital.”

David Cooper, Redbrik

Independent estate agency Redbrik has bolstered its senior management team with the promotion of an associate director.

David Cooper has been promoted to the role of director at the estate agency, following several years with the company.

David, who has a wealth of understanding of the Sheffield area, has helped to launch both Redbrik’s Millhouses and Crystal Peaks offices.

David said: “I’ve been with Redbrik for almost five years and it was always my ambition when I joined to move up within the company. I’m really proud of this opportunity, and I’m thankful to be working at such a great company.

“We really put our customers at the heart of everything we do, so there’s definitely a family feel about the business, and that comes across in everything we do – I’m honoured to be part of such a wonderful team.”

Julie Bulheller, co-founder and director at Redbrik, added: “David has been an integral part of the Redbrik team for the past five years, so we are thrilled to have been able to offer him the role of Director.

“He has played a key role in the success of the business throughout the years by consistently demonstrating fantastic customer service and ‘can-do’ attitude.”

Claire Catton, Howarths People and Safety Management

Howarths People and Safety Management, the HR and employment law firm, has expanded its HR and employment law team with the appointment of Claire Catton as junior employment law advisor.

Ms Catton joins the company having completed a law degree at Leeds Beckett University, followed by her Legal Practice Course and then completion of her training contract with a Nottinghamshire-based firm.

She qualified as a solicitor earlier this year.

Ms Catton will support Howarths’ HR and employment law team, advising on issues including unfair dismissal, discrimination and redundancies.

She will also work on the preparation of tribunal defences and more complex issues such as transfers under the TUPE regulations.

Ms Catton will report into head of employment law, Charlotte Geesin.

Ms Geesin said: “I am delighted to welcome Claire to the Howarths team as we mark our 15th year in business this month.

“As we continue to grow our client base both regionally and across the UK, Claire’s impeccable knowledge of the evolving employment law landscape will be of great benefit to both the business and our clients.

Howarths’ HR and employment law team now stands at a total of eight, following the recent appointment of Katie Fletcher as HR advisor.