This week's North East appointments

Aranda Rahbarkouhi, Laurie Spedding and Lauren Maggiore, O Communications

Creative PR agency O Communications has made three new appointments to its public relations and creative content teams.

Aranda Rahbarkouhi has been appointed as senior account manager, Laurie Spedding joins the firm as a PR executive and Lauren Maggiore has come onboard as content creator.

Aranda brings with her over 20 years’ experience in journalism and PR, with a career working as a multimedia business journalist at The Chronicle and Journal before moving into a consultancy role and eventually joining a local law firm as PR manager.

Commenting on her appointment, Aranda said: “Having experienced life on both sides of the PR fence, that of journalism, PR agency and in-house, I have known the team at O Communications for a long time.

With experience at Middleton Lodge Estate in Yorkshire, Laurie’s new role will see her work across the agency’s consumer client portfolio in residential property, retail, hospitality and travel.

Recent Media Production (Film and Television) Masters graduate Lauren joins the agency’s creative department working on digital design and video creation.

Kari Owers, managing director at O, commented: “We’re constantly looking to innovate and grow by attracting the region’s top talent and I’m so pleased to welcome three new faces to strengthen our already amazing team.

“Our aim is to ensure that our clients have the very best experience working with an agency so we hire great people who are ‘seriously creative’, meaning they are brimming with ideas but know how to harness them to drive the right returns to our client’s business.”

Matt Waters, Baldwins

Accountancy and business advisory firm Baldwins has appointed Matt Waters as corporate finance manager.

With 16 years of experience in the finance sector and spending the last four years working in Corporate Finance, Matt joins from his most recent role as a merger and acquisition manager in London.

In his new role, Matt will work closely with the firm’s North East corporate finance director Graham Cornforth in advising clients on mergers, acquisitions and disposals as well as strategic planning.

Commenting on his appointment, Matt said: “I am thrilled to be working in the team to drive our Corporate Finance offering forward and helping to grow the brand for the group.

“There is a real drive for us to grow our North East Corporate Finance practice and I’m delighted to join the team to be part of what I’m sure will be a successful period of growth.”

Baldwins’ North East corporate finance director Graham Cornforth added: “Matt is well known in the professional community and the experience he has gained from his time in industry gave me confidence that he could add significant value to the team.”

Tom Jarman, Waterstons

Business and IT consultancy Waterstons has appointed Tom Jarman as senior transformation consultant.

With over 20 years’ of experience of the built environment sector, Tom joins the firm’s Durham office from Your Homes Newcastle and Newcastle City Council.

Tom is also a member of the Construction Leadership Council (CLC), the national industry and government body supporting UK construction.

Commenting on his appointment, Tom said: “Waterstons shares my vision to drive positive change within the housing and construction industries.

“With my built environment experience and Waterstons diverse business and technology expertise, we hope to engage with housing and construction clients on the value of digital construction and help them to create an environment in which change, better outcomes and innovation can flourish.”

Waterstons’ architecture, engineering and construction lead consultant, Andy Bates, added: “We’re an ambitious and experienced company passionate about helping our clients transform their business through the effective use of people, process and technology.

“Tom’s arrival adds yet more value to our large and expanding portfolio of national and international AEC clients so we can continue to help them thrive in a competitive and changeable marketplace.”