This week's North East appointments

Pam Smith, Helping Hands

A homecare service has recruited a new manager to lead its Hexham branch.

Pam Smith will oversee day to day operations at Helping Hands Community Care, drive quality assurance and manage a growing care team.

Pam brings with her a wealth of experience having worked in residential care for more than 20 years and, more recently, as a health and social care tutor where she taught leadership and management courses to care professionals.

David Harrison, managing director at Helping Hands, said: “Pam is a welcome addition to the organisation.

“Many in the team already know Pam as she’s provided regular leadership training to managers over the last couple of years. When she applied for the role, her experience and skills as well as character and values were a perfect fit for us.

“It’s great to have Pam on board to ensure standards of care remain consistently high across every service we provide.”

Pam added: “It’s great to join such a highly respected care provider like Helping Hands.

“I’ve learnt so much about the culture within the organisation and the team’s values which always struck a chord with me when I visited, and it was this that encouraged me to apply for the branch manager role.

“I’m looking forward to ensuring our quality care standards continue and aim to bring in more opportunities that will enable us to strengthen our offering and expand our care services across Northumberland.”

Claire Ellis & Rob Campey, JM Glendinning

Leeds-based JM Glendinning Insurance Brokers has appointed Claire Ellis as group operations and HR director and Rob Campey as client director.

Claire Ellis joins JM Glendinning’s board of directors, responsible for the firm’s regulatory and legal compliance and review of operational efficiencies. Claire will also take the lead on a review of the company’s IT function and HR provision. She gained over 30 years’ experience in roles at Royal & Sun Alliance, Allianz, UK General, Bartlett Group, joining JM Glendinning from a senior role at insurance firm Aviva.

As client director, Rob Campey will be key in helping JM Glendinning to drive new business growth whilst ensuring that its well-established client base continues to receive high levels of service. He will work with clients across a range of sectors, providing insurance brokering services and identifying opportunities for growth.

Rob said: “JM Glendinning is a well-respected firm in the insurance industry and so when the opportunity came up, I knew it would be a good career move for me.

“The role offers incredible variety and I find it very exciting to work with people from different industries, from different backgrounds and with diverse insurance needs.

“Having additional services, such as financial services and professional risks under one roof is a real benefit and allows us to offer a well-rounded service.”

Nick Houghton, group managing director at JM Glendinning Insurance Brokers, added: “We’re very pleased to have Claire and Rob as part of our team.

“We’re an ambitious and focussed company and are on target to become a £50 million premium turnover firm in the next five years.

“Bringing on board highly skilled and experienced individuals such as Claire and Rob is a great boost for the business and will, without doubt, help us achieve our business goals.”

Spencer Knaggs, Burnetts

North East law firm Burnetts has appointed Spencer Knaggs as partner and head of the medical negligence and serious injury department.

With more than 20 years of specialist experience in the field, Spencer has successfully represented clients suffering from serious injuries, asbestos-related diseases and injury following medical negligence.

Spencer, who joined the firm in 2017 after spending 14 years with Thompsons in Manchester and who studied law at Newcastle, said: “I am looking forward to contributing to the further growth of the business and having the opportunity to develop the medical negligence and serious injury teams in Carlisle, Cockermouth and at Dean Street in Newcastle.”

Managing partner Nick Gutteridge said: “Spencer fully deserves his ranking as a top, tier one lawyer in the 2020 Legal 500 and is a very experienced practitioner in personal injury and industrial disease.

“As a rising star in the personal injury sector he has built a reputation as the go-to lawyer in his field.

“Having recently taken on extra responsibility as head of the medical negligence and serious injury team he has shown dynamism, innovation and dedication.”

Claire French, Ian Burke & Emma Gauden, EMG Solicitors

EMG Solicitors has appointed Claire French as an associate in the Court of Protection team, Ian Burke as people and culture manager, Jo Gray as solicitor.

The company has also promoted Julia Middleton to director and Eilish Ferry-Kennington to associate in the Court of Protection team.

Claire commented: “EMG Solicitors has one of the largest COP teams in the country and working in this field and helping vulnerable clients is a real passion.

“I have been really impressed by the level of service provided by EMG. The team is very much a family where everyone pulls together and it’s great to feel part of that.”

Ian added: “For me it’s about everyone understanding about EMG’s point of difference and creating defined values and a supporting, behavioural framework.

“It’s a great opportunity for the company as a whole to look at how it presents itself and for me it’s a huge opportunity to be part of a really exciting and fast growing organisation.”

Emma Gaudern, managing director of EMG Solicitors, said: “We had a very successful year last year and our focus is to continue to grow and ensure that we offer our clients a range of services, delivered to the highest Standards.

“We have an incredible team across all areas, which is being strengthened by people like Claire, Ian and Jo who have just joined us.”

Steve Reay, Springboard

Springboards Sunderland Trust has appointed of Steve Reay as chief executive.

Steve has 18 years of experience within the organisation,most recently as head of development.

Steve said: “I am delighted to take up the position of chief executive, after being with Springboard for so many years I am hugely passionate about our mission statement and values and I look forward to shaping the future of the organisation, giving it a renewed focus and direction.

“Our staff team share my passion and desire to raise and support the aspirations of residents across the North East, whatever their ability or circumstances.”

Riz Khan and Dean Laverty, Climb

Gateshead digital agency Climb has announced two new appointments.

Riz Khan and Dean Laverty have taken on the roles of midweight backend developers making the team now 10 strong.

Chris Henderson, managing director at Climb, said: “It’s been quite a journey to find the right candidates with fire in their belly to take on the new roles within the business particularly when there is such a demand for talent within our region.

“Due to the current climate we have had to work very hard to demonstrate to candidates what Climb is made of for them to even consider wanting to come on board.

“I’m over the moon to say they are now on board, and they won’t be disappointed in what we have in store!”

Riz commented: “Climb is a great team to be part of, I’m happy to have been given this wonderful opportunity.

“The work is interesting, challenging, and we aim to provide cutting edge solutions.

“I wish to utilise my skills to improve the processes and the quality of the software being developed as well as enhancing my skills and knowledge so I can become an expert at developing web-based systems.”

Dean added: “I am very happy to have joined Climb at such an exciting time for the business.

“I am thoroughly enjoying working with a team full of talented and ambitious people who all want to create something special and I am looking forward to developing my skills further on this journey.”