This week’s North East appointments

Tom Etherington, Ian McIntosh, and David Watts - Evolved Search

Newcastle based search marketing agency Evolved Search has announced a number of board-level role changes within the business, with Tom Etherington stepping up to become the agency’s managing director.

Etherington, 29, joined the award-winning agency back in 2017 as head of search and has since progressed to board-level, most recently as operations director leading on the agency’s service delivery and people-related initiatives.

His promotion to managing director will see him responsible for the overall running of the agency and the target to achieve £10m in annual revenue by 2024.

Agency founders Ian McIntosh and David Watts are also set for new roles, becoming chief executive officer and chief technology officer, respectively.

Ian will focus on the overall success of the business and have a keen eye on the next two to three years, with Watts overseeing innovation and new service development to continue strengthening the agency’s offering.

CEO, Ian McIntosh said, “It is fantastic to be able to offer Tom this role, which he thoroughly deserves. This is a natural step up for Tom, after being an instrumental part of our growth during the last 5 years and already overseeing a large part of the business.

“He is one of the most capable people I’ve ever worked with and is very rounded in terms of skill set, as well as understanding our industry incredibly well. He’s a great people person and very much a natural leader.

Tom, who took to his new role at the start of January, said: “This is a huge opportunity for me and I’m delighted that Ian and David have put this trust in me. We’ve enjoyed phenomenal success and growth to date, so I’m looking forward to getting stuck into this new role and fulfilling the ambitious plans we have for the agency.”

Alexis Wood and Michael Taylor - Hay & Kilner

Two young North East lawyers have been appointed as solicitors by North East law firm Hay & Kilner after successfully completing a two-year training programme.

Alexis Wood and Michael Taylor have both undertaken four blocks of six months in different departments within the Newcastle headquartered firm, which helped them gain a range of practical legal experience and identify their particular strengths and areas of interest.

Alexis and Michael undertook training seats across Hay & Kilner’s clinical negligence, commercial property, private client and construction teams before settling on joining its private client and clinical negligence teams respectively.

Alongside their on-the-job learning, they also completed the Professional Skills Course at Northumbria University, which is a mandatory qualification run by the Solicitors Regulation Authority which must be successfully undertaken prior to an individual practicing as a solicitor.

Michael holds a law degree from Durham University and a Legal Practice Course qualification from Northumbria University, while Alexis took a chemistry degree at Durham University before deciding on a change of career direction.

She spent a year working as a paralegal in Hay & Kilner’s residential property unit before beginning her traineeship, a position she took on after completing her Graduate Diploma in Law and Legal Practice Course qualifications at Northumbria.

Alexis Wood said: “The variety of work, the range and regularity of client contact and the industry reputation of our partners in this area made private client work stand out for me and I’m enjoying being part of a very supportive and encouraging team.”

Michael Taylor added: “The firm very quickly responded to the evolving situation and made sure all the advice, support and guidance that is key to any training contract remain easily accessible.”

Holly Farr - Horizon Works

North East based B2B marketing agency Horizon Works has appointed a new staff member to support its creative, PR and digital offering.

Holly Farr has joined the company as a digital marketing executive and brings with her extensive skills in copywriting as well as experience in website and social media management.

Holly has a background in creative writing and recently graduated from the University of Sunderland with a postgraduate degree in marketing. She has experience in working on digital marketing for a range of charities and has joined Horizon Works to develop her B2B marketing career.

Horizon Works, based at Northumberland Business Park near Cramlington, Northumberland, offers marketing, strategy, PR, digital and creative services. It has seen an increased demand for its digital expertise, driven by businesses who wish to increase their visibility and connect with customers and prospects online.

Commenting on her appointment, Holly said: “Joining Horizon Works has given me the opportunity to work in a B2B marketing environment and develop my digital marketing skills following my studies.

“I’m looking forward to building my marketing career with the Horizon Works’ team and working on projects for our innovative clients.”

Samantha Vassallo, founder and managing director of Horizon Works, added: “Holly is a brilliant addition to our team and her background in marketing and creative writing will further strengthen our marketing capabilities. Working within our team, Holly will have the opportunity to develop her skills and learn within a dynamic, creative environment.”

Lisa Eaton, Kate Meredith, Julie Maughan, Sarah Pavlou, Leanne Welford, and Lynsey Todd - Smart Works Newcastle

Smart Works Newcastle, a charity that helps unemployed women back into work, has appointed six new members to its Board of Trustees.

Lisa Eaton, Kate Meredith, Julie Maughan, Sarah Pavlou, Leanne Welford, and Lynsey Todd all bring “invaluable skills” to the organisation as it ramps up plans to double the number of women it supports in the North East, which currently has the highest rates of unemployment in England.

Smart Works Newcastle’s Chair of Trustees, Sophie Milliken, commented: “This is a really exciting time to welcome new trustees to the board. All six new members will have specific areas of responsibility, playing a key role in driving growth and, ultimately, helping more women into employment and fulfilling careers” 

The new trustees will complement an already diverse and experienced board that is responsible for overseeing day-to-day operations and fundraising, as well as encouraging participation in the charity’s coaching and dressing service.

Lisa Eaton, managing director of marketing enterprises Unwritten Group and Fabric Academy, said: “I’m beyond excited to help drive Smart Works Newcastle forwards and achieve our ambitious objectives. I’m looking forward to supporting the executive team to scale their offer and reach a larger audience”.

Kate Meredith, Turkey, Middle East & East Africa finance director at MSD added: “I was initially drawn to the organisation after seeing how much of a confidence boost and springboard it can be for women wanting to turn their life around.”

Julie Maughan, a freelance HR consultant and coach, who also sits as an employment tribunal member in Newcastle, said: “I understand that gaining secure employment - and the confidence that can bring, can be life-changing. I feel privileged to be part of the team at Smart Works Newcastle.”