This week’s North East appointments

This week’s round up of North East appointments includes Black and White Engineering, Mediaworks, Muckle LLP, and Children’s Cancer North. Read on to find out more.

Rachel Ovington - Black and White Engineering

Black and White (B&W) Engineering, with offices in the UK, Middle East and Asia, has appointed a global HR director to further develop its people and culture strategy.

Based at the Newcastle office, Rachel Ovington has over 15 years of experience in HR and talent development and joins B&W from KP Snacks, part of the Intersnack Group, a global savoury snacks business where she has spent the last four years leading the corporate and commercial HR team for the UK as Head of HR and business partner to the KP executive team.

Rachel’s immediate priority is focused on how HR supports and drives business growth through a people-centred strategy. Her key responsibilities include enhancing employee engagement, developing great talent and establishing a strong employer brand.

Steven Horn, director at B&W Engineering, said: “Rachel joining us at the start of a new year is a milestone moment in our growth journey.

“In the last 18 months, our workforce has grown by over 100% in the UK alone. We have a diverse, skilled team who have not only shown great resilience during the pandemic but also delivered some of the most innovative and progressive MEP design projects on a global scale.

“Bringing Rachel on board will enable us to progress and enhance our holistic HR function ensuring we are supporting and developing our people to be at their best, in a way that’s tailored to both personal and business needs.

“Rachel will focus on strengthening our global people strategy which is integral to our overall growth plans. HR plays a fundamental role and we’re delighted to have her on board.”

Samantha Link - Mediaworks

Mediaworks, one of the UK and Ireland’s largest independent digital marketing agencies, has bolstered its senior team with the appointment of a new group people director.

Samantha Link joins the award-winning agency having held senior level HR positions at fellow tech and digital businesses, including global software giant Sage and Future50 leaders, Nomad Digital.

Brett Jacobson, founder and group CEO at Mediaworks said: “Samantha arrives with a wealth of experience. She’s been instrumental in the successful development of high growth cultures within global businesses.

“We have a growing national and international client base, so her experience developing cross border teams puts us in pole position as we continue our rapid growth trajectory.

“She has a platform to implement more positive changes that will get the best from our world-class colleagues. Our aim is to continue to attract, develop and retain the most skilled and ambitious talent throughout the group across the UK&I.”

Mediaworks has doubled its headcount to just short of 200 staff in the last two years and is aiming to double it again in the next 24 months as it aims to service a meteoric rise in client demands.

Now almost 15 years old, it counts the likes of Gap, Continental Tyres and Puma among its client base.

The business has put staff wellbeing at the centre of its growth, adding new incentives such as electric car schemes, flexible working hours and a bespoke employee rewards scheme to its list of staff benefits for 2022.

Samantha added: “The pace of growth at Mediaworks is breathtaking. I’m really excited to be able to bring my experience of staff development and nurturing high-performance cultures in large scale, high-growth businesses to the table.

“Further developing the organisation’s people-focused culture, and enhancing training and wellbeing programmes, presents a fantastic opportunity. I’m thrilled to be playing my part in putting our most important asset, our incredible people, at the centre of that successful growth.”

Carla Brooks, Daniel Montana, Eaden Hardcastle, and Jaxson Hind - Muckle LLP

North East leading independent law firm for businesses Muckle LLP has continued its growth with the appointment of seven new trainee solicitors, taking its current total to ten.

Durham University law graduate, Carla Boaks had paralegal experience in property disputes before completing her LPC at Northumbria University. She has taken her first seat at Muckle in the Real Estate team.

Daniel Montana has taken his first seat in in the Employment team, where he is assisting with contracts and preparing for tribunals. Daniel, who comes from Hull, studied law at Northumbria University and returned to the North East after two years in Australia and America.

Newcastle University law graduate Eaden Hardcastle spent a year in Trento, Italy, focusing on European law and after completing her Masters near her family home in Suffolk, she moved back to the North East to take her first seat in the Corporate team, where she assists with transactional and company law matters.

Jaxson Hind, who grew up in North Tyneside, completed his Northumbria University law degree in 2019. He has joined the Muckle Corporate team where he assists in share and asset sales, private equity investments, corporate restructuring, company law and compliance issues.

Jason Wainwright, Muckle managing partner, said: “It is more important than ever to invest in future talent and to support the growth of our business. We have pride in our people and they are at the heart of everything that we do.

“Our firm is frequently considered one of the best places to work in the North East. We’re especially proud to have achieved Investors in People Gold Award accreditation from 2019-2022.”

Maud Sterne, Thamy Haque, and Emma Carson - Children’s Cancer North

Children’s Cancer North has expanded its operations with the appointment of three new team members.

Maud Sterne has joined the charity as community and events fundraiser. Newcastle University graduate Maud previously worked as local networks administration assistant at Parkinson’s UK.

Thamy Haque has been appointed digital fundraising co-ordinator. Thamy, a graduate of Northumbria University, brings a wealth of experience. Her previous roles include communications officer for Newcastle University and marketing and communications officer at Newcastle Council for Voluntary Service (Newcastle CVS).

Emma Carson has been appointed as Children’s Cancer North corporate partnerships co-ordinator. Newcastle University graduate Emma joins the charity from her previous role as marketing manager at a major manufacturing firm.

The new appointments have greatly improved Children’s Cancer North’s capacity to support families affected by childhood cancer at the Great North Children’s Hospital in Newcastle.

Janet Price, Children’s Cancer North Fundraising Manager, said: “We have ambitious plans for the year ahead, with more fundraising events and opportunities than ever before.

“The appointment of our newest team members has more than doubled our working capacity, which will allow us to provide more active support for the children and their families, as well as building more engagement and raising awareness in the wider community.

“Maud, Thamy, and Emma all bring the experience, passion and enthusiasm to drive forward our mission of making life better for children with cancer. We are delighted to welcome them to the Children’s Cancer North team.”

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