Category Archives: Appointments

Appointments, News, Pensions

Punter Southall Governance Services makes two new scheme manager appointments to start 2023

Punter Southall Governance Services (PSGS) has boosted its team with the appointment of Toby Andersen and Karen Henderson as scheme managers.

Toby Andersen

Toby joins from Aztec Financial Services where he worked as a senior benefits specialist managing private medical, income protection, life assurance and flexible benefit schemes across Europe, the Middle East and Africa as well as pensions. He started his pensions career in 2012 at Mercer, before becoming an in-house secretary to the trustees and pensions manager at Lockheed Martin for six years.

Toby’s responsibilities included running the trustee board through triennial valuations, scheme returns, audits, annual reports, meetings and buy-out negotiations. His experience covered defined benefit (DB), defined contribution (DC), group personal pensions and master trust schemes.

 

Karen Henderson

Karen joins from Virgin Money where she worked in the internal pension governance team, supporting the trustees on activity and a variety of projects, including the merger of two DC schemes, guaranteed minimum pension (GMP) rectification and equalisation and a bulk pension increase exchange exercise.

Karen is highly experienced in managing pension administration projects, from implementing new schemes to managing them through the wind-up process and everything in between. She began her pensions career in 1990 at Scottish Amicable as a pension administrator and has also worked for Aon and Hymans Robertson.

 

Wayne Phelan, PSGS Chief Executive Officer, commented: “Recent business wins means we are expanding our governance and secretarial team and we are pleased to welcome Toby and Karen to the team at this exciting and busy time. Both are highly skilled with wide pensions knowledge and will be a real asset to our client schemes and trustees.”

Appointments, Business, News

New Global CEO, Seb O’Connell announced for Org Group of Companies – Morgan McKinley, Abtran and Org

Org Global Investment Holdings, the group holding company for global talent services firm Morgan McKinley, business process managed services company Abtran, and advisory firm Org, has announced Seb O’Connell as Group Chief Executive Officer. He will take up his appointment on 2nd March.

The Group employs 3,000 people worldwide and combined annual revenues of €350 million in 2022.  By advising clients, resourcing their operations and delivering managed solutions to complex issues, the Group connects specialist talent with leading employers across multiple disciplines, industries and geographies.

Seb O’Connell’s appointment was announced and warmly welcomed by current Group CEO Ger Fitzgerald who will have a continuing involvement in the business. Ger will also remain as Board Director.

Seb O’Connell is an acknowledged global industry leader in talent and managed services, having served most recently as President for Global Markets at Cielo where he has worked for eight years. Prior to this he was a Managing Director, and member of the global leadership team, of global talent company Randstad Sourceright, and formerly Sales & Marketing Director of Spring Group PLC (acquired by Adecco in 2009), among other senior management roles throughout his career.

The Group has been on a successful transformation journey over the past three years changing from a predominantly professional staffing business to a broader based professional services business offering advisory, talent services and managed services.

Targeting future revenues of €1 billion by 2030, the Group intends to further expand its global presence bringing a next generation of services to fuel further international success in partnership with its clients and talent throughout the world.  The Group has seen significant growth in the APAC and EMEA regions supported by growing delivery centres in India, Ireland and the Philippines, underpinned by new technology platforms.

 

Current Group CEO Ger Fitzgerald said, “Seb is an energetic leader with an inherent understanding of our industry and who shares our vision for international growth built on transformative service delivery for our clients. I’m delighted to welcome him to our senior leadership team and to pass the baton to him as group CEO for our next phase of development. This reflects our intention to further expand our worldwide presence. I’m looking forward to playing an active role in the business and continuing as a board member supporting Seb and his leadership team.”

 

Pat Fitzgerald, Group Executive Chairman said, “Building on the significant success of the group over recent years under Ger’s leadership, Seb’s knowledge and experience of the global talent and managed services industry will further support our evolution. I’m excited to be  working with Ger and the rest of the board to support Seb and his executive team on the next stage of our exciting journey.”

 

Incoming Group CEO, Seb O’Connell said, “The Org group of companies has a great international reputation and track record of achievement, established over 30 years.

The Group has a clear and exciting vision for the market and the future of our industry. A vision with clearly defined solutions we can bring to bear, creating further strategic value for clients, built on the acumen and skills of our management and people. I’m excited by the opportunity to lead the energy and ambition of our team towards further global growth and success in the years to come.”

Appointments, News, Technology

Leading IT firm strengthens management team with three new appointments

Leading Birmingham IT service provider Intercity has bolstered its senior team with the appointment of David Owen as Group Innovation and Product Director, Neil Rampe as Managing Director of the Communications Division, and Mark Leadbeater as Director of Consultancy.

Since joining the organisation in 2020, David has been responsible for growing the Communications division, delivering year-on-year business growth during a time of significant market disruption, and bringing innovation across connectivity, IoT, collaboration, and digital transformation. In his newly created role, David will take on increased responsibility for product and innovation across all divisions, in line with Intercity’s strategy to provide innovative solutions and deliver a world-class customer experience.

 

Discussing his new role, David Owen, Group Innovation and Product Director at Intercity said: “In the last 18 months, we’ve delivered significant transformation, including the development of a new private cloud platform, Unified Communications platform, IT as a Service, and CheckPoint Harmony.

“This new role is an exciting opportunity as I continue developing innovative technology solutions – and I’m thrilled to be handing over the baton to Neil Rampe, who I know will do an amazing job as the new Managing Director of Intercity’s Communications Division.”

 

Neil Rampe

Neil joins Intercity having worked in senior positions for organisations including Alternative Networks, M247, and Cable and Wireless. In his role at Intercity, Neil will be responsible for  setting strategy, leading execution, and delivering profitable growth.

 

Neil Rampe, Managing Director of the Communications Division at Intercity, commented: “Having worked in this sector for over 25 years, I’m really excited to be joining Intercity. The culture is honest and supportive, the team is talented, and the mindset is customer-centric.  My intention is to listen to customers and understand what they want so we can keep delivering the right propositions.

“Economic uncertainty and things like withdrawal of ISDN services in September 2023 are examples of challenges that we will help customers navigate.  We all know the conditions are going to impact all of us and our job is simply to be a supportive partner, helping them survive, adapt, and seize new opportunities.”

Finally, following increased interest in the marketplace for advice on technology strategy, Mark Leadbeater, who began working at Intercity in 2016 as Deputy Chief Technology Officer, becomes Director of Consultancy, providing a “CTO as a service” solution while managing Intercity’s pre-sales team.

 

Andrew Jackson, CEO of Intercity Technology, concluded: “Following our impressive growth this past year, it is important that we continue to invest and develop our business support functions, products, and services to maintain world-class delivery and service to our customers. I’m therefore delighted with these announcements, which will drive and support our future growth ambitions.”

Appointments, News from Wales

Promising Year For Sales As ICC Wales Appoints Sarah Ameson As Sales Manager

Following a strong year in sales, the International Convention Centre Wales (ICC Wales) has appointed Sarah Ameson as its newest Sales Manager, the second to be recruited in the past 12 months.

Sarah has worked within the sector for more than 12 years and joins ICC Wales from Brightelm, where she was Commercial Sales and Marketing Manager. Prior to this, she worked as a Business Development Manager at RA Venues, part of the Compass Group, and she has extensive experience in retail, as well as event coordination and management.

In her new role, Sarah will be supporting the venue’s sales team with a key focus on leveraging opportunities with agencies, to understand their pain points and work towards their long-term goals.

Discussing her appointment, Sarah Ameson, Sales Manager, ICC Wales said: “I’ve watched ICC Wales grow from strength to strength from a distance and I am excited to now be part of such a fantastic venue and team. ICC Wales is still so new, and has done a phenomenal job of attracting large-scale events, some of which have never been to Wales or the UK before. The team are continually pushing the boundaries of what the country is known for, and I cannot wait to help push the message that Wales is a serious destination for business events, particularly to the agency market I know so well.”

Danielle Bounds, Sales Director, ICC Wales, commented: “Sarah’s abundant sales experience and agency background, alongside her passion, dedication and versatility, make her an incredible asset to the team and we feel privileged to have her on board. We’re extremely proud here at ICC Wales of our creative and committed team who help deliver exceptional events, and it’s because of this collective hard work that we are able to expand our team and offer more to our clients and partners.”

Appointments, News

Acoustic Appoints Mark Cattini CEO

SaaS industry veteran with over 20 years of CEO experience to lead next phase of innovation and growth

Acoustic, a global marketing and customer experience provider for B2C brands, today announced that Mark Cattini has been named Chief Executive Officer (CEO), effective immediately. Mark has served on the company’s Board of Directors since May 2022 and joins Acoustic as it evolves the marketing digital experience for its customers to meet the growing needs of today’s businesses. Mark brings on board Adam Stewart as Chief Technology Officer and Jay Schaufeld as Chief People Officer, underscoring the company’s continued investment in its technology and talent.

Acoustic helps customer-obsessed brands build closer customer connections with hyper-personalized, multichannel experiences. Mark’s appointment, as well as Acoustic’s recent investment from Francisco Partners, will accelerate the company’s vision to provide powerful technology to meet the needs of B2C brands across retail, financial services, insurance, tech and telecom, travel and hospitality, and more.

“I am thrilled to be asked by the Board to lead Acoustic as CEO during an exciting time for the company and the marketing industry as a whole,” said Mark Cattini, CEO of Acoustic. “Businesses today require easy-to-use solutions that can be quickly deployed to drive more value to their customers. Acoustic is uniquely positioned to help brands deliver personalized digital experiences and provides robust behavioral analytics to optimize customer journeys to increase loyalty and growth. I’m delighted to join Acoustic as it accelerates this platform vision on a global scale and look forward to working with our customers and partners to realize the next phase in our strategic growth.”

Mark brings over two decades of experience as a successful CEO at enterprise software companies, including MapInfo (NASDAQ: MAPS), Autotask, and ClickSoftware.

“As businesses grapple with market uncertainty, new privacy regulations, and evolving consumer expectations, they require a technology partner that can support their needs today while future-proofing their business for the challenges of tomorrow,” said Jared Hendricks, Senior Managing Director of Centerbridge Partners. “With Mark’s appointment as CEO, Acoustic is better positioned than ever to support businesses across industries as they tackle these challenges head-on. Acoustic’s combination of best-in-breed technology and proven SaaS leadership positions the company as a next-generation leader within this space. We’re thrilled to have Mark join as CEO to further Acoustic’s mission to bring hyper-personalized digital experiences to life.”

Mark along with Adam Stewart and Jay Schaufeld start their roles immediately. Adam spent 17 years at Autotask/Datto in the role of SVP, Engineering while Jay brings over 25 years of experience as a human resources leader, including serving as Chief People Officer at ClickSoftware.

About Acoustic, L.P.
Acoustic, L.P. helps businesses close the digital experience gap by giving them a holistic view into the customer experience and enabling them to deliver personalized experiences based on consumer needs and preferences. The Acoustic portfolio of products helps businesses across industries to grow customer lifetime value with award-winning technology and unbeatable client success teams. Learn more about the Acoustic portfolio at www.acoustic.com.

Accountancy & Accounts, Appointments, News, Wales News

Azets South Wales strengthens senior team

Azets, the UK Top 10 accounting firm, has demonstrated its commitment to nurturing its network with three senior promotions in the South Wales region.

 

Ashley Bryan has been appointed as Partner in the Accounts and Business Advisory Services team, whilst Ellen Price and Susan Phillips have been promoted to Associate Director in the audit department.

Ashley has been with the company for over 15 years, having started his career as a Trainee Accountant with its predecessor firm (KTS Owens Thomas) in 2007. He has significant experience of working with SMEs, in particular start-ups and entrepreneurs to help them grow. Within his new role, Ashley will continue to assist clients with practices such as budgeting, business funding, general strategy, systems improvement and general financial and commercial advice. Based in Azets’ Cardiff office, Ashley will also join the senior management team.

 

Ellen joined Azets Cardiff in 2018 and has since worked her way up from Manager within the audit department. Ellen has several years’ experience offering advice and services to a portfolio of small and medium sized companies across a broad range of sectors, ranging from local owner managed businesses to international group entities.

 

With over 20 years’ experience, Susan has been with Azets since 2021 and is a qualified chartered accountant, based in the Swansea office. Having previously worked within a Big Four and a smaller firm, Susan is recognised as a ‘Responsible Individual’, a regulated employee responsible for audit work. Susan’s specialisms sit within SMEs in the manufacturing, retail and construction industries.

 

On the promotions, Jonathan Rees, Partner at Azets South Wales said: “It’s an exciting time for us as we continue to support our teams to match business demand across a variety of departments.  These promotions are incredibly well deserved and reflect the talent and expertise within the region.  Alongside the above, 12 other promotions have been made from Associate level to Senior Manager – we’re committed to growing and developing our team and are looking forward to continuing this strategy in 2023.”

 

All vacancies can be found at www.azets.co.uk/careers where applications from those who are looking to work flexibly or part-time, reduced hours or term-time are encouraged.

Appointments, Cardiff, Environment, News, Science

Cardiff biosciences company makes key appointment to develop sustainable product range

Genesis Biosciences has made a key appointment at its Cardiff-based headquarters to support the development of its extensive eco-friendly microbial product range. 

Kate Ledwoch has been appointed as Senior Scientist and will aid Genesis in its research and development lab, supporting the implementation of cutting-edge technology into new and existing products. 

Recently published in the British Journal of Hospital Medicine, Kate has a PhD in Applied Phycology from Cranfield University; a MSc in Biofuels Process Engineering and BSc in Chemical Technology and Engineering and will bring her wealth of experience to microbiology experiments in the lab, testing products and reporting to ensure Genesis’ research meets the highest industry standards. 

Discussing her recent appointment, Kate said: “Since joining Genesis, I’ve enjoyed developing my own skills and getting to know the team, but I mostly love seeing the research that we do in the lab having real-life applications; it’s great to see the impact my work has. 

“I joined Genesis because of its evidence-driven philosophy, as all our products are scientifically verified and validated with purpose, extensive research and constant improvements. This truly resonated with me and I love being part of a team who all share these values.” 

Emma Saunders, General Manager at Genesis Biosciences, said: “We are very pleased to welcome Kate to the team and are excited to have such a talented individual joining us. As we continue to develop our extensive product range, our senior scientists are key figures in our research and development team, and we’re excited to see what Kate will bring.” 

Genesis Biosciences is dedicated to using multi-disciplinary research methods looking into the use of sustainable microbial organisms for a range of applications including cleaning, waste-water management and odour control. With a leading fermentation facility and laboratories in Georgia, USA, as well as a comprehensive research, development & technical facility located in Cardiff, Genesis’ unique eco-benign® philosophy is gradually reducing the need for the use of toxic chemicals worldwide. 

For further information, please visit www.genesisbiosciences.co.uk. 

Appointments, News

City & Country appoints new Development Director

When Ben Mackett joined developer and heritage specialist City & Country after he graduated in 2010, he worked directly with David Sargeant, the company’s Development Director at the time and one of the owners of the business.

Now, after working on the other side of the Atlantic, Mackett is returning to take over his friend’s old role – re-joining the company as Development Director and looking forward to inspiring and equipping the next generation of young graduates.

After graduating from Anglia Ruskin University in Chelmsford, Mackett joined City & Country as one of its first graduate entrants, and was given the chance to work in various departments across the business learning the ropes, before settling into a role helping David Sargeant with projects across the south east of England. “It was a great learning curve,” he recalls.

Four years later he moved to live in London and spent four years working for a project management consultancy called Tower 8, broadening his experience, including working on the Lanesborough Hotel, The Hoxton Hotel and The Broadway apartment complex.

After experiencing the rush of working in central London, Mackett wanted to extend his horizons further still. “I really wanted to work abroad, so I started applying for jobs overseas at other project management consultant firms.”
This led to four years working in Los Angeles on a range of projects from retail to office to residential (both new build and refurbishment). “Construction in America is very different, even the language is different,” he says. “I already knew how to build and manage projects, but the processes and contracts were not the same so this definitely took some getting used to. I was also pushed out of my comfort zone as I was managing my own team for the first time – however, I soon became comfortable and now really enjoy this aspect.”

“I had been planning to stay in Los Angeles when I was offered the role at City & Country – going full circle to have the position of development director. I couldn’t turn it down, I wanted to jump in and take the opportunity with a fresh perspective from my diverse experience over the intervening years.”

Mackett’s new role as Development Director involves being active in many areas of the business, including managing projects and project teams at sites predominantly in London and Bristol keeping time, cost, quality and risk under control.

“I have kept in contact with David Sargeant throughout my career and we have stayed on friendly terms, so it’s really exciting to be rejoining the company at a senior level and taking on his old job. The company has changed a lot since I worked there as a graduate, particularly with the growth of the new build side of the business which I’ve had great experience in over the last few years; I’m also particularly passionate about the renovations side of the business – I’m really looking forward to working on such a diverse portfolio.” says Mackett.

“I’m especially excited about working on The 1840 – it’s a big project transforming a great building,” he says. The 1840, near Wandsworth Common in South West London, is a major restoration project sensitively converting a redundant Grade II Listed hospital building into apartments. “It’s fantastic to see this old NHS building that was run down and in disrepair having a new lease of life – it will be an amazing place to live!”

Mackett continued, “The key goals I hope to achieve in this role are mainly around creating high-performing teams, so people feel challenged when they come to work but have fun at the same time. I don’t want a top-down approach, but a working environment where everyone has ownership of their own role and the opportunity to excel.”

He loves the role of Development Director as it involves so many different aspects of the business. “I will be involved in design, planning, cost and customer care – the job is constantly changing so I will never get bored as I’m not doing the same thing every day. I’m looking forward to being constantly challenged!”

David Sargeant, Director at City & Country, added: “We are delighted to have Ben Mackett on board and are pleased that after exploring the world he has decided to return to his roots for the next stage of his career, back to where it all began.”

Appointments, News

Quinyx announces the appointment of Tristan Rogers as Chief Strategy Officer

Quinyx, a global leader in AI-powered workforce management (WFM) software, has announced the appointment of Tristan Rogers as Chief Strategy Officer (CSO).

UK-based Rogers is the former CEO and founder of Concrete, a retail-centric employee task and engagement platform which Quinyx acquired in March 2022.

Quinyx customers include Boots, Domino’s, HMV, Lindex, McDonald’s and Starbucks.

“As Quinyx continues to grow, and with huge demand in the US and Europe for advanced workforce management, Tristan will play a key role in connecting our future vision to the company’s market presence and product capabilities,” said Quinyx CEO Erik Fjellborg.

The announcement comes ahead of the NRF 2023 (National Retail Federation) trade show in New York, where Quinyx will showcase its unique task management, employee engagement, AI-powered workforce management, and optimisation capabilities.

“I am excited to join the executive leadership team and to help Quinyx continue delivering best-in-class, AI-fuelled solutions that improve employee experiences and operational efficiency,” said Rogers, who will present Quinyx’s Frontline Working Platform’s vision at the NRF.

Quinyx’s all-in-one WFM solutions enable frontline worker-reliant organisations to optimise their businesses, manage their workforce and engage their frontline employees. The platform lets Quinyx customers increase employee retention and improve business efficiency by supporting the frontline workforce journey.

In a recent study conducted by Forrester Consulting, Quinyx delivered a 376% return on investment (ROI) and $1.4M in savings based on a 50% reduction in overtime costs over a three-year period, which resulted in $3.67M in net present value (NPV).

 

About Quinyx
Quinyx is a leading AI-powered workforce management software that makes the complex tasks of scheduling, time reporting, communicating, budgeting, and forecasting deskless workers simple.

With offices in the UK, US, Australia, Sweden, Finland, Germany, Norway and Denmark and the Netherlands, Quinyx helps more than 1000 companies around the world reduce labour costs, remain compliant, and improve workforce efficiency – all the while boosting their bottom line, employee satisfaction, and retention.

Quinyx customers include McDonald’s, London City Airport, Hilton, Virgin Atlantic, and Starbucks.

Appointments, Healthcare, News

Distinguished Oncologist Appointed Chair of Make 2nds Count

Secondary breast cancer charity Make 2nds Count has appointed internationally-renowned oncologist Professor David Cameron as chairman of their trustees.

The Edinburgh-based academic has a reputation which is globally recognised and chairs an umbrella group of 57 worldwide breast cancer trial groups.
He is currently a Professor of Oncology at Edinburgh University, works in NHS Lothian’s cancer centre treating breast cancer patients and was until recently the joint lead for the Edinburgh Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre.
Secondary breast cancer, also known as metastatic, advanced or stage IV breast cancer, is cancer that has spread beyond the breast to other parts of the body and is incurable. On average there are around 35,000 patients in the UK currently living with this form of the disease.

Prof Cameron says: “I am delighted and privileged to take on this role for an organisation that is doing such fantastic work supporting those affected by secondary breast cancer – and raising awareness of this form of the disease which remains largely unknown by most people.
“Our determination to seek improvements in treatments and promote appropriate trials is stronger than ever. Together we can demonstrate to patients and their families that it is possible to enhance the lives of those living with this disease and to give them hope during what is a very difficult and emotional time. There is so much yet to be achieved but this is a wonderful opportunity to work with a dynamic charity that is really making a difference.”

Emma Hall, Head of Operations for Make 2nds Count said: “We’re honoured to have Prof Cameron on board and thrilled to be working with a chairman with so much clinical and research experience in treating secondary breast cancer. We share a strong commitment to our patient community and a vision for how we can work together to bring hope to patients through greater awareness of the disease, more research and education.”

Prof Cameron, a Cambridge University mathematics graduate who subsequently completed a medical degree at St George’s Hospital Medical School, London, earned his MD with distinction from the University of Edinburgh in 1997.

In addition to his university and NHS roles, which included a spell as lead for systemic anti-cancer therapy in the region, he is to become a part-time deputy director in the Innovative Health Care Delivery Programme. The Scottish Government-funded initiative seeks to improve access to and enhance the use of routine data on cancer patients within NHS Scotland. He is also a Scottish Government R&D (CSO) clinical cancer research champion.

He is chair of the Brussels-based Breast International Group, vice-chair of the Oxford-based Early Breast Cancer Clinical Trialists’ steering group and active in several current clinical trials in breast cancer. Prof Cameron is also involved in numerous international breast cancer studies and is a member of several cancer research funding committees.

Make 2nds Count is a patient and family-focused charity dedicated to giving hope to women and men living with secondary breast cancer. Their mission is to fund secondary breast cancer research that contributes to advancing an increased quality of life for patients; establish a community that supports and educates patients and families affected by secondary breast cancer; inform and facilitate access to patient trials and increase overall awareness of secondary breast cancer.

For more information or support visit www.make2ndscount.co.uk/