Category Archives: Appointments

Appointments, Finance News, News

Equity Release Group add to Management Team and appoint two new Advisers amidst renewed business growth

The UK’s leading whole of market equity release experts, Equity Release Group (ERG), today announced a trio of new hires that will join the Group’s equity release advisory business – Equity Release Supermarket (ERS) – as they expand their UK operations to fulfil the growing appetite within the industry and beyond.

The surge in recruitment closely follows the news of ERG’s new partnership with Responsible Lending, the exclusive providers of the Royal London Equity Release product range, as well as their strategic partnership with price comparison service – MoneySuperMarket (MSM).

The latest appointments to the UK’s No.1 independent equity release advisory service firm – Louise Thompkins, Brian Massie and Paul Massie – bring a wealth of knowledge and expertise from within the financial services sector.

 

Mark Gregory, Founder and CEO of Equity Release Group commented: “With a broader product mix now available, alongside a renewed confidence within the market following a year of turbulence, we’re witnessing above industry average growth within the Group.

“In part this is due to certain environmental factors but also due to our strategic partnerships and digital capabilities. By enabling customers to monitor rates and LTVs through the use of smartER™ – the UK’s only equity release comparison tool – consumers now have access to a comparative suite with greater choice, independence and transparency.

“To support this continued drive, we are thrilled to welcome Louise, Brian and Paul to our expansive and well-established team. Their respective expertise will help us to further strengthen our position and reach throughout the UK. It is always our aim to provide the best possible quality service to our customers, which is why we invest so heavily in our people, expertise and technology.”

 

With over 27 years’ experience within the financial services arena, Louise has an extensive knowledge of the mortgage and later life lending market.  She began as a Financial Adviser before progressing into leadership roles and will now head up the advice team at ERS, overseeing wellbeing, quality, and general operations.

 

Louise Thompkins commented: “It’s genuinely a privilege to join Equity Release Group. They have a very strong work ethic and incredible reputation, as well as being at the forefront of several industry changes. So, I’m delighted to be part of the team.

“I join ERS as Advice Team Manager from Legal and General where I was a founding member of the leadership team, tasked with the launch of their inhouse advice service and subsequently their whole of market proposition. My passion is about improving advice standards within the sector and driving the right customer outcome through the provision of good quality advice, and an excellent customer experience.

“I am really looking forward to being part of the team at ERS. They have the perfect platform in place to enable me to drive a continued and heightened customer experience.”

 

Other new faces alongside Louise are brothers Brian and Paul Massie, who will be advising customers that come into the business from Equity Release Supermarket and MoneySuperMarket. Both have worked in the financial services industry for several years.

 

The brothers share the mentality that seeing their clients benefit from whole of market advice is particularly rewarding, hence they were very keen to join the Equity Release Supermarket team. Prior to joining ERS, Brian and Paul were both part of the equity release team at Fluent.

Louise will be based at the firm’s HQ in Warrington, whilst Brian and Paul being telephone advisers, will provide whole of market advice to clients on a nationwide basis in support of the company’s growing national expansion plans.

 

Mark added, “We have an exceptionally talented and pro-active team who deliver unparalleled support and services to our clients, which have enabled the business to continue to excel.

“This is the first of many hires we expect to make throughout the year following year on year growth. Due to smartER™ consistently growing in popularity, new product launches, platform developments, new partnerships and affiliations, it is a particularly exciting time for people to join the firm and be part of this sector digital transformation.”

Appointments

Keysource makes senior appointment to support service for investors

Keysource, the leading global specialist in data centres and critical environments, has appointed David Franczak to support its standalone Lender Technical Advisor (LTA) service which provides financial institutions with technical due diligence, including environmental and social monitoring, for investment opportunities associated with the data centre market.

The Keysource LTA service provides lenders with a comprehensive view of a project’s technical aspects, evaluating against industry standards for financing, constructability, and operability.  In his new role David will work with the team, acting as a link between the lenders and the borrower, engaging with both parties to identify risks that might influence the viability, or affect the cash flow of the Data Centre project, and offering strategic advice on how to avoid, or mitigate those risks.

Prior to joining Keysource, David was a Senior Consultant at PTS where he worked on numerous projects providing technical and operational data centre facility due diligence and audit services, including comprehensive risk assessment commentary.

Commenting on his appointment David said: “Our role as an LTA is to provide lenders with a one-stop-shop solution, identifying and assessing risks throughout the investment cycle. The expertise within the wider Keysource team of end-to-end data centre services, including equipment suitability and the construction process, enables us to adopt an unrivalled holistic and comprehensive approach to our advisory services.”

“The data centre sector remains an attractive option for investors with continuing strong demand versus a lack of supply, driven in part by AI, digital transformation and 5G uptake which is generating higher levels of data traffic which in turn generates growth in demand for IT infrastructure and the requirement for more storage and processing power. Whilst there are challenging factors such as limitations in power availability, space and skills, returns remain strong for digital infrastructure capital investments. However, this is a highly complex sector, and investors can benefit from specialist independent advice to enable them to assess the appropriate risk-return profile for their projects,” said Stephen Whatling, Group CEO at Keysource Group Ltd.

Appointments, Charity & CSR, Law, News

Laytons ETL promotes Simrun Garcha to private client and charities partner

Laytons ETL, the City of London-based international commercial law firm, has promoted Simrun Garcha to the position of partner in its private client and charities team. Previously an associate partner, Ms Garcha has been with Laytons ETL since joining as a trainee in 2012.

Ms Garcha, who qualified as a solicitor in 2014, specialises in estate planning, probate, trust and charity law. She is a full member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP), and a member of the Charity Law Association and the Association of Contentious Probate Practitioners.

Her expertise includes estate planning for ultra-high-net-worth individuals, setting up and administering trusts, and dealing with probate and succession, including cross border estates. She also advises charities and trustees on a broad range of governance issues.

Commenting on her promotion, Ms Garcha said, “The private client and charities team at Laytons ETL is highly respected both by our peers and our clients. We work on some genuinely fascinating, highly complex matters and, as a partner, I am really looking forward to continuing to build my practice and support the team’s work.”

In tandem with Ms Garcha’s promotion, longstanding partner Ian Burman has returned full-time to the role of head of Laytons ETL’s private client and charities team. Mr Burman, who founded the department in 1989, stepped back from the head of department role last year to focus on his own practice.

He has now returned to spearhead growth across Laytons ETL’s private client and charities department, as the firm embarks on an expansion drive.

Mr Burman is a leading authority in private client and charity law, and was chair of the London Central Branch of STEP from 2007 to 2011. He was a STEP committee member for 20 years.

Both Mr Burman and Ms Garcha are co-authors of Tolley’s Administration of Estates, the leading legal textbook in the field of estate administration.

In common with the rest of the firm, many of the matters handled by the private client and charities department are international in nature. In addition to its capabilities in estate planning and administration, contentious and non-contentious probate, trusts and charities law, the team is also able to call on the expertise of the firm’s tax practice, led by head of tax Marc Selby.

Ian Burman said, “The private client and charities team at Laytons ETL has undergone significant expansion and, with stretching but exciting growth targets in place firm-wide, it now feels like the right time to return to the head of department role. We have an incredibly strong team, with a wide range of capabilities, and are in a great position to take advantage of the many growth opportunities we are creating firm-wide.

“I would also like to congratulate Simrun on her well-deserved promotion to partner. I know she will play a key role in the continued development of our practice over the years ahead.”

Appointments, Employee Benefits, HR Software, News, Wellbeing at Work

Boostworks Appoints Joanne Werker as new CEO

Oxford, 30th July 2024 – Boostworks, a leading provider of employee reward and recognition, benefits delivery and wellbeing solutions, is pleased to announce an exciting leadership transition. Effective from 1st August, 2024, Joanne Werker, CSMO, becomes its new Chief Executive Officer. Joanne will replace Andy Caldicott, CEO, who will transition to a newly created role of Strategic Programme Director, responsible for leading the delivery of major initiatives focused on extending the Boostworks solutions portfolio, and core operating model.

With a wealth of experience managing multi-million pound business P&Ls, across diverse sectors, Joanne’s previous roles at Vodafone, Virgin Media O2, and TruRating, underscore her ability to scale operations and drive disruptive strategies across emerging markets to generate new revenue streams. Since joining Boostworks two years ago, Joanne has demonstrated exceptional leadership in strategic planning, go-to-market initiatives and customer growth programmes. She has also played a pivotal role in driving a number of transformational projects across sales, marketing, product, and the brand itself.

Joanne with Andy Caldicott

“I am truly delighted to take on the role of CEO and build upon the strong foundation that Andy has established,” said Joanne Werker, CEO, Boostworks. “Together with our talented team, I look forward to driving innovation, expanding our market presence, and creating further value for our customers and stakeholders.”

 

The company’s Chairman, Mark Bond, expressed confidence in the new leadership team and the opportunities ahead.

“We are grateful for Andy’s outstanding contributions as CEO and excited about his new role as Strategic Programme Director,” said Mark Bond, Chairman, Boostworks.

“Joanne’s appointment as CEO marks a new chapter for Boostworks. Her proven track record at Vodafone, Virgin Media O2 and TruRating underscore her ability to scale operations and drive business growth. Furthermore, her strategic vision makes her the ideal leader to guide us into the future. The opportunities ahead are immense, and I am confident that under Joanne’s leadership, we will continue to achieve remarkable success.”

 

During his tenure as CEO, Andy has been instrumental in laying the foundations for Boostworks’ growth.

“Leading Boostworks has been an incredible journey, and I am immensely proud of what we’ve achieved together,” said Andy Caldicott, Strategic Programme Director, Boostworks.

“I feel really energised to be taking on this new role and continue contributing to the company’s vibrant culture. I have the utmost confidence in Joanne’s ability to lead Boostworks to even greater heights.”

 

Appointments, Business, Cardiff

Swansea Building Society Sponsors Cardiff Business Club and Appoints Richard Miles to Board

In a strategic partnership, Swansea Building Society will sponsor Cardiff Business Club for the upcoming season. This announcement follows a year of exceptional growth and record profits for the Society in South East Wales and the Welsh borders. Additionally, Richard Miles, the Society’s Head of Savings & Marketing / Area Manager East Wales, joins the Cardiff Business Club Board.

As a longstanding pillar of the Welsh financial community, Swansea Building Society recognises the importance of fostering strong business networks and supporting the local economy. The decision to sponsor Cardiff Business Club aligns with the Society’s commitment to giving back to the business community that has been integral to its success.

Cardiff Business Club, founded in 1912, is a leading organisation of its kind in Wales. It aims to offer an environment where all their members can connect with decision makers from across the private, public and charitable sectors to support and promote their businesses.

Richard Miles brings a wealth of experience to his new role on the Cardiff Business Club Board. With a robust background in sales and marketing, Miles has demonstrated exceptional leadership and strategic vision. His roles as a board member of Cardiff YMCA Housing Association Limited and Linc Cymru have further honed his expertise in governance and community engagement, making him a valuable asset to Cardiff Business Club.

Swansea Building Society, founded in 1923, is one of only three remaining mutual building societies in Wales. With its headquarters in Swansea and branch offices in Mumbles, Cowbridge and Carmarthen, it is gaining an increasing presence in South East Wales and the Welsh Borders. The Society’s main objective is to offer a wide range of savings and flexible mortgages accounts. The Society prides itself on their face-to-face approach that can suit all its members.

Richard Miles, Head of Savings & Marketing / Area Manager East at Swansea Building Society, said:

“Due to expansion across the area, we thought it would be a great idea to sponsor Cardiff Business Club to allow us to contribute to the vibrant business environment in Cardiff. It is an honour to be appointed as a board member at the Business Club. I relish the opportunity to bring my deep understanding and knowledge of sales and marketing to continue developing Cardiff Business Club and to continue to give back to the local business community.”

Richard Miles will join an illustrious panel on the Cardiff Business Club Board. This includes Club President, Baroness Grey-Thompson, who over 16 years and five Paralympic Games won eleven gold medals, three silver and one bronze, cementing her reputation as one of the most gifted sportswomen of her generation. Another famous name on the Club Board is its Secretary, Paul Thorburn, the former Neath RFC and international Wales rugby union player, who still holds the record for the longest successful kick in an international test match.

Phil Jardine, Chair of Cardiff Business Club, said:

“It is great to have Swansea Building Society to sponsor us this year. It is a privilege to have Richard join our Board due to his success with the Society in the South East Wales area. I am positive that he will be a great asset to Cardiff Business Club.”

Appointments, Cardiff, Investment, Investment News, South Wales

Howden appoints Account Director to accelerate growth in Wales

HOWDEN, the global insurance intermediary group, has appointed Tony Barber as Account Director as it continues to grow its presence in South Wales.

 

Tony will be based in Cardiff, covering Wales and its surrounding regions, and joins the team having previously worked as Account Director at Willis Towers Watson.

 

In his new role, Tony will help drive Howden’s positive growth in Wales by supporting larger and more complex clients, developing and implementing comprehensive risk management and insurance strategies.

 

Commenting on his appointment, Tony said: “I am thrilled to be joining Howden’s Cardiff office and to build on its already fantastic growth.

 

“I was drawn to Howden due to its employee ownership model as it cultivates a collaborative culture amongst colleagues to the benefit of clients, as well as its renowned entrepreneurial culture.

 

“I’m excited to join a new team and am looking forward to playing a part in shaping Howden’s strategy in South Wales.”

 

Gary Stevens, Regional Managing Director at Howden, said: “Tony is yet another fantastic addition to our Cardiff team, and has already made an extraordinary impact in accelerating our growth and creating new ways in which we can support our clients.

 

“As we continue to grow our Howden team in Wales, I have every confidence that we will continue on our upwards trajectory and expand even further across south and west Wales.”

Appointments, Creative News, Marketing & PR, News, Wiltshire News

Three more talented youngsters join fast-growing creative agency Milk & Tweed

CREATIVE agency Milk & Tweed is continuing to expand its staff to keep pace with growth as three more talented young people join the fast-growing company.

Creative Director Jake Jeffries said the Wiltshire agency, which specialises in website, brand and logo design and digital marketing, made the appointments to stay ahead of demand brought about by a growing list of clients. “With new commissions for websites coming in all the time and more demand for digital marketing services from our existing clients, we need to maintain our high standards of customer service,” he said.

Joining the agency are junior digital marketers Tia-may Collins and Charlie Moody as well as junior web developer Jada Baron.

Jada, 23, has made a career switch to web development after five years in fashion buying and was appointed after impressing at her interview. “I’ve had a good journey in fashion and I liked the pace of it and social side of it but actually tech has always been something I’ve really been interested in, it’s where the world is going anyway,” she said.

Jada, who is from east London, signed up for website coding courses and studied in the evenings last year to build up her knowledge. “That’s when I realised I wanted to move into tech as a career,” she said. She was thrilled to be given her own website project after just a few weeks at Milk & Tweed. “Getting such a big project so early on was a bit daunting but the level of support and help I got was great,” she said. “It is very team focused and collaborative here, which I really love.”

Tia-may, 20, from Bristol, is in her first marketing job after leaving college and working in retail. “I studied business but I really enjoyed the marketing aspect of it,” she said. “There’s always something new to learn and I enjoy writing website content and learning more about SEO.

“It’s been supportive from the start here and if I have a question, I know who to go to. Everyone’s so lovely, I think that’s what makes it so enjoyable to work here.”

Charlie, 24, from Great Somerford, Wiltshire, had her university studies interrupted by Covid but still completed a degree in advertising and brand communications and secured a placement with a marketing company that confirmed her interest in the sector. “I like being creative and being able to help people at the same time, so it’s the perfect role,” she said. “You’re helping clients to be creative with their businesses.”

Like Tia-may, she has been working on website and social media copy. “I’ve got a lot of things to learn, so it’s keeping me busy, keeping my brain active,” she said. “I’ve enjoyed getting to see the range of clients we have and the work we do for them, how we help them individually.”

Mr Jeffries believes having a lively staff culture is helping the agency attract new talent over rivals in larger cities such as Bristol and Bath. “It is always a challenge finding and keeping good people but being able to offer varied, great quality work and a supportive atmosphere is key.

“I’m delighted to have Jada, Tia-may and Charlie as part of the Milk & Tweed team, it’s exciting to bring in talented young designers and creatives to add their energy and they have already settled in brilliantly.”

The agency recently expanded its Chippenham office when it took on an empty unit next door to create a larger open plan office and two extra meeting rooms. “We really need the space to work comfortably and already it is making a difference,” said Mr Jeffries.

Find out more about the agency’s services at milkandtweed.com.

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Pictured: Milk and Tweed’s trio of new starters, junior digital marketers Tia-may Collins, left, and Charlie Moody, right and junior web developer Jada Baron, centre

Appointments

Keysource appoints sustainability lead

Keysource Group, the global data centre and critical environment specialists, has appointed a Head of Sustainability as part of its ongoing focus on sustainable solutions across all elements of its services – consulting & design, management and operations.

Maria Papantoni, a chartered engineer, brings with her over a decade of environmental design and engineering experience and qualifications which include CIBSE low carbon; consultant & energy assessor (LCC & LCEA), and BREEAM assessor (BRE).

In her new role Maria will head up Keysource’ new Sustainability Division, made up of industry experts, who will deliver services across the customer asset lifecycle to develop, improve, and implement more sustainable services and solutions, ensuring alignment with the client’s goals and targets.

Keysource’s’ range of sustainability services provide customers with legislative and regulation advice to help navigate a changing landscape, audits, assessments, embodied & operational carbon modelling to measure and benchmark performance, intervention assessments to identify feasible opportunities, renewable solution analysis for robust technical and commercial business cases to delivery sustainability goals and objectives.

Jon Healy, COO at Keysource, said: “Our decision to recruit Maria to head up our new Sustainability Division, highlights the growing demand for sustainability led solutions and services within our sector. The stakes are high as the collective need to deliver to net zero targets intensifies, the regulatory landscape is developing, and organisations are under pressure to reduce carbon and meet sustainability goals, with consumers and investors demanding greater environmental responsibility from businesses. Getting the right advice is absolutely key to success and the appointment of Maria strengths our ability to provide this to our customers.”

Appointments, E-Commerce

Quickfire Digital ramps up global growth strategy with new Head of Growth appointment Dan Walton

Ecommerce specialist, Quickfire Digital – a leading Shopify agency in Europe – has announced the appointment of Dan Walton to the position of Head of Growth.

With over a decade’s ecommerce experience and a proven track record in driving commercial success, Dan is set to play a pivotal role in Quickfire Digital’s ambitious growth plans.

From scaling commercial operations and leading high-performance sales teams, to supporting the strategic goals of hundreds of global brands, Dan’s background in leading commercial functions at Radiant and Eastside Co sees him well-prepared to ramp up Quickfire Digital’s own growth initiatives.

This year has already seen Quickfire Digital celebrate a number of significant milestones, which have collectively cemented its position as one of Europe’s premier Shopify agencies.

Notable achievements have included surpassing 2023 commercial goals; onboarding 30+ new clients in H1 this year; hosting 40+ in-person events for ecommerce businesses and partners; and building powerful relationships that have formed the backbone of the agency’s growth to date.

Co-founder, Martin Harper at Quickfire Digital says: “These results are monumental, and a true testament to the hard work of the entire Quickfire team, which we anticipate to grow – sustainably – beyond 40 by year-end. We have consistently hit commercial objectives year after year, which has led to an increase in our original revenue targets following a robust first half of the year. Dan’s timely addition marks a new chapter in our mission to provide exceptional ecommerce solutions and support to brands worldwide. His strategic vision and deep understanding of the ecommerce landscape will be vital in achieving the agency’s revised commercial targets and sustaining its upward trajectory.”

To unleash the team’s full sales potential, Dan will double-down on generating new business opportunities through an extensive partnership network and supporting the team in implementing cutting-edge business strategies.

Additionally, he will be a key player in organising and representing the agency at major events across the UK and internationally, further solidifying Quickfire Digital’s presence in the ecommerce space.

“Joining Quickfire Digital as Head of Growth is an exciting opportunity,” says Dan. “I look forward to contributing to the agency’s continued success and helping to drive our strategic goals forward. Quickfire Digital has a strong foundation and an incredible team, and I am proud to be joining at such an extraordinary point in its growth journey.”

 

About Quickfire Digital

Established in 2017. Quickfire Digital is a team of fast-growing, ecommerce specialists who work with scale-hungry businesses. Through maximising the commercial potential of Shopify Plus, the agency supports brands and retailers to maximise four critical metrics: average order value, retention rate, customer lifetime value, and conversion rate. Quickfire Digital acts as allies on brands’ growth journey. They believe sustained ecommerce success comes from building mutually beneficial partnerships with clients and empathise with the realities of building a business and growing with our clients. For more information visit: https://www.quickfiredigital.com

Appointments, HR, HR News

ECI Partners appoints Tamsin Webster as Head of People

ECI Partners, the leading growth-focused mid-market private equity firm, has strengthened its HR team with the appointment of Tamsin Webster as Head of People. Tamsin will help develop ECI’s team for future growth, and will build on the company’s ongoing DE&I strategy.

Tamsin has built and led people and culture teams across a wide range of knowledge-based industries, including technology and finance. She joins from Fulcrum Asset Management where she was Chief People Officer for three years, during which time she helped the company grow from 65 to 100 people, instigated a new Human Resources information system, a new leadership programme, and supported the Management Board to develop an open, and collaborative culture. Tamsin has held senior HR positions at blue chip companies including UBS, BlackRock, Man AHL (part of Man Group) and Lloyds Banking Group. More recently Tamsin has helped PE and VC backed high-growth technology businesses to build their people functions, develop their culture and leadership capabilities.

This appointment follows ECI’s newly acquired B-Corp status with the accompanying ethos of business being a force for good, and a commitment to continuing to evolve the way the company does business, to benefit people and the planet.

Tamsin comments: “ECI Partners has a formidable and successful track record. I have been impressed by the wealth of talent across the business and the leadership team who are focused on raising the bar on their own performance and that of the team as a whole. I am delighted to be joining at this time to drive the people strategy and support our ambitions for further successes.”

David Ewing, Managing Partner, comments: “Tamsin has a really impressive track record with extensive experience working with large corporates, SMEs and Private Equity firms, so she will be a great asset in helping us develop our people for the next phase of our growth. We’re looking forward to Tamsin helping to drive the continued development of our  talented teams in ECI  and providing guidance on achieving our strategic business goals through our people.”