A BUSINESSiQ round-up of the key moves at influential companies around the North East - who’s in and who’s out
Clive Owen
Clive Owen LLP has appointed an experienced new partner.
Phillipa Symington joins the firm, which has offices in Darlington, Durham, York and Middlesbrough, from KPMG in Leeds.
She was born in Bristol but emigrated to South Africa with her parents at an early age. Phillipa trained at Grant Thornton in South Africa, returning to the UK in late 2018.
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As a partner in the audit team, Phillipa will work with a broad client base, providing audit and technical compliance services. She has more than 18 years of experience working with owner- managed businesses and has worked across many different sectors including retail, pharmaceutical, leisure and hospitality, property, technology and manufacturing.
Phillipa said: “I am delighted to be joining a firm that is so people-focused, open and inclusive in the way it works. I have never known an environment where everyone has a smile on their face all the time, but Clive Owen LLP is exactly like that. The culture is amazing and as a single mum of two children the work life balance the firm offers is perfect.”
Muckle
Cumbria-born Georgia Sproat is celebrating after taking up a full-time contract with Newcastle-based commercial law firm Muckle LLP.
Having worked across the firm’s Corporate, Banking, Construction and Engineering teams, Georgia has now completed her training contract and has taken up her seat in Muckle’s Banking and Restructuring team.
Georgia said: “I think what makes Muckle such a great place to work is the people – there is a real family feel to working here. Everyone is so adaptable and helpful, and the working environment is flexible and inclusive. I am very excited to be furthering my career here.”
Muckle is ranked second in the world against legal firms of the same size, and 147th globally overall, following its Investors in People survey results where it maintained “Gold” status. In total, over 98% of employees said Muckle was a great place to work.
Louise Duffy, Partner and Head of Banking said: “Like everyone here, Georgia is committed to providing our clients with technically excellent service. Our clients love working with her and she is already a tremendous asset to our business.”
CTS
CTS UK, the flourishing North Yorkshire-based business supply chain specialist, has strengthened its talented team with a significant management appointment
Lisa Ford joins as Sales Director at a pivotal stage in the Northallerton company’s development in the wake of a record-breaking year.
Lisa, from Wrenthorpe, near Wakefield, has 30 years of experience in sales, mainly in management, working for the Yorkshire Post, Supplies Team Solutions and stationery and office supplies company Banner.
She said: “This is a dream move for me. It is a wonderful opportunity to join a young, vibrant and expanding company, with a clear vision and a tremendous team spirit. I will be leading a talented sales team as we build on CTS’s reputation as one of the leading business supplies companies in the north of England.
“CTS is now enjoying significant growth across all categories, supplying PPE, personalised uniforms and workwear, merchandise, facilities, and stationery as well as sourcing, warehousing and fulfilment and our client list, including Frasers Group, is stellar.”
GSC Grays
The rural land and property specialists, has promoted six members of their staff at a key time for the company as it continues to expand its team of experts.
The promoted six are:
Rachel Morris – promoted to General Practice Associate Director
Jake Nixon – promoted to Farm Business Consultant
Hannah Proctor – promoted to Farm Business Consultant
Helen Simpson – promoted to Rural Associate Director
Hamish Smales – promoted to Rural Associate Director
Georgina Watson – promoted to Rural Director
In addition to these promotions the firm has recently opened a new office in Boroughbridge, North Yorkshire and the expansion comes as GSC Grays has been appointed to deliver customised free farm business advice across the North of England as part of Defra’s £32m Future Farming Resilience Fund (FFRF) Scale Up Project.
Guy Coggrave, Managing Director, GSC Grays, said: “Here at GSC Grays we bring extraordinary people together to build a brighter future for the rural land and business community across the North of England.
“Central to our ethos is recognising and rewarding talent and we are delighted to announce the promotion of six of our outstanding colleagues at a time of exciting opportunities for the company which includes our recent appointment by Defra as a provider to the Future Farming Resilience Fund (FFRF) Scale Up Project.
“This project will involve providing individually customised farm business advice to 1650 farms across the North of England in addition to workshops, webinars and business group meetings and the quality of our staff is the key to our success.”
The free service is available to BPS recipients in the North East, North West, Yorkshire and the North Midlands and a total of 1650 farms will receive individually designed business advice from GSC Grays as part of the countrywide project.
Broadacres
The housing association has appointed Helen Fielding as its new Development and Investment Director.
Helen has spent the last nine years (the last two as Head of Growth) working at Homes England, the body which funds affordable housing in the country.
Previously, she was Housing Manager at Hambleton District Council so comes to her new job at Broadacres with a wealth of local, regional, and national social housing experience.
As Development and Investment Director, Helen will oversee a team responsible for the development of new homes for Broadacres Group and the strategic investment in existing homes, including continuing to implement the association’s energy efficiency programme, and its strategy of achieving carbon neutral by 2050.
Helen said: “‘I am really thrilled to be joining Broadacres, and I am looking forward to helping deliver more quality, sustainable and improved homes across North Yorkshire.
“I have worked in this part of the world, and with Broadacres for many years, so in a way this feels like coming home for me.
"I am passionate about supporting rural communities to grow and thrive, and excited about the opportunity to join such a great team making that happen, working with partners and partnerships to make our collective ambitions a reality.”
Gail Teasdale, Broadacres’ Chief Executive, said: “Helen brings a wealth of rural experience which I know she will use to deliver more great new homes and to invest in our existing homes to ensure affordable homes are available to communities across North Yorkshire.”
Helen Simpson, Chair of Broadacres, said: “Attracting someone of Helen’s calibre is a real coup for Broadacres and she adds further value and experience to an already very strong executive management team.”
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