A BUSINESSiQ round-up of the key moves at influential companies around the North East - who’s in and who’s out

 

NEL Fund Managers

 

A well-known North East dealmaker has taken over as the new chief executive of regional fund management firm NEL Fund Managers.

Jonathan Luke has served as the Newcastle-based firm’s portfolio director for the last four years and was promoted to deputy chief executive earlier this year as part of NEL’s succession planning preparations.

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His predecessor, Dr Yvonne Gale, will be working alongside Jonathan over the coming months to help complete a smooth transition before taking up a non-executive director role with NEL.

Jonathan joined NEL in 2004 after a career in the regional banking sector, and holds the CFA Institute’s Investment Management Certificate.

NEL Fund Managers is responsible for running two of the five funds which make up the £120m North East Fund Supported By The European Regional Development Fund.

Jonathan Luke said: “NEL has been helping ambitious North East businesses achieve their growth potential for more than 30 years, and despite all the challenges facing the regional economy today, there’s no shortage of robust business plans coming our way.

“The personal relationships we build with management teams, the understanding we develop of their businesses and the sounding board that we provide right through the investment relationship are the key elements of our way of working.”

Railway Housing Association

 

A Darlington housing association has appointed a new board chair and one of his first tasks will be to oversee the recruitment of a new Chief Executive.

Chris Fawcett has taken on the role at Railway Housing Association, which owns and manages over 1,500 homes across the North-East, Yorkshire, Tees Valley, Cumbria and Herefordshire.

He replaces Berni Whitaker who stood down in June after completing her maximum six-year term.

Chris is currently Executive Director – Business Transformation, for Broadacres Housing Association where he has worked for the last 13 years.

The current Chief Executive, Anne Rowlands, is retiring in March 2023 after leading the organisation for the last 14 years.

Cairn Group

 

Newcastle-based Cairn Group has appointed an experienced Food and Beverage Operations Director to oversee its portfolio of standalone restaurants and bars.

David Ladd joins from Bar Soba Group where he headed the Pan Asian brand and was responsible for an annual turnover of more than £10million and 200 employees.

Cairn Group successfully operates individually branded bars and restaurants across the UK in addition to 28 hotels.

Peachy Digital

 

A North Yorkshire marketing agency is recruiting for a number of roles after a host of new clients.

Peachy Digital, based in Northallerton has welcomed Brymor Ice Cream, UK Development Corporation, and DMP Sharks to its customer base, as well as winning an award in the 2022 Northern Enterprise Awards.

Managing Director, Lizzie Turner said: “Peachy has gone from just me working from a badly decorated dining room, to a team of three working on national and even international brands, looking to double our headcount.”

Atom bank

 

Atom bank has announced the appointment of Andrew Marshall as its new Chief Financial Officer, replacing Atom co-founder David McCarthy.
Andrew has been working at Atom for over six years, holding the positions of Group Financial Controller, Deputy CFO and Director of Corporate Finance during that time. Prior to Atom, he worked at Barclays and EY.
He replaces long-standing CFO David McCarthy, who co-founded Atom in 2014 and is leaving for personal reasons. The move represents the next stage of Atom’s development as a business, and follows the recent appointments of Andy Sturrock and Rebecca Cartwright to the roles of Chief Technology Officer and Chief Risk Officer respectively.
In his new role, Andrew will focus on ensuring Atom continues on its journey towards long-term profitability, while preparing the bank for a large capital event in the future.
Andrew Marshall said: “In such a volatile period, our mission to make the experience of borrowing and saving simpler, faster and better value is more important than ever.
“On a personal note, as someone who grew up in the North East of England, I share Atom’s passion for developing local talent and offering learning opportunities from our hub in Durham.”
Mark Mullen, Chief Executive Officer at Atom, said: “David has been instrumental in making Atom what it is today. This is his company as much as it will ever belong to anybody and I want to thank him for his fantastic contribution over the last eight years.”

GB Bank

 

MIDDLESBROUGH-based GB Bank has recruited a new Chief Commercial Officer as it ramps up operations following the grant of its full UK banking licence in August.
Veteran industry figure Rob Lankey joins GB Bank – the UK’s newest fully authorised bank – after more than 30 years in the financial services sector.
Rob has worked in a wide range of organisations in the specialist lending and banking industry and has launched, built and grown a number of short and long-term lending businesses.

Rob Lankey said: “GB Bank represents something really new in the financial services sector – a bank which is focused on lending to SME developers and property investors throughout the property lifecycle, offering innovative finance solutions and truly investing in helping to build local communities.
“Their ethos chimes in with so much of my thinking and experience in the industry so it’s the perfect match.”

 

R4L

 

AN AMBITIOUS orthodontic business has snapped up one of the UK’s leading specialists as its new CEO.
Retainers 4 Life (R4L), a fast-growing company with bases in Sunderland and South Shields that helps patients preserve their straight teeth after treatment, has announced that Sean Thompson will be taking the reigns as it prepares for expansion.
Mr Thompson retired from his position as MD at the UK’s largest Specialist Orthodontic Laboratory, Ashford Orthodontics, 15 months ago and brings more than 40 years of industry knowledge to R4L and a proven track record in business

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