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This week’s North East appointments part 2

We bring you the second part of our extra-long weekly appointments roundup.

Kay Harrison, Sue Davison, Bob Farmer, Avec Partnership

The Avec Partnership, which provides services to the education sector, has recruited three new members of staff taking its workforce of educational experts to 30 as it operates across Yorkshire, County Durham, Teesside, Tyneside, Wearside and Northumberland.

Kay Harrison joins as an HR partner. Based in her native Featherstone, West Yorkshire, she will look after schools in Halifax and Leeds as well as working at Avec’s Darlington headquarters.

“With a background in local authorities, schools and multi-academy trusts, I will be working on a range of issues, from disciplinary cases to restructuring,” said Kay.

Sue Davison takes up a role of school and academy governance partner, using her experience in local authority education in Darlington, Durham, Redcar and Cleveland.

“I have spent my career so far advising schools on all manner of issues and handling complaints and am really looking forward to this new challenge,” said Sue, of Darlington.

Ex-soldier with 23 years service and former Royal Engineer Bob Farmer will be using his considerable expertise in the field of health and safety.

After being stationed in Ripon and Germany, he worked on the railways for four years and will now help academies with risk assessment and other health and safety issues.

“After working nights and very much on my own I am looking forward to working in a team again,” said Bob, of Coundon, near Bishop Auckland.

David Hall, Godfrey Syrett

Furniture manufacturer Godfrey Syrett has appointed a new group sales director to increase brand awareness throughout the UK and drive sales in new sectors.

The firm has appointed David Hall, formerly managing director at Einhell UK Ltd David brings with him a wealth of experience in successfully building retail brands on a national scale, and a proven track record in managing growth through increasing sales and profits.

David Hall said: “I am very pleased to join such an established and very well respected firm, I will be working with the sales team to review its target sectors and identify potential new business opportunities within its growth strategy. My key objective is to ensure that the Godfrey Syrett brand and core values are communicated to a much larger audience.”

Laura Dale, Punch Robson Solicitors

Punch Robson Solicitors have appointed newly qualified Commercial Property Solicitor, Laura Dale, to their head office on Albert Road, Middlesbrough. Laura joined the firm’s Corporate and Commercial department at the beginning of February, shortly after becoming qualified at the start of the year.

Laura said: “I am really excited to be joining the team at Punch Robson. I wanted to work for the firm because I have seen that they really care about helping young solicitors develop and become true experts in their area of law.

“I am enjoying working on Commercial Property cases, they are so varied and complex and so I find it’s something I can really get stuck into- a real challenge.”

Mike Spetch, Muckle LLP

Mike Spetch, a corporate partner with more than 27 years’ experience, has joined north-east based Muckle LLP, to further strengthen the commercial law firm’s team.

Mike joins Muckle at a time when the corporate team has experienced considerable growth during 2015, which is continuing well into 2016. Last year, the corporate team advised on more mergers and acquisitions of businesses valued above £500,000 in the region than any other law firm, placing the firm at the top of the Experian CorpFin league tables for the second year in a row.

Mike’s sector experience is vast having covered the pharmaceuticals, food, retail and leisure industries, as well as more general manufacturing and engineering businesses.

Originally from York, Mike studied law at Leicester University and has worked across the North East and Leeds during his career.

He said: “I’m delighted to have joined such an active and client-focused team at Muckle LLP. The corporate team is hugely enthusiastic about the work they do and the clients they act for. This is reflected across the firm which has a very positive working environment.

“My role at Muckle will be to lead teams and advise on corporate deals, and to help coach and develop other members of the team to achieve their potential for themselves and clients.”

Ciara Small and Matt Bratton, NewcastleGateshead Initiative (NGI)

NewcastleGateshead Initiative (NGI) has bolstered its Invest Newcastle team with the appointment of two key roles. Ciara Small and Matt Bratton, have joined Inward Investment Director Catherine Walker, in promoting Newcastle nationally and internationally to attract and secure new investment into the city.

Ciara took up her new role as Senior Investment Manager in January 2016 and Matt, the newest member of the team, joined on the 1 February as Senior Inward Investment Executive.

Catherine Walker said: “I’m delighted to welcome both Matt and Ciara to the team. Their expertise and variety of experience will bring new and fresh ideas to the team, supporting the work we do to attract corporate occupiers and investors into the city.”

Born in Belfast Ciara moved to Newcastle to study International Business Management and Spanish at Newcastle University. Following university Ciara worked as a Development Consultant within an international leadership training company based in Cambridge but the draw of Newcastle brought Ciara back to the city in 2015.

Ciara Small said: “Ever since moving to Newcastle to study I have always wanted to return. Last year I made the move back to the city with an ambition to pursue a career actively contributing to the economic development of Newcastle, so joining the Invest Newcastle team at NGI was the perfect fit.”

Matt joins NGI following two years with Creative Space Management where he actively targeted and attracted SMEs to The Core, based on Newcastle Science Central. Prior to this Matt was a key driver in attracting students to Newcastle University as part of the Marketing and Student Recruitment Directorate. Matt studied Mathematics at Newcastle University.

Matt Bratton said: “I’m thrilled to join the Invest Newcastle team. Following my previous roles at The Core and Newcastle University it is a natural transition where I can broaden my focus and demonstrate what the whole of Newcastle has to offer.”

Michelle Minnikin, Scott Logic

Bespoke software development consultancy Scott Logic has welcomed a new Recruitment Manager to its growing workforce.

Michelle Minnikin joins the firm in a newly created role, Recruitment Manager - Strategy, from Balfour Beatty, where she was UK Resourcing Business Partner for three years, servicing its investment and corporate support functions.

Based at the firm’s Newcastle headquarters, she will work with John Wright, Scott Logic’s Recruitment Manager - Operations, to ensure the company continues to attract high-calibre software engineers and support staff.

Scott Logic’s HR Director Marilyn Morrison said: “We are delighted to welcome Michelle to our growing recruitment team. Key to our development as a company is ensuring we devise innovative recruitment strategies through being actively engaged in both technology and the local communities in which we work.

“Michelle’s expertise will be crucial to our focus on proactive activities in these communities, which will help us identify and attract talented candidates to join us.”

Michelle added: “I am really excited to be joining a business full of smart people, and proud to be able to use my experience in the recruitment sector to support its ongoing expansion.

“The team at Scott Logic has been friendly and welcoming, and I can’t wait to pay it forward as we welcome more people on board.”

Join us again next week for more of the latest appointments across the region.