This week's Yorkshire appointments

Leeds-based accountancy firm Kirk Newsholme Chartered Accountants and Business Advisers has announced the promotion of three new Directors as part of its ongoing growth plans.

The firm has promoted Senior Managers Ben Maughan and Stephen Parnaby, who work in the Business Services team, to the position of Director.

Meanwhile, Andrew Thomas, of the firm’s Audit team, has also been promoted to Director.

Graham Kirk, the firm’s Managing Director, said: “Andrew, Ben and Stephen are fantastic role models here in the ways in which they service clients and nurture and develop our team.

“These promotions represent a very significant development for the firm and, when added to our existing four Directors, will enable us to continue with the controlled growth strategy we have in place.

“I am delighted to welcome them to the board and congratulate them on their well-deserved promotions.”

Alison Mackay, CBRE

CBRE has expanded its UK Development team in Leeds with the appointment of Alison Mackay as a senior planner.

Mackay joins from Colliers and brings more than eight years planning experience working in the private sector in London and the North East.

With expertise in dealing with large complex commercial planning applications and land promotion, Mackay has worked across the residential, office, industrial, hotel, retail, leisure and extra care sectors.

The team is working on a number of planning projects across the region, including Wellington Place in Leeds and Peel Logistics Park in Sheffield which secured planning approval last month.

Oliver Freer, Director in the Leeds Planning and Development team said: “I am delighted to welcome Alison Mackay to the Leeds team.

“Alison is a fantastic addition, bringing a broad range of commercial planning experience and enthusiasm that will be of great value as we grow the team.”

Kris Kilsby and Anna Ramli, Clarion

Kris Kilsby and Anna Ramli are the latest members of Clarion’s costs and litigation funding team to complete the specialist costs lawyer qualification; the team now includes five qualified costs lawyers and a solicitor.

Kris and Anna, who both joined Clarion in early 2018, undertook a three year course run by the Association of Costs Lawyers Training (ACLT).

Comprising assignments, supervised practice and three examinations, the two lawyers passed with merits for the overall course and have now qualified as costs lawyers.

Covering the wide spectrum of legal costs and general legal principles which are required by costs lawyers in their day to day work, the course is regulated by the Costs Lawyers Standards Board (CLSB).

Kris and Anna now have the right to carry out reserved legal activities such as conducting litigation and they have rights of audience in Court in respect of legal costs matters.

In his new role, Kris will focus on Court of Protection and Civil Litigation Costs matters while Anna will continue to specialise in Costs Management as well as using her wider experience of Court of Protection and Civil Litigation costs matters.

Kris and Anna join three other qualified costs lawyers at Clarion, Andrew McAulay, Joanne Chase and Danielle Walker, and a number of other members of the 15-strong team are already undertaking routes to qualification.

Andrew McAulay, partner and head of Clarion’s costs and litigation funding practice, said: “Having established a reputation in this specialist field serving law firms across the UK, we need to continue to invest in expanding and developing our team to ensure we can deliver outstanding service.

“In the past, the industry was largely unregulated and we believe it’s vital that clients have the peace of mind of knowing that our lawyers have undergone a high level of training in this niche area.

“Kris and Anna have done exceptionally well to complete this degree-level course with merits, and will bring additional technical knowledge and the commercial acumen on which our clients rely.”

Owen Wright and Dominic Watson, Investec Wealth & Investment

Investec Wealth & Investment has made two promotions to its investment team.

Dominic Watson and Owen Wright are both now Senior Investment Directors at the Sheffield office of the international firm.

Dominic joined the business 17 years ago after completing a Business Management degree at the University of Leeds.

Owen started with the firm 18 years ago after six years at the Derbyshire Building Society via their graduate training programme. Both Dominic and Owen previously held the roles of Investment Director at the firm.

Dominic and Owen both have a Chartered Investment for Securities Institute Diploma (CISI) and the PFS Diploma in Financial Planning.

Their new roles will see Dominic and Owen continuing to advise existing private clients, charities and trustees on all aspects of advisory and discretionary wealth management and to acquire new clients via direct recommendation or through introduction from other professionals.

Matthew Beddall, Director of Investment for the Sheffield office of Investec Wealth & Investment, said: “We are really pleased to promote Dominic and Owen to Senior Investment Director roles within the firm.

“This is a result of their hard work, performance and dedication and we wish them all the best for the future.”

Ian Walch (left), Sewtec

Robotics specialist Sewtec has appointed a project director, as the company implements a growth plan which will see it double turnover to £32m in five years.

Ian Walch joins the Dewsbury-based company with over 15 years’ experience in project management, most recently as operations director at advanced engineering company Stirling Dynamics.

Sewtec designs and manufactures high-technology factory automation systems for global blue-chip clients in the food, pharmaceutical, personal care and tobacco industries.

Ian completes Sewtec’s new senior management team, following a series of senior hires including head of finance, Lizzie Hay, and head of business support, Mark Atkins. The appointments follow a successful management buyout (MBO) in August last year.

Ian will manage all new and existing work to enable Sewtec to deliver its projects efficiently and effectively. His role involves project management, manufacturing, assembly, purchasing, IT and quality processes. He is also responsible for increasing the business’s capability by enhancing efficiencies and further improving internal processes.

Ian also has ten years’ working history with Sewtec managing director, Mark Cook, having worked with Mark at intelligence solutions company Datong, engineering services company Misas Technology and Stirling Dynamics.

Mark Cook said: “With Ian’s appointment we’ve built a strong and highly capable senior management team.

“Effective project management is vital to us achieving on-time delivery and improving efficiencies which in turn helps us to win new business, so his contribution will enable us to achieve the business’s ambitions.

“Ian is a talented project management expert with a strong track record of transforming businesses and delivering high-value strategic projects. He thrives under pressure and can motivate teams very effectively, so I’m confident he’ll play an integral role in our ongoing expansion.”