This week's North East appointments

This week’s round up of North East appointments includes Encora Energy, Turntide Technologies, Burnetts Solicitors, Aberdein Considine. Read on to find out more.

Mark Palmer, Encora Energy

A Teesside engineering consultancy is honing the next generation of local talent with the appointment of a mechanical engineering graduate from Teesside University.

Mark Palmer joins Stockon-on-Tees-based Encora Energy as a project engineer after graduating with a first-class honour’s degree.

Mark has also gained valuable industry experience, working as a computer aided design engineer at Lionweld Kennedy Group, a global supplier of gratings, handrail systems, platforms, stair treads and ladders. He has also taken on part-time roles at Middlesbrough Football Club and The Food Warehouse.

His recent appointment strengthens Encora Energy’s expertise as the company expands its presence in regional and national markets. It was created in 2015 by energy professionals looking to help clients exploit opportunities related to the changing needs of the energy market. The

Encora Energy provides project development, engineering, consultancy and operations management services to customers, helping them deal with the practicalities of developing, installing, operating and maintaining new energy systems such as renewable and battery storage systems, combined heat and power (CHP) plants etc.

The company also acts as UK and European agents for UptimeAI, providing cutting-edge artificial intelligence (AI) solutions for the process industries.

Mark said: “As a local lad, I’m delighted to be joining a company that’s at the cutting edge of the energy revolution.

“The UK electricity market is changing to a more decentralised model driven by deregulation and increased renewable generation. We can offer our expertise to customers so they can manage this change and take advantage of trading opportunities in this new world.”

Andrew Normand, new business manager and UptimeAI partnership lead at Encora Energy, said: “We welcome Mark to our growing team. We were really impressed with his structured problem-solving mentality and dedication to engineering.

“Mark will be an asset to us as we grow the Encora Energy brand in the North East and in other UK regions.”

Scott Smdrfel, Turntide Technologies

Turntide Technologies, developer of sustainability technologies, has announced the appointment of Scott Smrdel as its new chief technology officer and executive vice president of engineering.

Richard Hellinga, who previously held the CTO position, will now lead a new Global Technology and Innovation group.

Smrdel joins Turntide, operating in Gateshead and Sunderland, from BAE Systems, where he was the Engineering Leader and CTO of their Ground Vehicles business unit. He brings a distinguished track record of successfully building, leading, and scaling intelligent hardware organisations, working across the entire product lifecycle.

While at BAE Systems, Scott managed nearly 1,000 engineers to design, build, and deliver combat vehicles to the U.S. military and led operational excellence programmes to provide the highest quality people, processes, and digital tools to the business.

Before BAE, Smrdel spent seven years with GE Power in progressively critical engineering roles, working on leading technology, solutions, and services across the entire energy value chain.

He started in the nuclear business developing next-generation controls, then transitioned to an Engineering Leader role, rotating through multiple business units before leading the development of new analytic solutions for plant and product solutions for GE Power Services and GE Digital.

Ryan Morris, Chairman and CEO of Turntide said: “As the company enters its next stage of growth, we are thrilled to welcome Scott to our leadership team.

“Scott brings experience delivering mission-critical technologies and machines to highly demanding commercial, industrial, and military segments, and his impressive background leading and scaling engineering teams in complex global industries will be incredibly valuable as Turntide scales our business.”

Scott Smrdel said: “Climate change is the biggest challenge of our time, and Turntide is a mission-driven technology company that is looking to help optimise how humanity uses energy.”

“I am eager to contribute to such an impressive team at this critical moment for both the company and the planet. Turntide’s solutions will help the world accelerate decarbonisation and transition to a net-zero future, and I’m proud to help lead in this effort.”

Michelle Armstrong, Paul Brown, Diane Barnes, Rachel Johnstone, Johnny Coulthard, Alex McAll, Sara Riddlesden, Burnetts Solicitors

Burnetts Solicitors, one of the largest law firms in the North, has announced a host of promotions across its teams in Cumbria and Newcastle, honouring its long-standing history of nurturing talent.

In its Medical Negligence and Serious Injury team Michelle Armstrong, former midwife now specialising in birth injury cases and Paul Brown, brain injury specialist, are both being promoted to salaried partners.

In its Agribusiness team Diane Barnes, who is from Cumbrian farming stock herself and specialises in agricultural land, tenancies and property sales, is being promoted to the role of legal director and Rachel Johnstone, who supports agricultural clients buying and selling farms and land, is being promoted to Paralegal.

Johnny Coulthard, who is part of Burnett’s Dispute Resolution team and one of the few solicitors in Northern England to be recommended in the Legal 500 for his expertise in Contentious Trust and Probate claims, is being promoted to senior associate.

Vikki Porthouse of the Family Team, who advises clients on all aspects of divorce, matrimonial finances, pre-nuptial and post-nuptial agreements and cases involving children is now also a senior associate.

Alex McAll from Burnetts’ Wills, Trusts and Probate team specialises in estate administration and lasting powers of attorney and has been promoted to associate, while Sara Riddlesden who supports the Banking team on all their deals, is being promoted to Paralegal.

Managing Partner Nick Gutteridge said: “We are proud to announce this year’s promotions and to demonstrate that hard work is always rewarded here. We are privileged to work alongside such fantastic people and are very pleased to recognise their talent, commitment and genuine care for our clients.”

Neil Patterson, Diane Gundersen, Curtis Broadhead, Aberdein Considine

Aberdein Considine has strengthened its award-winning Lender Services Practice Group (LSPG) with the appointment of a new Partner and two lawyers.

Neil Patterson, who is based out of Aberdein Considine’s office in Newcastle, has been appointed a Partner in the firm’s Banking Litigation team (part of LSPG) and he will be working with financial services organisations across the UK.

He has over 12 years’ experience dealing with complex and defended mortgage litigation matters in the UK, advising banks, building societies and other lenders on a range of issues including recovery strategies and dispute resolution.

Building on his experience in the UK Neil’s career also saw him work in South Africa, specialising in banking and commercial litigation. In addition to Neil’s appointment Aberdein Considine has also hired a further two lawyers who will join the Banking Litigation team in Newcastle.

Diane Gundersen joins the firm as a Senior Associate with over two decades of experience in legal services. She trained and qualified at Eversheds, and has specialised in banking and financial services litigation for around 10 years.

Curtis Broadhead, who trained at Keebles LLP, has been appointed as a Legal Executive in Newcastle, bringing particular expertise in the areas of unsecured lending and commercial debt recovery.

These appointments follow the firm’s recruitment of 17 new members of staff last year in its Newcastle office after securing new clients in 2020, including major UK retail banks.

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