Here is the latest round-up of movers and shakers from many of the region’s biggest and best known companies.
Toyota:
Toyota (GB) PLC has appointed Richard Leonard (pictured above) as its new head of PR. Mr Leonard has been brought in to lead the press and PR team for the Toyota and Lexus brands, reporting to Emma Lane, general manager of brand communications. He takes on the role from James Clark, who moved to the National Farmers’ Union earlier this year, after six-and-a-half years with Toyota.
Mr Leonard has worked in PR throughout his 25-year career, and has extensive experience in the automotive sector, notably providing consultancy services to Honda on a wide range of UK and European briefs.
He said: “I’ve admired Toyota from afar for many years and can’t wait to be part of such a talented team, continuing to drive the business to even more success as the sector develops in this era of electrification and next generation mobility technologies.”
Toyota’s UK vehicle manufacturing plant is located at Burnaston in Derbyshire and the engine manufacturing plant is located at Deeside in North Wales.
Star Trust:
East Midlands charity Star Trust has welcomed several new business leaders and entrepreneurs as patrons and trustees.
Kavita Oberoi OBE and Tony Hillary have joined as patrons of the charity. Mrs Oberoi is the founder and managing director of two Derby businesses – Oberoi Consulting, a suppliers of IT and clinical support services to the NHS and pharmaceutical industry, and Oberoi Business Hub in Pride Park which provides serviced office accommodation and back-office support services.
Tony Hillary was the founder of Hillary’s Blinds, which he sold in 2001. He now invests in various sectors under Hillary’s Investments.
Both will be working alongside established patron Tim Storer – joint managing director of his Leicestershire family business, Pukka Pies Ltd – to champion the charity, help decide where money should be donated and participate in fundraising activities.
Since its launch more than 10 years ago it has donated more than £777,000 and awarded grants to 100 East Midlands-based charities.
Two new volunteer board members have also joined Star Trust – Lincolnshire-based entrepreneur Sarah Louise Fairburn and David Ryley, head of David Ryley Wealth in Nottinghamshire.
Rotheras:
Rotheras LLP has announced six promotions at its Nottingham office.
Natalie Abbott, who joined in 2020 and set up the employment law department, has been promoted to Partner.
Lucy Pettitt (conveyancing), James Briggs (private client), Sarah Soo (private client) and Grant Benskin (dispute resolution) have all been promoted to senior associate, and Rebecca Lister who began as a trainee at the firm and qualified into the child care department, has been promoted to associate.
The promotions will take effect from June 1 and bring the total number of partners and senior associates across its Nottingham and Derby offices to 30.
Collis:
Derby-based rail engineering business Collis Engineering has taken on its first degree apprentice after finding the candidate at a careers fair held at The Roundhouse.
Luke Payne, who has a level 3 qualification in advanced manufacturing and engineering from Derby College Group, got the chance to apply for the role after meeting the company’s directors at the Diversityin2Engineering event.
Luke, who is 20, tried another career after completing his course, but found he missed engineering so went along to the apprenticeship and jobs fair to see what opportunities were available.
He said: “Collis is a rail engineering business that work on interesting rail industry projects such as HS2 and I wanted to find out more. They were interested in me too, and I was invited along to an interview. That went well and a few weeks ago I was taken on as the company’s first ever manufacturing engineering degree apprentice.”
Access Group:
The Loughborough-based Access Group, a leading provider of business management software to mid-market organisations in the UK, Ireland, US and Asia Pacific, has appointed Teté Soto as chief marketing officer.
Ms Soto takes over from Gursaran Marjara, who retires after a 36-year career in IT and six years at The Access Group.
She was previously chief executive of Amigo Technology, a cloud-based technology platform. Between 2013 and 2021 she held senior roles at O2, including customer marketing director, general manager of online and multichannel, and transformation director.
Prior to O2, she worked at AllSaints and Dixons, building their ecommerce businesses. Her early career was in strategy consulting at Bain and Company and she holds an MBA from INSEAD.
WBR Group:
Leicester-based WBR Group, the UK’s largest independent provider of SSAS services and tax experts, has appointed Tom Lodge as tax director and Akshay Vaghela as tax manager.
Tom will have overall responsibility for the day-to-day management of the WBR tax function, with 11 people reporting to him, making it one of the biggest tax teams in Leicester and the Midlands. He will be a member of the executive board, which is headed by David Downie and will also report to the main board on all tax related matters.
He joined WBR Group in 2019 and has over 10 years’ experience in the tax sector.
Akshay joined WBR Group in 2021 as a senior associate with a particular specialisation in restructuring, moving from Wilson Wright where he was a tax supervisor.
Duncan & Toplis:
Chartered accountants and business advisors Duncan & Toplis, which has 11 offices in Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire, has appointed Chris Bradford as a director, while Annette Stewart, Charlotte Peacock, Damon Tunnicliffe, Ellie Scotland, Emma Pendrigh, James Goodrich and Sally-Anne Hurn are being promoted to associate director roles in the company.
Managing director Adrian Reynolds said: “Despite an uncertain economic outlook, 2022 was a year of growth for Duncan & Toplis, and these promotions reflect our confidence and resilience as we look to the future.
“All of the candidates have demonstrated their individual passion for the role and the Duncan & Toplis group, and they’re committed to delivering on Our 2025 Vision.
“I am delighted for Chris, Annette, Charlotte, Damon, Ellie, Emma, James and Sally-Anne, and I am looking forward to seeing them flourish in their new senior roles.”
The firm employs almost 500 people and supports more than 12,000 businesses and individuals.
Fisher German:
Fisher German has promoted 19 colleagues at its head office in Ashby, and five at its Market Harborough offices.
Louise Duffin and James Watson in Market Harborough, and Richard Gadd at Ashby, have all been made partners.
At Ashby, Matthias Charlton becomes associate partner, Joanne Ziemelis becomes senior associate, while Antonia Wyatt, Emma Pattisson, Hannah Price and Robert Webster have been promoted to associate.
Bev Cowley becomes PR manager, Joanne Morton becomes senior administrator, Katy Bregazzi becomes senior GIS technician, Emily Weston becomes senior planner, and Joanna Grew is now people system officer.
Further promotions at the Market Harborough office include Harry Edwards, who becomes associate partner, Matthew Trembath, who is now an associate, and Julia Dilworth, who becomes a senior estate administrator.
The promotions in Market Harborough come after a recent move for the team to a new office at Welland Business Park after being based in the town’s high street for decades.
Doorcerts:
Fire doors and frames maker Doorcerts has appointed Sarah Armson as commercial manager.
Ms Armson, who has spent 17 years in the fire door industry, joins the Nottinghamshire-based company with a mission to raise awareness of the firm and grow it year on year.
She said: “It’s exciting, and a challenge, to start at the beginning. The company only began life two years ago and you can already see that it has strong foundations.
“I can see the potential it has and I have seen the very real passion and drive that the founders have for the business.”
Sarah’s first task will be to streamline admin and order processes, and prepare the business for anticipated growth.
She will also create and implement recruitment strategies, with the aim of recruiting at least 10 new people within the next 12 months.
Magma Chartered Accountants:
Magma Chartered Accountants, which has offices in Rugby, Leicestershire and Milton Keynes, has made promotions across its audit, tax and business services divisions.
In audit, Ryan Parkin, Matt Norris, and Rebecca Pallett all become senior managers and George Wake is promoted to manager.
In the accounts & business services team, Fiona Porter is promoted to manager and in business tax Liam Meade and Danika Bhakta are promoted to senior manager and assistant manager respectively.
Managing partner Mark Tuckwell said: “These promotions are exceptionally well deserved, being testament to real hard work, excellent client service and displaying the firm’s wider core values over a sustained period. Personal progression is at the very heart of our continued business success and it’s great to see continued recognition of that.”
Browne Jacobson:
Browne Jacobson has rewarded seven people at its Nottingham office with promotions to senior associate level.
The promotions – part of a raft across the UK – mean the total number of senior associates at the law firm will be 132 as of May 1.
Claire Mills, Joe Davis, Kulpreet Virdi, Joe Price, Stacey Jolly, Carolyn Thackstone and Katherine Langley all make the step up in Nottingham.
Managing partner Richard Medd said: “I’m so proud of all of our new senior associates. They are all excellent lawyers, but they are so much more than that.
“We are looking forward to seeing them further develop their professional careers with us.”
