Housing association Bernicia has appointed three directors.
Kirstie Kelly joins the organisation as the new director of housing services, while Louise Tinkler and Jeff Boyd have been promoted into the roles of director of people services and director of development respectively. Each will help deliver Bernicia's corporate strategy which includes the development of at least 600 new homes in the next three years.
Ms Kelly, who has more than 20 years of leadership experience, said: "I am delighted to be joining Bernicia at such an exciting time, driving forward their ambitious corporate strategy until 2026 and allowing me the opportunity to be part of shaping their housing and communities agenda. I was attracted to Bernicia as an organisation due its positive reputation for strong governance and investment in service and communities which truly does make a difference to people’s lives."
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Ms Tinkler has extensive experience delivering HR strategies and large-scale cultural change programmes within organisations while Mr Boyd, a member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, began his career with Bernicia 16 years ago as a development manager. He said: "Bernicia has a strong reputation as a highly regarded housing developer and a major force for regeneration. Our team will continue to build upon recent successes in the delivery of new homes, for both affordable rent and intermediate housing products, meeting a range of housing needs."
Enviro-tech company Harmonic has appointed David Grundy as managing director.
The Newcastle firm, backed by Solution Performance Group (SPG), provides services to help decarbonise buildings. It uses a combination of IoT technology and an AI-driven platform to identify and remove waste, reducing building energy consumption, costs and carbon emissions.
Mr Grundy has previously held senior positions at ISS Technical Facilities, E.ON Control Solutions, Mitie Energy and Honeywell. He said: “Harmonic is at the forefront of technology in this critical area, and it's exciting to join the company at the start of its journey. The company only launched in May and already has customers on board that are benefiting from the carbon reduction capabilities of the platform. Organisations are more committed to Net Zero than ever, and we can support them on that important journey."
Gareth Humphreys, group CEO at SPG, added: "David has a wealth of experience in deploying advanced technologies in energy and environmental management. Harmonic has a huge potential to help companies of all sizes make immediate energy savings and make a real difference in their carbon emissions. I look forward to seeing the company grow over the coming months."
Deloitte has promoted seven people to director in its Newcastle office.
The director appointments include Leah Kindleyside and Rachael Hall in tax and legal, Anna Earnden, Stuart Kenny, Davinder Kandola and Sarah Hellens in audit and assurance and Anton Moden in financial advisory. Stephen Hall, office senior partner at Deloitte in Newcastle, said: “It makes me feel very proud to announce the promotion of our people here in the North East.
"This year we have seven people promoted to director which is a fantastic achievement and another 93 promotions across all grades and businesses. These promotions are testament to everyone’s hard work. I’d like to congratulate all our people who have been promoted in this cohort as we continue to make an impact that matters with our clients and in our local community."
The appointments are part of 100 taking place across Deloitte's UK business. The total number of UK partners now stands at 1,315 – up 8% from 1,218 last year.
Richard Houston, senior partner and chief executive, said: "Congratulations to all our new partners and all our colleagues who were promoted over the past year. I am immensely proud of the talent in our firm and am committed to continuing to invest in their future success. Promotions are an important part, but in addition, we’ve invested in enhanced policies on parental leave, bereavement and menopause, alongside fully funded private medical insurance for all our people.
"While we still have progress to make, I’m especially pleased to see increased representation of women and people from ethnic minority backgrounds among our most senior leaders. Creating an inclusive workplace remains a critical priority and we continue to take action to ensure we have a strong, diverse pipeline of talent."
Hebburn-based manufacturer Laminform, has announced three new appointments.
Gary Robinson has joined the firm as production manager, Karen McMahon, as an estimator and Stephen Ross, as a multi-skilled wood machinist. Laminform specialises in the design and manufacture of decorative laminate solutions for washroom/toilet cubicles, vanity units and duct panels.
Recent projects include the installation of a new washroom and toilet at Newcastle United and a new contract to provide work on Sheffield Hallam University and Sunderland Railway Station. Director Rob Sanderson said: "We enjoyed a very strong 2023 and welcome our new starters to the team, each of whom will be great assets to us within their respective areas of expertise. We are a proud South Tyneside employer, many of the team have been with us since we were established and, as we look to future proof the business, we have that perfect blend of knowledge and enthusiasm to drive us forward.
"We work closely with our clients to understand their needs. They have the option to select from our extensive standard range of products, which can be shipped within 48 hours, or our bespoke products, that are individually designed for a wide range of applications including IPS panels, vanity units and washroom cubicles."
The Percy Hedley Foundation has strengthened its board of trustees with four appointments.
Janet Donnelly, a charted HR professional with experience at executive and board level, has been appointed as chair. Meanwhile, Clare Thompson, Hay & Kilner partner; Dr Nicola Hutchinson, CEO of Academic Health Science Network for North East & North Cumbria, and Dr Peter Emerson, who has a chemical industry background, have all become trustees.
Percy Hedley said the appointments will help it in its mission to help the lives of people with disabilities and their families, as well as increase the number of disabled individuals it supports each year.
Dr Hutchinson said: "The Foundation do incredible work supporting people like my late brother, and their families. To honour Stevie, I wanted to be part of the Foundation’s efforts to help people with disabilities live the very best life they can. I’m particularly focused on ensuring we continue to innovate and seek out the very latest technologies to support our pupils, students and residents."
Ms Donnelly said: "I am honoured to undertake this key role supporting our leadership team as they focus on developing a constructive, engaging working culture that enhances outcomes for all our service users. Together, we will strive to maximise our close relationship with our beneficiaries and provide the highest level of quality care and service. Our goal to provide quality lifelong learning to all our students remains a priority across the schools and college of the Foundation."
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