Specialist rail, construction and facilities management recruiter Coleman James has made a number of new appointments on the back of strong growth.
The Newcastle firm, based in Hoults Yard with offices in Doncaster and London, has welcomed 11 new team members since the start of 2022.
Appointments include Nikki Blenkhorn as associate director. Daniel Murphy joins her as senior consultant, Laura Smith as operations manager, Jenna Walmsley as operations coordinator, alongside resourcers James Nicell and Ethan Garretty.
The firm’s new Doncaster office officially opened in January and has now welcomed Jordan Ives-Stanbra as associate director alongside Chantelle Morris and Mykell Beal as rail consultants and rail resourcer Lauren Marsh.
Senior rail consultant Ryan Dawson has also joined in Shoreditch, London where the firm recently established a third office.
Founder and managing director, Andrew Mackay, said; “We are delighted to welcome our new team members to the Coleman James family. They add strength and depth to our already successful and experienced group of consultants.”
A new regional employment partnership developed by a group of North East housing providers has appointed a business development manager.
Housing Employment Network North East has welcomed Ellie Patience, a former commercial solutions manager at Your Homes Newcastle, one of the member housing providers in the partnership.
The job post, which is jointly funded by the partnership for two years, will see Ms Patience seconded from Your Homes Newcastle to Tyne Housing, which is the host organisation for the role.
Designed to improve employment outcomes and deliver real change for people living in social and supported housing across the North East region, she will seek partnership opportunities and identify funding streams and grow the partnership between the 13 regional housing provider members.
She said: “I’m thrilled to take on this new role and have the opportunity to use my skills and experience to develop this exciting regional employment partnership.
“The member housing providers offer more than just a roof and four walls. It’s about providing a more comprehensive offer to tenants, including training and development, and a link to employers and their vacancies. Whether it’s a young person looking for an apprenticeship or an individual wanting to get back into work, the aim of the partnership is to provide tailored support and opportunities for all.”
Law firm Womble Bond Dickinson has appointed Paul Armstrong as a managing associate.
Mr Armstrong, who returns to the firm’s Newcastle office after over a decade, has amassed more than 15 years of experience since qualifying as a lawyer in 2003.
Before moving in-house in 2010, he worked at Womble Bond Dickinson’s predecessor Dickinson Dees, where he specialised in tech-related contract law. He then went on to spend 10 years at Virgin Money, where he worked on a series of commercial and corporate deals, including the bank’s IPO.
He said: “I am delighted to be returning to the firm after more than 10 years. The firm has grown considerably during that time, but the commitment to delivering pragmatic advice and excellent service to clients remains unchanged.
“The extensive experience that I have gained working with a wide range of tech businesses, financial institutions, charities, and start-ups will enable me to build on WBD’s already very impressive tech expertise.”
Sunderland BID has expanded its team, with two new appointments.
North Yorkshire-born Kayleigh Derbyshire has taken up the role of marketing and communications assistant, while Hena Syeda Ahmed has been named as executive assistant and office administrator.
Ms Derbyshire worked in student accommodation and social housing after leaving Sunderland University but discovered a passion for marketing, going back to studying to gain a relevant qualification.
She said: “I absolutely love Sunderland. It really is home now and watching how the city has developed in the time I have lived here has been great, so I really wanted to be a part of that development.”
Ms Ahmed has come to the BID after six years with Sunderland business agency, Ashmore Consulting. Her experience spans everything from volunteering and community work to customer service, events organising and administrative duties.
She added: “It’s lovely to be part of the BID team and being in a position to help change people’s perceptions of Sunderland and show them the experiences the city has to offer.
“There are so many positive things happening, it’s a great time to be involved.”
Professional services firm Aon has strengthened its Newcastle office team with the appointment of Larna Wilson as client service advisor.
Ms Wilson, who has 13 years’ experience, joins from insurance brokerage firm Lockton Companies LLP, where she held the role of account manager.
In her new role at Aon, which provides its North East clients, with a broad range of risk, retirement and health solutions, she will support the account managers with the day-to-day running of their book of clients.
She said: “I applied to join Aon as it provides a clear career path and offers many opportunities to progress. The training and development programmes available are first class, and under the guidance of the in-house training team I am continuing to complete my insurance diploma.
“Aon places its people at the heart of the company and has created a supportive culture. I’m excited to be part of the team and looking forward to progressing my insurance career.”
North East Procurement Organisation (NEPO) has announced four new appointments as part of its growth strategy.
Marie Perriam and Laura Kyle have been promoted to energy lead and construction lead, respectively, having joined after joining apprenticeship schemes to progress their careers.
Their promotions will see them take on strategic responsibility for NEPO’s energy and construction categories, with a combined annual value of approximately £340 million.
Jane Turner and Sarah Brown have also joined, bringing over 30 years of procurement experience to the organisation.
Ms Turner joins NEPO from PD Ports where she was sourcing manager, prior to that she worked as senior procurement officer at Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council for over a decade. Ms Brown joins as procurement specialist, responsible for the fleet category. She was previously procurement advisor at Karbon Homes and commences her career at NEPO leading the procurement of a regional framework for electric vehicle charging infrastructure.
Nicola Shelley, managing director at NEPO, said: “Jane and Sarah are new additions to the team and will bring a wealth of experience to assist us to move forward with our ambitious strategy.”
