Here we feature the latest appointments and promotions in the public, private and third sectors in Wales
Gower College Swansea
Gower College Swansea has announced the formation of an advisory board for its Sketty Hall Business School.
Made of key industry figures in Wales, the board members are:
(Chair) Chris Foxall, finance director, Riversimple and Swansea Bay City Deal economic strategy board chair
Deb Bowen-Rees, chair of South West Wales branch, IoD, formerly CEO of Cardiff Airport, and current NED at Milford Haven Port Authority
Ian Price, Wales director, CBI
Lucie Thomas, director of recruitment, Learning and Development, Pobl Housing Association
Adrian Sutton, CEO, Vortex IoT
Lucy Cohen, co-founder of Mazuma, and Swansea Bay City Deal economic strategy board member
Tony Roberts, head of Wales, Vodafone
Adrian Chard, strategic human resources and organisational development manager, Swansea Council
Louise Harris, CEO, Tramshed Tech
Lisa Mart, general manager, Swansea Arena/Ambassador Theatre Group
Alison Orrells, managing director, Safety Letterbox Company
Michael Kavanagh, development director, Short Brothers
Matt Wintle, head of learning & development, Admiral
Gower College Swansea recently transformed the Georgian building on Sketty Lane into a contemporary Business School with the support of the Welsh Government’s Sustainable Communities Learning programme.
The school will be home to professional, management and degree programmes as well as host high-profile training events with academics, captains of industry and leading sporting personalities.
Director of skills and business development Paul Kift said: “We are delighted to announce Sketty Hall Business School’s advisory board which will support Gower College Swansea in further understanding employers’ needs, and strengthen our relationships with key industries. The board will help ensure that we are delivering the right skills for both now and in the future.”
He added: “Delivering a cutting-edge, employer-led curriculum which supports economic development, and which is aligned to regional and Welsh priorities, is our key strategic aim as a board.
“Board members will have a major voice in shaping the business skills that are available across the region, benefitting learners and college staff while also creating a pipeline of talent for organisations. This will help to develop the prosperity and productivity of the wider business community. Together we can also create skills solutions that will assist the Swansea Bay City Deal, enabling economic regeneration, development and growth.”
Chair for the board Mr Foxall said: “It’s wonderful to see Sketty Hall’s outstanding redevelopment being put to such good use as the home of the Sketty Hall Business School. I’m very pleased to be chairing the business school’s advisory board which is made up of some of the best local employers and business leaders in the Swansea Bay City region.”
He added: “As the markets and economy continue to change, the demands on our business managers and leaders are increasingly challenging and complex. It’s important that the requirements of businesses help to inform the skills and training provision being developed by our education partners so that businesses can remain competitive and fulfil their potential growth.
“The Swansea Bay City region is one of the best places for ambitious companies looking to grow and invest for the future and, clearly, the best investment any company can make is in its people. Gower College Swansea wants to make sure they’re offering courses that protect those investments and, at the same time, give their students the best chance at a successful career in business and management.”
Gambit Corporate Finance
Gambit Corporate Finance has announced three promotions after reporting a record year of dealmaking activity in 2021.
Mike Dunn and Koo Aseeley have been promoted to manager and Harrie Thorrington to executive.
Mr Dunn joined Cardiff-based Gambit in 2019 after three years working in the London insurance market, specialising in international trade finance.
Mr Aseeley qualified as a chartered accountant with a “Big Four” accounting firm in London prior to specialising in corporate finance and joining Gambit in 2020. Mr Thorrington started his career at Deloitte before joining Gambit in 2021.
The independent corporate finance advisory firm experienced its most successful ever year in 2021 advising on 15 transactions with an average deal size of £26m. Over 40% of Gambit’s transactions are international, cross-border transactions.
Partner Geraint Rowe said: “We are delighted to have announced these promotions in Gambit’s 30th year. It is testament to the impressive performance and success of Mike, Koo and Harrie and the value they add to the firm’s clients, in terms of creating, maximising and ultimately realising shareholder value. With the current buoyancy of the M&A market and the momentum of the firm, we remain very optimistic for another record breaking year”.
Knight Frank
Global property consultancy Knight Frank has appointed Emily Wilson as graduate surveyor.
Ms Wilson joins from Brinsons in Caerphilly and will continue her ongoing studies to become a qualified surveyor via the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors’ (RICS) accreditation process, while gaining wider experience in Knight Frank’s valuations and agency divisions in Cardiff.
Matt Phillips, head of the Cardiff office, said: “Knight Frank operates as a partnership and the recruitment and development of bright, committed young people is a fundamental part of our ongoing success. The support offered by the Knight Frank graduate scheme is acknowledged as one of the best in the commercial property sector and we are delighted to welcome Emily to our team.”
Ms Wilson said: “This is a great opportunity for me to train and develop with an extremely respected major firm and I am looking forward to working in the different areas of the business over the next year.”
The Knight Frank Cardiff office is appointed on a number of the notable property schemes in South Wales.
Azets South Wales
Regional accountancy firm Azets has made a number of senior appointments to its South Wales tax and corporate finance teams.
The tax team has welcomed Amy Buckley as partner, Oliver John as director and Ben Griffin as associate director, while the corporate finance division has appointed Claire Marshall to the role of director, as Azets continues to grow.
Ms Buckley has over 20 years’ experience working in personal tax, 16 of which were spent in a “Big Four” firm. As partner, she will advise in inheritance tax, trusts and succession, compliance, profit extraction, property portfolios, capital gains tax and residence and domicile issues.
Mr John was previously at Mazars where he provided tax and share valuation advice to a range of businesses with regards to share transactions. In his role as director at Azets, he will continue to share tax advice with clients over the life of a business, from companies looking to raise capital to shareholders looking to exit.
Mr Griffin is a qualified chartered accountant and chartered tax advisor. He provides support on post-transaction equity incentives for management and specialises in share-related matters, employee reward and fiscal valuation.
He advises clients across all sectors with focus on UK entrepreneurial businesses and UK-inbound groups.
As director within the corporate finance team, Ms Marshall will specialise in supporting clients with mergers and acquisition advisory support, transaction due diligence and capital raising advisory work.
David Owens, regional chief executive at Azets South Wales, said: “With two of our service lines continuing to grow, it’s an exciting time for us as we continue to develop our teams to match our business demand. All four senior appointments bring a wealth of experience in their sectors, and their professional knowledge is a huge asset to our team. I look forward to seeing both the tax and corporate finance teams continue to flourish.”
Hodge
Cardiff-based bank Hodge has appointed Stuart Benge as its senior business development manager for commercial lending.
Mr Benge brings more than 25 years of finance experience to the role having previously worked with N&P Commercial and Assetz Capital.
He will draw on his background in commercial sales and extensive experience working as a national sales manager to further Hodge’s presence in the investment property sector on a national scale.
Mr Benge said: “The focus at Hodge is very much on the customer - it’s a part of everything it does. I’m a proactive person and delighted Hodge operates, both internally and externally, in a collaborative manner.
“It’s important for property professionals to have a relationship with a lender who not only understands the market, but also appreciates what’s affecting them on a day-to-day basis while providing them with a mutually beneficial long-term relationship.”
He added: “The focus of my role with Hodge involves me meeting both intermediaries and customers throughout the UK drawing on my experience of working in a variety of trusted roles - to ensure all parties achieve their goals in the most efficient and cost effective way, while never losing focus of building a relationship that will stand the test of time.”
Andy Button, head of investment lending at Hodge said: “We’re really excited to be welcoming Stuart to Hodge. His experience in nurturing new and existing customer relations on a national scale is set to be of huge benefit to our commercial lending operation.”
He added: “Stuart’s arrival represents opportunities for further growth in a multitude of areas, and we’re really delighted to have him on board.”
Hodge is an independently-owned group of businesses based in Cardiff, offering products and services through its Hodge Bank and Hodge Lifetime brands.
Savoir Beds
Luxury British bed maker Savoir Beds has appointed Nicholas Alexandre as its managing director.
Mr Alexandre succeeds Alistair Hughes, co-owner of Savoir, who will hand over the operational and commercial sides of the business while continuing to work on the long-term strategy and vision for the brand.
Mr Alexandre was previously the global head of operations of UK natural furniture makers, Maker&Son.
“We are delighted to have Nicholas Alexandre join the Savoir team as our new managing director,” said Mr Hughes.
“Nic has strong operational experience working with the British furniture brand Maker&Son, helping drive their impressive expansion and growth. He is passionate about craft, and his knowledge of natural materials and the full supply chain is exceptional.”
He added: “He shares our brand values and ambition to build on Savoir’s unique British heritage, harnessing our timeless traditions and blending them with modern innovations. His industry experience and solid operational expertise will play a key role in helping drive the next stage of Savoir’s evolution.”
Mr Alexandre said: “I am honoured to be appointed as the new managing director of Savoir Beds, an iconic and highly-respected British brand and company. I have been passionate about craftsmanship since I was a child, and I am excited to join the inspirational team of hard-working and diverse individuals at Savoir.
“From the truly magnificent craftsmen and seamstresses in production to the focused and dedicated office and global sales teams. We have a wonderful journey of growth ahead of us to ensure the Savoir legacy grows across the world and continues to solidify its place amongst the remarkable brands of the world.”
