Strategic thinker joins Purpose Media
The latest recruit to ecommerce and digital marketing specialists Purpose Media is Chris Sanders.
Formerly working for Games Workshop, he has been employed to add strategic planning and project management expertise and to improve the company’s customer service experience.
Chris is a PRINCE2 (Projects in Controlled Environment) practitioner, a Scrum (agile software development framework) Master and qualified in ISEB business analysis.
Chris will use his knowledge to coordinate the marketing, sales, design, development and support teams to ensure a seamless customer service.
Also joining the company is Digital Account Manager Rob White.
Formerly Head of Marketing for a Derby based global IT company, Rob is Google trained and holds a Chartered Institute of Marketing Diploma.
He will help Purpose Media clients develop online marketing strategies.
Chris and Rob joining the team takes the tally of new starters since the beginning of 2016 to seven - part of the firm’s strategic plan to grow the business through acquisition and additional services to reach a turnover of £10m by 2020.
Chris manages and coaches Dronfield Town Ladies first team and enjoys ice hockey and golf.
He holds a British Ice Hockey record for being the only net minder to not concede a goal across an entire weekend tournament.
Rob enjoys playing golf and recently experienced shark diving in South Africa.
Rob said: “It’s quite clear to see that Purpose Media is a company that is going places.”
Abstrakt has two new additions
Following its recent relocation into Nottingham’s Creative Quarter, branding and design agency Abstrakt has expanded both its design and client services teams.
Rachel Taylor joins as Junior Designer with a focus on branding and print.
She graduated with a BA (Hons) in Graphic Design from Nottingham Trent University last summer and subsequently ganed six months’ work experience in two other Midlands-based agencies.
Previously a project manager at Midland Aerospace, Stacie Blount joins Abstrakt’s client services team as an Account Manager.
She has worked with a range of high profile clients, including Airbus, BAE and Senior Aerospace.
Businessman appointed to Lawson-West Board
Lawson-West has appointed businessman Paul Bonnett as a Non-Executive Director.
The move strengthens the leadership team as the Leicestershire law firm continues to expand.
Paul, former Managing Director of The Phillip Leisure Group Hotel and Marina Company, now runs his own company, PSB Management Services.
e works with numerous businesses, both locally and across the country, including accountants, architects and a teacher development organisation.
Paul is currently President of The Rotary Club of Leicester and last year was named among the most influential people in Leicestershire by the Leicester Mercury.
Paul said: “I have been working with the board at Lawson-West for the past 18 months in an advisory capacity and am delighted to take up a more formal role.”
Lawson-West Commercial Director David Heys said: “Paul is fantastic to work with and gives us clear objectives and positive advice. With his help we have been able to restructure the business, move to new offices in Market Harborough and grow across the firm.”
Employing more than 50 people, Lawson-West has offices in Leicester, Wigston and Market Harborough.
Diversity appoints new MD
Nottingham-based creative agency Diversity has appointed Simon Elliott as Managing Director.
Simon has worked at Diversity for 13 years.
Since joining the team, he has managed a wide range of clients across industries as diverse as travel, construction, healthcare, public sector and automotive.
The new role came about because Di Slaney, Diversity’s founder and Managing Director, has moved into a new strategic consultancy role to support the business.
This transition allows Simon and the next generation of commercial managers - Diversity currently employs 70 staff at two sites in the city - to forge forward with plans to double annual turnover.
Di said: “Simon has been a huge asset to Diversity over the years. It is a natural progression that he now takes the helm and moves into the Managing Director role.
“He brings the right balance of creativity, client empathy and business acumen to secure the long term success of the agency and to nurture its growth, while retaining our core identity and culture.”
Simon said: “This is an exciting time for our whole team. We are on track for a period of growth.
“As a business, we are also keen to keep our creative talent local and do all we can including working with local colleges and universities to help stop the creative brain drain to London.”
Simon lives in Nottingham with his family including two young daughters, and loves extreme sports.
epm expands its business development team
epm: technology group has expanded its business development team at its purpose-built 60,000sq ft technology centre in Derby, through the appointment of Samantha Littler.
Sam joins Mark Gould and Matt Courtnage to reinforce epm’s belief that putting the customer first is the key to building long-term strategic alliances as well as launching new partnerships.
Managing Director, Graham Mulholland, said: “Having experienced market professionals like Mark, Matt and Sam managing our existing relationships as well as sourcing new business, means our customers are in the very best of hands.”
He added: “All three are genuine industry experts with a wealth of experience and understanding of motorsport, automotive, aerospace and marine applications for composite engineering.”
Mark, who joined epm in 2011, brings to the team an in-depth knowledge of composites and manufacturing processes, first as a laminator and, more recently, as a project engineer.
Matt has extensive experience in the automotive sector having joined epm from McLaren Special Operations. He has over ten years’ experience in the composites industry, the last two as a project engineer.
Sam, as well as having experience at director level, has worked for the last eight years within the fast-paced manufacturing industries of aerospace, automotive and motorsport.
Graham said: “The expansion of our business development team reflects our overall policy to increase staff levels to keep pace with demand for our services and to maintain our position as best-in-class when it comes composite engineering.”
Two appointments for Pellacraft
Business gifts and promotional merchandise specialist Pellacraft has appointed Luke Christie as Graphic Designer and Natalie Kettle as Account Coordinator.
Luke, of Retford, has a BA (Hons) in Graphic Design. He previously designed signage and vehicle livery for a sign-making company and before that created artwork for projects that included football club merchandise, scooter and skateboard designs, product packaging and advertisements for print and web.
Luke said: “I am really excited about joining Pellacraft as I feel it is a good place for me to put my skills and experience to use while also expanding and improving on my knowledge and skills set within a strong team.”
Luke enjoys working on his own personal design projects, fitness, travelling, photography and watching films.
Working as part of the sales team, Natalie will liaise with customers and suppliers in order to fast track quotes and convert enquiries to sales.
Natalie, of Mansfield, has a degree and NVQ in customer services and will be responsible for increasing sales.
She has previously worked in recruitment and also for a medical supplies company as a national account coordinator.
Natalie said: “I wanted a new challenge and to build my career in a growing and exciting business. Pellacraft ticked all the boxes as a company and the role is exactly what I had been looking for.”
Natalie, who is newly engaged, has an eight-year-old stepson and enjoys spending time with family and friends as well as watching football.
She has recently taken up skiing and in 2014 ran the Great North Run for Tommy’s Charity. Tommy’s funds research into premature birth, still birth, and miscarriages.
BID apprentice
The Nottingham Business Improvement District (BID) has recruited Dylan Butcher as a digital marketing apprentice.
Dylan, 20, of Sherwood, completed A–levels in English literature, maths and physics at Bilborough College before going to the University of Sheffield to study journalism.
But he decided the course was not for him and looked instead for an apprenticeship.
He chose the digital marketing apprenticeship because he was interested in writing and being creative.
Dylan creates content for use on social media to promote BID events and activities and also helps in various ways with the organisation of the BID’s events and initiatives.
“When I found out about the Nottingham BID and the opportunity to work for this not for profit organisation, it really appealed to me,” said Dylan.
“I have always lived in the city and really love it so playing a part in helping to improve the city and make it thrive really struck a chord.”
“I am really enjoying my apprenticeship so far, with the work being as varied and interesting as I had hoped. I have already learnt a lot in the short time that I’ve been at the BID.”
Nicola Tidy, the BID’s Director responsible for marketing said: “We are very pleased that Dylan has joined the team. Apprenticeships are great for young people enabling them to learn in a working environment while being paid. ”
Business connectors
Yvonne Fowler and Nick Tooley have been seconded from their roles in the Public Sector to work full-time as a Business Connectors in Nottingham and Derby, respectively.
They will help community services tackle local issues.
The Business Connector programme is part of a £4.8m Big Lottery Fund scheme, run by the charity Business in the Community, to enable the skills and talent from business and the civil service to benefit local communities.
The Business Connectors programme has been backed by HRH the Prince of Wales and Prime Minister David Cameron.
The scheme takes talented individuals and places them in communities of greatest need – allowing them to use their time, networks and expertise to connect the needs of their local community with the resource of local business.
In a joint statement, Yvonne and Nick said: “We’re delighted to be appointed as the Business Connectors for Nottingham and Derby and are both grateful to have the opportunity to have a real impact in the local community.
“As Business Connectors, we aim to build local partnerships to fulfil areas of need across Nottingham and Derby.
“Our hope is that the connections we make will lead to increasingly positive relationships between the private and voluntary sectors, including local community organisations, with a view to achieving sustainable improvements.”
Terri achieves Adwords certified status
Terri Foster, who joined Nottingham-based Google Partner Key Principles in November has, in less than five months, successfully completed the two Google Adwords exams needed to achieve Adwords Certified Status.
Passing the Advanced Search exam on 30 March, Terri is now a fully-fledged Adwords Consultant in her own right.
Jackie Key, Managing Director at Key Principles said: “The agency achieved Google Partner Status in February 2014. Maintaining this status means exams need to be completed and passed annually. We continue to maintain this coveted status and Terri’s exam passes ensure we continue to build upon this status.”
Terri, Marketing Executive at Key Principles, said: “I am thrilled to have passed, it certainly wasn’t easy and it’s great to know my hard work has paid off.”
Top employment lawyer is Cleggs’ partner
Jayne Harrison, who won a place in the Legal 500 for her experience and expertise in employment law, has joined Nottingham law firm, Cleggs Solicitors.
Jayne has more than 15 years’ experience in the legal profession.
She becomes a Partner and Head of Employment.
She said: “I am really excited to be joining Cleggs Solicitors and hope to build the employment department so we are recognised for our expertise.”
Jayne specialises in all areas of employment law.
She joins Cleggs Solicitors having previously trained and worked at a top 100 law firm in the East Midlands. In her previous role she was a Partner and Head of Department for Employment.
Jayne said: “I believe it is vital that you get to know your clients and their objectives. I understand how embittered parties can feel when employment tribunal proceedings are started.
“I have represented employees and all manner of employers. I deal with cases in the employment tribunals, employment appeal tribunals through to the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court.”
She added: “I decided to join Cleggs as I am very excited about the expansion the company has planned and am very much looking forward to working with employment lawyer Emma Tegerdine, with whom I last worked some 15 years ago.”
Mark Williams, Partner and Head of the Private Client Department at Cleggs Solicitors, said: “It is great to be welcoming Jayne to the firm and to head the employment law team.
“We are growing in this area and Jayne’s first-hand experience in all areas of employment law will help us to drive forward our expertise in this area.”