The latest appointments, promotions and moves in the Welsh business community

As the world looks to emerge from the pandemic a number of people are changing roles and jobs across the Welsh business community.

Here are some of the big moves across all sectors, from construction to cyber, ecommerce to elearning.

Please send your appointments news to chris.pyke@reachplc.com.

Watkin Jones announces board succession plans

Watkin Jones has appointed a new chair-designate and CFO-designate.

In April the north Wales headquartered firm announced that as part of its long term board succession planning, Grenville Turner had given notice of his intention to retire as chair during 2021 and that Phil Byrom, chief financial officer, had also given notice of his intention to retire in 2022. Following an active recruitment process, the board has announced the new appointments.

Alan Giddins has been appointed as non-executive director and chair-designate with immediate effect. It is intended that Mr Turner will step down from the Board in October 2021 and that Mr Giddins will take over as chair, having allowed time for an orderly handover.

Mr Giddins is currently Chair of Hill & Smith Holdings, the FTSE 250 international group creating sustainable infrastructure and safe transport solutions, having joined in October 2017 as the senior independent director, before assuming the role of chair in October 2019. Mr Giddins is also a non-executive director and investment committee member of Big Society Capital Limited, the UK's largest social impact-led investor.

Previously Mr Giddins was a managing partner and global head of private equity at 3i Group, and sat on the boards of a number of 3i's largest private equity investments. Prior to joining 3i in 2005, Mr Giddins spent 13 years in investment banking advising a broad range of quoted companies. He qualified as a chartered accountant and has a degree in economics.

Sarah Sergeant has been appointed to the board as chief financial officer-designate with effect from October 6, 2021. Phil Byrom will step down from the board, and Sarah step up to CFO after a suitable handover period.

Ms Sergeant is currently the chief financial officer of the UK & Ireland region at Compass Group, the FTSE 30 food and support services company. She has held a number of senior finance and operational roles over her 13-year tenure at Compass, including group financial controller, M&A director, and CFO of the Asia Pacific region, based in Singapore. Ms Sergeant brings financial, strategic and operational experience from across the commercial spectrum. She is a chartered accountant.

Mr Turner said: "We are delighted to welcome Alan and Sarah to the Board. Alan brings considerable expertise particularly in guiding companies through the execution of their growth strategies and Sarah brings significant financial and operational experience working in complex businesses. Their experience will be invaluable to Watkin Jones as we continue to grow the business."

Capital Law adds to its financial services team with raft of new appointments

Cardiff and London-based Capital Law has added to its financial services team with a series of new hires.

The new appointments have joined the firm’s other 15 financial services lawyers, who work collaboratively drawing on multidisciplinary expertise across the FinTech, InsurTech and financial services sectors, alongside cryptoassets and blockchain, banking and insurance.

The financial services division focuses on regulatory, lending and commercial issues, alongside contentious work, Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) investigations and offers employment and immigration advice for financial institutions.

Charlotte Gregory joined the firm from Browne Jacobson as a senior associate, bringing a wealth of knowledge in regulatory compliance, product design and FCA enforcement matters, as well as having spent many years defending insurance-backed litigation and advising on policy coverage.

Phillippa Ellis has experience as both a solicitor and a barrister specialising in criminal law, prosecution and defence. She joins Capital from the Serious Fraud Office as a senior associate, specialising in financial and economic crime including fraud and bribery and corruption investigations.

Solicitor Charlotte Hanson, with both domestic and international experience and a previous history of working with large international insurers and corporate clients, brings a corporate insurance perspective to the team. Previously at Clyde & Co, she has been heavily involved in a variety of insurance claims, in addition to non-contentious advisory work, such as professional indemnity, casualty claims, property damage and acting as coverage counsel in large scale disputes.

The team also has a growing number of juniors who are training in this specialist area. Ferial Khan and Sallyanne Caswell, who joined the team as a paralegals, will start solicitor training contracts with Capital in September, making way for new paralegal Hafash Hardi who joined the team last month.

Andrew Mazeika recently qualified as a solicitor, specialising in providing regulatory advice to Fintechs, banks, crypto-asset businesses and consumer credit institutions.

Rachel Hillier, who leads Capital Law’s financial services division, said of the new recruits: “It’s been no surprise that the last year has created a different dynamic when hiring new people. Remote recruitment is now an essential part of the modern workplace allowing Capital Law to hire from a wider talent pool than ever before.

"In doing so, we are delighted to welcome Charlotte, Charlotte, Phillippa and Hafash with their varying backgrounds and expertise to bolster our team. The combined experience of these new recruits alongside the development of our trainees and paralegals will be integral to the success of the financial services division as Capital Law continues to increase its profile both at home and overseas."

Royal Mint appoints chief marketing officer

The Royal Mint has announced the appointment of Caroline Webb as new chief marketing officer.

The appointment takes The Royal Mint’s executive team to 50/50 representation, led by Anne Jessopp who in 2018 became the company’s first female chief executive in 1,100 years.

Ms Webb will oversee brand, marketing and product strategy at The Royal Mint as the company, which is based in Llantrisant and is one of the largest employers in Wales, continues its reinvention as a premium consumer brand - looking to attract new customers and expanding into overseas markets.

Ms Webb has previously worked at brands such as TM Lewin, Oak Furnitureland and BAA Retail. At the Royal Mint she will be tasked with overseeing customer centric campaigns for the UK and overseas.

The Royal Mint has expanded into new products and markets which complement its heritage in design and craftsmanship. It now offers a range of precious metal investments, rare and historic coins, as well as beautifully crafted collectables celebrating British icons and anniversaries.

Ms Webb said: “I am excited to join one of the most iconic brands in Britain at such an exciting time for the business. There is so much passion and talent in the organisation that the opportunity was too good to miss.

“The Royal Mint might be 1,100 years old but we are firmly focused on the future, and our unique brand plays an integral role in engaging new customers and growing into new markets. Not many brands can boast a heritage as rich as ours, and I can’t wait to work with the team to share our unique story as The Original Maker.”

Hugh James appoints city partner

Hugh James is continuing to expand its London presence with the appointment of a senior corporate partner to its City office.

Andrew Hoad has more than two decades dealing with all types of corporate transactions including acquisitions and disposals, private and public equity fundraising and shareholder restructuring. During his career, he has worked as a corporate lawyer for firms including Nabarro Nathanson, as well as establishing boutique corporate law practices, where he has been involved in building impressive client rosters from scratch.

Over the years, Mr Hoad has built up a particular focus advising the technology sector – including software consultancies and high-tech manufacturers. He has also focused on advising on disposals to Employee Ownership Trusts - a unique type of business structure, introduced in 2014, which is becoming an increasingly attractive succession option for SMEs and family businesses.

Mr Hoad said: “I’m really excited to be joining such a dynamic, commercial firm, and I look forward to supporting Hugh James’s continued growth in London and the south-east – an area I know well and have a good network of contacts.

"Throughout my career, I’ve enjoyed building longstanding relationships with clients and working with them throughout the business journey – from start-ups, developing over the years through acquisitions and joint ventures, right through to eventual disposal and retirement. I know my colleagues at Hugh James share this love of working collaboratively with businesses and individuals and helping them achieve their goals along the way.”

Hugh James' London office has grown by almost 15% during the pandemic, with other senior hires in its banking and finance; contested wills, trusts and estates and personal injury and clinical negligence practices. The firm has also established new bases in Cambridge, Southampton, and Plymouth this year, to extend its coverage across southern England.

Software development company appoints head of ecommerce

Software development company, Box UK, has appointed Allie Brock as head of ecommerce.

Ms Brock has been tasked with overseeing the provision of high quality ecommerce solutions for clients and develop new products and services.

Box UK says Ms Brock has helped deliver sophisticated software platforms for international clients such as Okdo and RS Components. She has specialised in large-scale multilingual and multisite installations and complex technological ecosystems.

Ms Brock previously worked across a number of roles, including lead business analyst, agile coach and head of support, enabling the company to better understand and respond to client needs and providing one-to-one support.

Box UK managing director, Benno Wasserstein, said: “Allie will lead on building a strong foundation for future growth and diversification, researching market trends and opportunities and working closely with clients to support their business strategies.”

Cyber Resilience Centre for Wales welcomes Chainalysis to its board

The Cyber Resilience Centre for Wales (WCRC) has announced Chainalysis has now joined as its newest board member.

Phil Larratt, who is public sector operations specialist at Chainalysis, will be representing the organisation at the WCRC board.

Chainalysis is the blockchain data platform providing data, software, services, and research to government agencies, financial institutions, and insurance and cybersecurity companies in more than 60 countries. Its data influences investigation, compliance, and market intelligence software that has been used to solve some of the world’s most high-profile criminal cases and grow consumer access to cryptocurrency safely.

Mr Larratt works with law enforcement, government agencies and various other organisations. Prior to joining Chainalysis, he was a senior manager in the National Cyber Crime Unit (NCCU) at the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA).

Mr Larratt has been investigating cryptocurrency-related crime since 2014, leading multiple high-profile ransomware, product contamination, money laundering and dark net market investigations. As the NCA’s cryptocurrency lead, Mr Larrattformulated seizure guidance and introduced policy regarding the use of Reactor.

Detective Superintendent and WCRC director Paul Peters, said: “We are delighted to welcome Phil to our board. Chainalysis is a global business making significant inroads into cybercrime safeguarding measures at the highest levels.

“The organisation’s experience in handling cryptocurrency investigations and compliance solutions as it works to fight illicit activity will offer us great insight into our own cyber resilience strategy as we continue to drive awareness and support for Welsh organisations in the fight against cybercrime.”

New director appointment at Evans Entwistle

Evans Entwistle have recently announced the promotion of Matthew Ward from senior manager to director.

Mr Ward joined the Penarth practice in 2013 as an associate accountant, and over the past eight years has worked his way through the ranks to join practice partners Damian Evans and Lisa Entwistle on the board. As part of his newly expanded remit, Mr Ward will now oversee the professional development of the firm’s four junior accountants.

Bristol office Partner Damian Evans said: "Matt has been an integral part of the South Wales team for many years and the breadth of his accountancy and tax knowledge coupled with his outstanding client management skills made him the natural choice for a senior level promotion"

Mr Ward added: “Having joined the practice from university, it has been quite the journey to watch the firm grow, particularly over the past three years in which we have acquired two additional practices in Bristol and Newport to become a team of 16 accountancy, tax and corporate finance professionals – it is exciting to be part of the management team as we go forwards and continue to expand”

Business advisory firm invests in team

The business advisory firm Grant Thornton UK LLP has added to its Cardiff and South West England teams with six new appointments.

Gareth Barry joins the Cardiff office as senior audit manager. He has been based in the region since graduating from Cardiff University in 2014 and moves from a Big Four accountancy firm where he spent over six years serving a client base across Wales and the West of England. These involved large and mid-sized clients in various industries such as hospitality and entertainment, food production, manufacturing, semiconductor and technology and financial services.

Ryan Griffiths and James Harris have also joined the Cardiff office, Mr Griffiths as an associate tax manager and Mr Harris as an assistant manager in audit. Mr Griffiths has been based in the region since graduating from Cardiff University in 2018 and similarly moves from a Big Four accountancy firm. Mr Harris, meanwhile, previously spent four years at another firm and is a graduate of the University of Reading.

Grant Thornton has also appointed three new tax associates. Libby Johnson and Hannah Hampton will work from the Bristol office at Glass Wharf, while Maggie Cleverley will operate from the Grant Thornton Cardiff base in Callaghan Square.

Wynne Construction builds on staffing levels with new appointments

A construction company has expanded its workforce as it prepares to embark on an influx of new projects over the next two years.

Bodelwyddan-based Wynne Construction has welcomed 10 new staff members alongside a series of internal staff promotions as the company continues to win new contracts across Wales.

The firm, which will safeguard approximately 6,500 Welsh-based construction jobs over the next two years through its £85m order book, has £25m worth of schemes currently in progress and is due to start eight new major projects across Wales and the north west of England between now and the end of 2023.

As a senior architectural technologist, Mr Beatson was previously involved with the designs for Wynne projects, such as Coleg Cambria’s Deeside Sixth Form college and Ysgol Llanfair Dyffryn Clwyd in Ruthin.

Mr Beatson said: “Having spent the last seven years working alongside the Wynne team, it has been enjoyable moving across to the new position, which will allow me to grow in my own career and further develop my own skill sets.

“I was interested in moving into the management side of things and pursue new challenges in the construction industry, and Wynne seemed like a natural fit.

“Their extensive work developing schools and buildings which help improve local communities is an area I am passionate about.”

Assistant site manager Dyfed Edwards also had previous connections to Wynne prior to joining in April this year.

Dyfed took part in a five-day work experience placement on the Ty Pawb arts centre project in 2017 while studying his BTEC L3 construction management qualification at Coleg Cambria.

Site manager Liam Jones, who is working on a development of Ysgol Brynffordd as part of Wynne’s £7.1m package of works to expand pre-school provisions within Flintshire, is another new member of the Wynne Construction team, having previously operated a joinery company alongside his father for 12 years before moving into a position at a timber framing company in Ruthin.

Other new members at Wynne Construction include quantity surveyor Tom Hocknell, site managers Dewi Adamson and Joe Hackney, project manager Huw Davies and site operatives Chris Kidd, Martin Brookes and Martin Lewis.

In addition, Wynne has also rewarded team members with internal promotions, including one for assistant site manager John Watts, who moved into the position after previously working as a qualified joiner.

Alongside Mr Watts, Martin Roberts has been promoted to assistant site manager, while Mark Wilson and Andy Lea have been promoted to project managers.

Growth at Aspire 2Be sees several senior promotions

A Swansea based learning technology company has made several senior promotions to its management team.

In a year that has seen Aspire 2Be pivot its offering to deliver more of its training online, the company has continued to grow.

Changes include former education partner, Simon Pridham, becoming managing director as co-owner and co-founder Jeremy Stephens has decided to retire. Mr Pridham is joined, in the new-look management team, by Matt Smith, who has been promoted to learning and development business partner, and Andries Pretorious as wellbeing and innovation business partner. They are joined by former award winning headteacher, Derek Peaple, who heads up Aspire 2Be London.

Speaking about the restructure, new MD Mr Pridham said “Aspire 2Be is like a family, and we are keen to continue our vision of empowering staff to grow within the company, and so it gives me great pleasure in welcoming Matt, Derek and Andries to the management team at a very exciting time of growth for our business.”

In addition to the promotions, the business has also moved to make some strategic appointments, with Kathryn Stevenson joining the business as sales and marketing lead and a new role created for a business administration apprentice.