As 2024 draws to a close, Gloucestershire's leading businesses are busy plotting their courses for the new year and beyond, with some top professional talent being added to senior teams across all sectors to help bolster existing services and drive growth.
SoGlos rounds up five of the most noteworthy appointments in November 2024, from a new CEO at a transformative youth charity to the non-executive director charged with promoting sustainable fuels to new markets.
Cotswold Designer Outlet appoints centre manager
Highly anticipated new retail destination, Cotswolds Designer Outlet, forged ahead with plans for a spring 2025 opening, by appointing a centre manager this November 2024.
Tasked with leading its on-site management team, Adrian Field is appointed by the project's developer Robert Hitchins Ltd, bringing extensive expertise of managing town and city centre destinations, shopping centres and Business Improvement Districts (BIDs).
His role will be to drive investment in collaboration with stakeholders along with retail and food and beverage brands, while also promoting the shopping destination and establishing 'a clear and compelling' customer experience to drive footfall.
The Music Works Gloucester appoints new CEO
Gloucester-based charity, The Music Works, appoints a new CEO, as Deborah Potts steps down after 10 years.
Artistic director and co-founder, Malaki Patterson — who has worked closely alongside Deborah over the last decade — will step up to the role from January 2025.
Describing Malaki as 'instrumental in shaping and delivering The Music Works' vision', his progression builds on the strong foundation he has helped to co-create for the charity so far — which includes building state-of-the-art recording studios, launching life-changing education programmes and helping thousands of disadvantaged young people across the county.
Tewkesbury-based wood and biomass fuel group appoints new non-executive director
A new parent company of two Tewkesbury-based not-for-profits which provide safety and sustainability certification for wood and biomass fuels in the UK launched in November 2024 — with a new non-executive director appointed to drive expansion.
Cleaner Safer Group (CSG) — also based in Tewkesbury — brings together established organisations HETAS and Woodsure, which run their own specialist certification schemes for mineral and wood fuels, as well as schemes on behalf of the UK government including Ready to Burn, the Biomass Suppliers List and smoke control exemption for appliances.
The group has appointed experienced industry leader Dr Dermot Roddy to its board, to help the organisation leverage industry partnerships to promote the sustainable usage of solid fuels, as well as to diversify technologies that are used to capture biomass energy, beyond individual household appliances.
New service delivery manager appointed at one of Gloucestershire's leading IT providers
Sean Rayner has been promoted to service delivery manager at Cheltenham-based ReformIT, to lead the team's busy operations department and help steer the senior leadership team.
Having made a big impression in just 22 months with the firm, Sarah Smith, director of marketing and operations says Sean 'not only the skills and experience, but also the aptitude and goals that made him perfect for the position.
RHS award-winning gardener joins one of Gloucestershire's leading landscaping firms
One of Gloucestershire's leading landscape gardening firms, Greenfields Ltd, has appointed a multi RHS award-winning garden designer to its senior team.
Renowned horticulturalist Laura Ashton-Phillips becomes Greenfields' new head of garden design and commercial manager, with a view to helping to shape the future of the firm's landscaping department.
Laura brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the firm — which has provided a range of gardening services in Gloucestershire for more than 30 years — both from her own horticulture business, The Botanic Blonde and from previous roles including as ground manager and garden designer for Gloucestershire NHS Hospitals.
