Gloucestershire business appointments round-up: October 2022

Lord Bichard – University of Gloucestershire

The University of Gloucestershire has welcomed Lord Michael Bichard as its new chancellor with an inauguration ceremony at its Oxstalls campus Business School.

Lord Bichard, who has been associated with the university for many years, succeeds Baroness Rennie Fritchie, who stood down as chancellor at the end of last year after serving ‘with distinction’ for more than a decade.

Lord Bichard, a long-standing resident of Gloucestershire and one-time chief executive of Gloucestershire County Council, said: ‘The university believes in giving everyone the opportunity to be the best they can be – so do I. Nothing offends me more than seeing someone denied the opportunity to fulfil their potential.’

David Owen – GFirst LEP and now Gloucestershire County Council

David Owen, the chief executive of GFirst LEP, has also been appointed director of economy and environment at Gloucestershire County Council.

The move comes as a result of central government’s decision to see all local enterprise partnerships integrated into their combined authority or upper-tier local authority by 2030.

Gloucestershire County Council is preparing a bid for a ‘County Deal’, which if successful would see it gain additional economic powers and see GFirst LEP included within the council - although it currently remains independent. There is no timetable for when the bid may be submitted.

Owen will remain ceo of the LEP, but be seconded to the council for four days a week on a three-month rolling basis where he will be responsible for waste and environment, libraries and registration, and employment and skills.

According to GFirst LEP the secondment ‘will strengthen the bid and ease the transition towards working more closely with the LEP if the county deal application proves to be successful.

Helen Cankett – BPE and deputy district judge

Helen Cankett, partner and team leader of Cheltenham firm BPE Solicitors’ family law team, has been appointed a deputy district judge.

Cankett, who described the role as ‘a huge privilege’, will sit on the Western Circuit (Gloucestershire, Hampshire, Wiltshire, Dorset, Devon, Cornwall, Somerset and Bristol) in both the civil and family jurisdictions and brings more than 20 years’ experience in the law to her judicial role.

She will combine her practice as a partner at BPE alongside her part-time judicial duties.

Huw Warren – Gloucester Rugby

Huw Warren is the new sales director for Gloucester Rugby.

Warren has held senior commercial roles at the Ospreys (Swansea's rugby union team) and Bath Rugby and was more recently involved in establishing the new cricket team, Welsh Fire, in his previous role at Glamorgan County Cricket Club.

At Gloucester Rugby he will be responsible for driving commercial growth and leveraging the club’s brand to grow revenues through sponsorship, digital and new commercial opportunities.

Trula Brunsdon and Matt Lennon – Sherbornes Solicitors

Cheltenham based specialist business lawyers Sherbornes Solicitors, has announced the promotion of two long-standing employees, Trula Brunsdon and Matt Lennon, who will now form part of the firm’s senior management team.

Brunsdon and Lennon have been at Sherbornes for 10 years and six years respectively and will work alongside the existing directors, Darren Sherborne and Simon Birks.

Darren Sherborne, the firm’s founder, said Brunsdson, an expert in employment law, and Lennon, who advises companies across a number of industry sectors on corporate law matters, has been integral to helping grow the reputation of the firm for providing ‘no-nonsense, practical, legal advice’.

A raft of appointments at Harrison Clark Rickerbys

Law firm Harrison Clark Rickerbys, which has offices in Cheltenham, is celebrating 11 new promotions.

Stephanie Dennis, in the firm’s agriculture and rural affairs team, and Theresa Grech, in the corporate team, have been promoted to partner at the firm.

Lynne Adams (employment and immigration), Michael Campbell (real estate) and Hannah Oseland (banking and finance) have also been promoted to legal directors.

Daniel De Saulles (commercial), Lisette Macdonald (private client) and Paul Watkins (education and charities) have been promoted to senior associate.

They join three new associates – Sarah Harbord (agriculture and rural affairs), Ellis Jessica Walby (employment and immigration) and Cathryn Harper-Tedstone (family).

Sally Conlon – University of Gloucestershire

The University of Gloucestershire has appointed Sally Conlon to its client development team.

Conlon previously worked for The South West Apprenticeship Company and also for Gloucestershire College.

‘I have been lucky over the years to work with some amazing companies all over the UK and I look forward to continuing to develop these relationships and new ones though the University of Gloucestershire and to continue to share the benefits of supporting new recruits or existing staff through apprenticeship qualifications,’ said Conlon.

Georgie Stubbs – i2i Recruitment

Cheltenham firm i2i Recruitment has announced the promotion of Georgie Stubbs to associate director.

Stubbs has been part of the firm’s ‘family’ for more than eight years, working her way up from recruitment resource.

In a post on LinkedIn Richard Ogden-Metherell, managing director of at i2i Recruitment said: ‘Congratulations on a well deserved promotion. Looking forward to the future!’.

Ian Pigott OBE – The Ernest Cook Trust

Education charity The Ernest Cook Trust has announced the appointment of experienced farmer Ian Pigott OBE to its board of trustees.

The Gloucestershire charity, an extensive landowner across six counties, said Pigott brings with him 25 years’ experience managing a diverse family farming business on the border of Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire.

He is credited with founding the UK’s national farm open day – Open Farm Sunday – in 2006. He also runs his own charity, The Farmschool, which since 2014 and been helping reconnect children and young people with food, farming and the environment.

Kallen Townsend ­– Cyber Security Associates

Cyber sector consultancy and managed services firm Cyber Security Associates (CSA) has appointed Kallen Townsend as digital marketing officer for the Gloucester business.

Townsend joins the 25-strong team to lead the marketing function across digital and events. Her role includes data analysis and marketing strategy, digital brand content creation, lead generation and social media.

She joins CSA’s other recent hires, including Racheal Birt as service delivery manager, Lizzie Dick as operations and partner manager, Hannah Sharp as technical cyber consultant and Tamzin Greenfield as cyber apprentice.