From new faces at law firm Willans and manufacturing and exporting success story Prima Dental to new board members at ALS Mechatronic, a finance director at Suntory and chief executive at WellChild, September produced yet more interesting appointments across Gloucestershire.
Joeli Boxall – Willans LLP
Cheltenham-headquartered law firm Willans LLP, which this year celebrates 75 years in business, has unveiled its newest recruit, Joeli Boxall, a solicitor in its family law team.
Boxall specialises in advising clients at various stages of their relationships in matters ranging from divorce, financial remedy, arrangements for children, domestic abuse and nuptial agreements.
‘I appreciate the emotional issues arising from family proceedings and adopt a personable and focused approach to dealing with difficult situations. I also recognise the importance of all parties acting in a conciliatory manner, whether court proceedings are required or not,’ she said.
Jacquie Douglas and Hugh Joslyn – Gloucester BID
Powerful city centre business group Gloucester BID has two new board members.
Jacquie Douglas, chief executive of Aspire Sports and Cultural Trust, which runs GL1 and Oxstalls Tennis Centre, and Hugh Joslyn, director at Gloucester Brewery, are now part of the business improvement district.
The pair join Gloucester BID as it embarks on its second five-year term as the voice for businesses in the city centre. The independent, business-led body, funded by levy paying businesses in the city centre BID area, provides services ranging from patrolling City Protection Officers to funding events and projects to make Gloucester more attractive.
David Creed and Paulo Raquel – Prima Dental Group
Gloucester-based world-leading dental bur manufacturer Prima Dental Group has bolstered its executive leadership team with David Creed and Paulo Raquel.
The Quedgeley-headquartered firm said the appointments were ‘in line with its continued success’ and part of ‘an ambitious growth strategy’.
Creed, chief financial officer, and Raquel, chief operating officer, join Richard Muller, group executive chairman, Alun Jones, group managing director, and Dan Hodgson, chief commercial officer, on the senior team.
Creed has been with the firm since 2018 and was promoted from group financial controller to head of finance last year with Raquel a new recruit to the business.
Professor David Main – Royal Agricultural University
Professor David Main has been appointed as the new pro vice-chancellor (academic planning and resources) at the Royal Agricultural University.
Main, who was previously professor of production of animal health and welfare at the Cirencester university, is a veterinary surgeon and worked at Bristol Veterinary School before joining the RAU in 2018.
He is also chair of Home Office Animals in Science Committee, a former member of the Farm Animal Welfare Council, Food Ethics Council, and Soil Association Council. His previous initiatives have also included the AssureWel project and the Healthy Feet Project.
Chris Fitzsimmons and Daniel L’Estrange – ALS Mechatronic
Award-winning automation engineering company ALS Mechatronic has made two new appointments to its board of directors.
Chris Fitzsimmons, services director, and Daniel L’Estrange, engineering director, join founder and managing director Andrew Steward and executive director, Laura Steward, in ‘leading the company in the next phase of its growth’.
According to the Cheltenham firm the appointments recognise
the significant contributions made by Fitzsimmons over his 16 years with the
business, and L’estrange, who has been with ALS for six years. The appointments follow successes including a Queen’s Award
for Enterprise for outstanding short-term growth in international markets, Andrew
Steward winning Gloucestershire’s Entrepreneur of the Year 2021 at the SoGlos Gloucestershire
Business Awards, and the opening of its first overseas office in the USA.
Andy Collop – Hartpury University and Hartpury College
Professor Andy Collop’s pending appointment was announced by SoGlos in December 2021, but after the retirement of Russell Marchant he has now taken up the post of vice-chancellor, principal and chief executive officer at Hartpury University and Hartpury College.
Collop was formerly deputy vice-chancellor of De Montfort University (DMU), a position he held since 2015. He joined DMU in 2011 as pro vice-chancellor (PVC) and dean of the faculty of technology and also served as PVC Research and Innovation.
After completing a PhD in Mechanical/Civil Engineering at the University of Cambridge, he was appointed to a lectureship in the Department of Civil Engineering at the University of Nottingham in 1996.
In 2004 he became a chair in civil engineering and in 2006 was awarded a DSc for his research into road and rail track engineering. He has been an investigator on research grants and contracts worth more than £15million and has published more than 180 journal and conference papers.
Nora Ibrahim – Frank Smith
Legal practice Frank Smith has announced the appointment of Nora Ibrahim as the latest paralegal to join its Cheltenham-headquartered practice.
Born in Finland, Ibrahim emigrated to England as a young girl moved to Gloucestershire to study and graduated with a law degree from the University of Gloucestershire.
According to the firm her favourite part of her new role is assisting our clients with their matters and ensuring they feel the advice provided is both professional and personal.
Daniel Lander and Daniel Woodhead – Suntory Beverage & Food GB&I
Major Forest of Dean employer and maker of soft drinks including Lucozade and Ribena, the Japanese giant Suntory Beverage & Food Great Britain & Ireland has announced two new appointments to its executive committee.
Daniel Lander, finance director, will oversee the commercial financial management of the company, which has its manufacturing base in Coleford, and Daniel Woodhead, will lead its supply chain operations across Great Britain and Ireland.
Woodhead joins SBF GB&I from Asahi UK, where he held the role of supply chain director for almost two years before being moved to the director of logistics, leading the company through Brexit and the Covid-19 pandemic.
Matt James – WellChild
WellChild, the national charity for seriously ill children, has appointed Matt James as its new chief executive officer, based at the Cheltenham headquarters.
James has been part of the senior management team at the Cheltenham charity for the last seven years as director of communications and engagement and most recently as interim CEO following the departure of Colin Dyer in April this year.
Prior to joining WellChild, James spent more than 10 years in the technology industry and has spearheaded a number of digital projects and services at the charity. He will lead the development of a new strategic plan for WellChild.
Fiona Phelps – Gloucestershire Counselling Services
Gloucestershire Counselling Services has a new chief executive officer in Fiona Phelps.
According to GCS, Phelps will focus on the resilience and sustainable growth of the organisation to enable it to play a key role in supporting the delivery of One Gloucestershire – which aims to see the voluntary sector playing a key role in responding to the health and social care crisis over the next decade and beyond.
Phelps is focused on leading the charity to ensure their services continue to be relevant, useful and promote the independence and empowerment of individuals and families within the communities of Gloucestershire.
Steve Burke, Richard Watkins, Eleanor Sunderland, Toby Marshall, Amy Daniel, John Dix and Sonja Walding – Azets
There have been multiple promotions at Azets’ Gloucester office as the firm underlines its claim to being the UK’s largest regional accountancy firm and business advisor to SMEs.
The news follows a national recruitment drive that will see the firm adding 900 roles across the UK business over the next 12 months.
Steve Burke and Richard Watkins have been promoted to associate director in the audit team, Eleanor Sunderland to senior manager, Toby Marshall and Amy Daniel to assistant manager, and John Dix and Sonja Walding to seniors in the accounts and business advisory team.
As well as these promotions, Becky Hudson, director of audit has been awarded Responsible Individual status, an industry qualification given out by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, that recognises an individual who is responsible for audit work.
Carlo Zaffanella – Ultra
Ultra, which has a major base in Cheltenham, has appointed Carlo Zaffanella as the new president and chief executive officer of Ultra Maritime.
Zaffanella joins Ultra from General Dynamics Mission Systems where he spent 22 years and was general manager of its maritime and strategic systems line.
‘The future of Ultra Maritime is bright and we look forward to continuing our mission of delivering leading multi-mission solutions to protect our navies,’ he said.
Zaffanella started his career in General Electric as a Systems Engineer in submarine combat systems. He has a BSEE from Massachusetts Institute of Technology and an MEEE from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
