Loughborough Business School:
The Chairman of investment bank UBS, Colm Kelleher (pictured above), has accepted the title of visiting professor of banking and finance at Loughborough Business School.
Colm had a 30-year career with Morgan Stanley, where he served as president until 2019 overseeing both its institutional securities business and wealth management division.
As well as solid leadership experience in banking he has excellent relationships around the world, and a deep understanding of the global banking landscape.
Colm said: “I am honoured and delighted to be appointed visiting professor by Loughborough Business School.
“I look forward to sharing my insights and experience with the students and faculty. Together we can contribute to the advancement of knowledge and practice in the field of banking and finance.”
Freeths:
Freeths law firm has made eight appointments across its employment, pensions and immigration practice led by Rena Magdani in the Leicester office – spread across the business’s 13 offices including London, Oxford, Leicester, Leeds and Manchester.
The new starters join after its financial results for 2022/3 showed turnover up 14.9 per cent to £129 million – with its employment, pensions and immigration team seeing a 34 per cent increase in turnover in the last four years.
The employment team has been bolstered by Nicola Wallbank joining the Oxford office as a partner, Rob Smedley joining Leeds as a director, Ella Sheppard joining Leicester as a senior associate, associate Phoebe Anand joining the London office, associate Niamh Hogg joining in Manchester, and associate Adele Coupland joining in Sheffield.
In addition, Max Ballad joins the pensions team in Leeds as a director and Irum Saleem joins the immigration team in Leeds as an associate
Rena Magdani, partner and national head of employment, pensions and immigration, said: “We have seen a significant increase in demand for our services and they join us at an exciting time as we continue our growth strategy.”
Finch Consulting:
Leicestershire-based health and safety risk management experts Finch Consulting have appointed mechanical and electrical chartered engineer Tom Leach.
Tom has more than 20 years’ of experience, more recently in roles including surveying, project management, consultancy, and as an associate director. He joins Finch as a senior consultant.
In his new role, he help the business win and deliver work.
He said: “I am thrilled to be joining such an agile and multi-disciplined team where I feel I can make my mark and add value to the business. I will also be furthering my professional development through Finch taking on several courses.”
Nelsons:
Nelsons has promoted seven employees across a range of legal departments and its management team in Nottingham.
Commercial property specialist Kieron Crowther has been promoted to partner from legal director, having qualified as a solicitor in 2002 and joining the firm in 2019.
Kieron has experience in land acquisition and disposal as well as commercial developments and has recently been providing expertise in commercial renewable energy and development work.
Solicitors Liam Wilkinson and Carolle White have been promoted to legal directors while Paula Haverkamp and Karen Salt have become senior associates.
Rounding off the promotions in Nottingham are Graham Richardson, who is now legal accounts manager, and Elise-Marie Storer, who has moved into the role of learning and development specialist.
Nelsons has offices in Nottingham, Derby and Leicester.
Wattbike:
E-commerce and digital transformation expert Ahmed Khodja has joined the Wattbike team as its direct-to-consumer director, a new role which will see him responsible for setting its global consumer vision.
Khodja joins the Nottingham-based Indoor bike brand with a track record in e-commerce strategy, following a decade working with global manufacturer and online licensed sportswear retailer Fanatics. There he worked with some of the world’s top sports teams and athletes.
Wattbike was launched more than 20 years ago to create a new kind of indoor training bike, measuring every pedal stroke and giving instant insights to help people get more from every workout.
The bikes are crafted and designed in the UK and Wattbikes says they are tough enough to withstand the intense training of elite athletes as well as home users.
Customers include more than 500 Olympic medallists, Premier League footballers – including 12 Champions League-winning football teams – and NFL teams.
UK Industrial Fusion Solutions:
Minister for Nuclear and Networks Andrew Bowie MP has announced the appointment of Paul Methven as the inaugural CEO of UK Industrial Fusion Solutions (UKIFS) responsible for the delivery of STEP – a prototype fusion energy plant to be built at West Burton in North Notts.
STEP will be led by UKIFS, a wholly owned subsidiary of the UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA), with Professor Sir Ian Chapman remaining as the group CEO.
The STEP programme aims to pave the way for the commercialisation of fusion energy and the potential development of a fleet of future fusion powerplants around the world, ensuring the UK remains at the forefront of a new technology and emerging industry.
Andrew Bowie said: “Paul Methven will bring a wealth of experience to the programme, working to deliver a prototype fusion plant in the 2040s and to cement the UK’s place at the forefront of developing this cutting-edge technology."
Paul Methven joined the STEP programme in September 2020 from the Ministry of Defence, where he was director of submarine acquisition at the Submarine Delivery Agency. In that role he was programme director for Dreadnought, the UK’s second biggest investment programme after HS2, and has led other major and complex programmes across the MoD.
Simoco Wireless Solutions:
Communications company Simoco Wireless Solutions has appointed Fred de Haro as group chief executive, following a period of investment in new technology platforms and the recent acquisition of emergency services vehicle communications specialist Thorcom.
He has more than 30 years’ experience in growing international technology businesses, notably in the IoT and business communications sectors at companies such as Nokia, Tele Atlas (Tom Tom) and Eseye.
He is also a serial entrepreneur, having founded a number of tech startups, including global IoT technology company Pycom, which he led from 2015 to a successful sale in 2022.
Simoco’s current group chief executive Mike Norfield will take on the role of chairman while current chairman Peter Burridge will become a non-executive director.
