IMA Architects (IMA), based in Blaby, Leicester has welcomed two new team members.
Tasawar Rahim joins the company as a Part 2 architectural assistant and Jessica Moody as an architectural assistant.
The two new appointments come as a result of consistent business growth and new contract wins, including a £6m project in Saudi Arabia and numerous projects with Clowes Developments, one of the UK’s largest privately owned property investment and development companies.
Originally from Bangladesh, Tasawar has previously worked in Iraq where he has worked on a range of small and large residential projects. Tasawar has a Master of Architecture (March/RIBA Part 2) from the Manchester School of Architecture and a BA (Hons) Architecture (RIBA Part 1) from the Kent School of Architecture.
Speaking on the new role, Tasawar said: “Having been exposed to different cultures and environments I’ve learnt how to produce diverse concepts – and this is something I hope to enhance further. At IMA, I will get the opportunity to work on projects that have different scales and typologies, and I can’t wait to get stuck in.”
A recent graduate, Jessica joins the team fresh out of University with a BSc (Hons) Architecture degree from the Welsh School of Architecture in Cardiff. She has also successfully completed the RIBA Future Architects Student Mentoring programme.
Jessica Moody
In their roles at IMA, Tasawar and Jessica will be responsible for the Design and Development of large-scale industrial projects as part of a wider team.
On joining the team, Jessica commented: “I am really happy to be joining the IMA team and look forward to applying my new qualifications – and my curiosity – to the creation and development of architecture. And I look forward to embarking on new challenges with a reputable company.”
Ian McCann, IMA’s Managing Director, added: “We are delighted to welcome Tasawar and Jessica to IMA, adding two new strings to the company’s bow and supporting new talent into the industry. Today, our team – which has grown by 66% in the last 24-months – has over 100 years’ experience in the industry and, with significant growth across all business areas, there are no plans to slow down.
“A strong and diverse staff base is key to our continued business success. We employ talented architects, designers and technologists ranging from graduate staff to Chartered personnel, and we’re targeting a further 20% growth by 2024.”
Nottingham-based wealth manager Fiscal Engineers has named KPMG’s Anthony Hambleton as its new CEO.
Hambleton will succeed Wayne Cox, who will retire from the role at the end of 2022 after seven highly successful years with the company.
Cox will retain an advisory position and will also work alongside Hambleton during a carefully planned handover period.
The pair were previously colleagues at KPMG, where Hambleton has served as a partner and led the firm’s Audit practice in the East Midlands.
Hambleton said: “I’m extremely excited by this move, because everyone in our profession is aware of Fiscal Engineers’ outstanding reputation. I’ve also known Wayne and other members of the team for many years, so I really feel like I’m joining a family I’ve been close to for a long time.”
Hambleton added: “Wayne has done an amazing job, and I know I have a tough act to follow. The fact that we’re going to be able to work side by side while I settle in will ensure a seamless transition, which is what our clients would expect.”
Shane Mullins, Fiscal Engineers’ founder and executive chairman, said: “We’ve had time to think about how to make this process work to best effect. We’re very fortunate to have such a flexible arrangement, with Wayne and Anthony sharing knowledge and expertise during the handover period.
“We’re confident this collaborative approach will help Anthony maintain the extremely high standards Wayne has set during his time as CEO. We pride ourselves on helping our clients navigate periods of transition, and we’re sure they’ll find this transition a smooth and effective one.”
Cox added: “I said when I arrived at Fiscal Engineers that I was attracted to the idea of a people organisation very much built around relationships. I know Anthony recognises those same qualities, and I’ve no doubt he’ll make sure we continue to stand apart from the crowd in that respect.”
Nationwide independent financial advice and fund management firm One Four Nine Group has made its sixth acquisition with the purchase of Nottingham-based HFL Financial Advisers Ltd.
The purchase, completed less than one year since One Four Nine’s inception, means the group now has 80 team members managing over £1 billion assets on behalf of 3,000 clients across the UK.
HFL Financial Advisers Ltd (HFL) was established in 2013 by Peter Haigh, Peter Frogson and Nic Lewis, who collectively boast more than 100 years of experience in financial services. The team have spent almost a decade building their client base across the East Midlands offering advice on pensions, investments, mortgages and financial protection.
Matthew Bugden, Chief Executive Officer, One Four Nine, said: “I have personally known the senior team at HFL for many years, therefore it is incredibly rewarding to be able to welcome them to the One Four Nine family and bring their considerable expertise to our team.
“Having a firm of HFL’s quality choose One Four Nine as their home is an excellent endorsement of our leadership team, company values and culture – a collaborative environment where financial advisers and their teams are supported with market leading technology and infrastructure.”
Gabrielle Beaumont, Managing Director, One Four Nine, said: “The acquisition of HFL marks a significant moment in the evolution of One Four Nine – coming within one year of the group’s launch and brings us to a milestone £1 billion of client assets – a target our team has worked exceptionally hard to achieve.
“With an expanding team across Scotland, the East Midlands, the North and the South-East, we have carefully grown our senior leadership capability and built the foundation needed to integrate new and existing team members, creating a sense of unified purpose and brand identity. With all that has been achieved in our first year, and further quality adviser firms to bring into the One Four Nine fold, we are hugely excited about what our second year will bring.”
Greg Simpson, founder of Press for Attention PR, shares his advice following a PR crisis.
There is something uniquely British about queuing. We pride ourselves on it and recent events have of course taken our queuing skills, patience and monitoring to new heights. There was even a Twitter feed and hashtag for #thequeue.
However, things were taken up a notch (as I wrote this immediately post funeral) when it appeared that Phil and Holly, the darlings of morning television for so many years, “jumped” the queue to see the Queen lying in state last week.
I say “appeared” advisedly because as we speak, I understand that Holly may have called in legal advice and honestly, I can see why. Although, it might have been an idea for ITV’s PR team to have jumped into action rather more swiftly.
It seems that Holly and Phil “begged” ITV bosses to clarify the situation sooner, namely that they were there as journalists/broadcasters as the pair were hauled over the coals in some sections of the press – there are now some 35,000 signatures for a petition for them to quit their jobs.
I’m not quite sure how that works in terms of actually changing anything as the pair are still very popular and safe pairs of hands in the broadcasting world but it shows the sentiment or at least SOME sentiment. Granted, many people will have ignored the whole fiasco of the “jump” and focused on the national history unfolding before their eyes.
Whatever you might think about them “jumping vs working,” could it have been avoided whilst they STILL did their jobs? Yep. It all comes down to how CLEAR you think things are.
According to MailOnline an ITV source said: “We absolutely made it clear at the time that it was part of a broadcast due to air on Tuesday. This was communicated from the outset, and we gave this information immediately.”
The problem is, it doesn’t seem to be “absolutely” clear. Indeed, MailOnline also reports that the pair “personally insisted that fiasco be addressed at the start of the show and believe ITV should not have waited so long to speak out on the matter.”
I disagree. It should have been addressed BEFORE the show, I’m talking DAYS before, with a clear message about what they would and would not be doing and why they were doing things in a certain way – in their eyes, to “tell the story” for those who couldn’t be there.
I’m not saying people would have agreed with the decision, in fact, it might well have stopped the broadcast before it happened. Maybe that would have been better because remember, perception is 9/10ths of the law when it comes to the public!
Also, a brief note on her Majesty and PR if I may? Say what you like about the monarchy (and plenty will) but there is one thing that is very clear, the Queen was a pioneer and an inspiration to millions. The Queen was also an unrivalled communicator.
Listening to the reports that have dominated the world’s media agenda for weeks now, I was struck by how often the phrase “made people feel comfortable” came up. There was criticism when, back in the late ’60’s, the Queen allowed cameras into the lives of the royals for “letting daylight in on the royal magic” – possibly some of the most misguided criticism I have ever heard. Because, you see, the magic was in letting people in, everyone.
A former business journalist, Greg Simpson is the author of The Small Business Guide to PR and has been recognised as one of the UK’s top 5 PR consultants, having set up Press for Attention PR in 2008.He has worked for FTSE 100 firms, charities and start-ups and conducted press conferences with Sir Richard Branson and James Caan. His background ensures a deep understanding of every facet of a successful PR campaign – from a journalist’s, client’s, and consultant’s perspective.See this column in the October edition of East Midlands Business Link Magazine here.
Explore Transport Limited, the supplier of Transport and Plant Hire services, have let a 0.73 acre site comprising of hard standing storage land at Drakelow Business Park.
Drakelow Business Park benefits from good access to the A38 and is situated just south of Burton on Trent. The business park provides a mix of industrial/warehouse units and hard standing land.
Corbin Archer of FHP Property Consultants said: “We are excited to have let a parcel of land at Drakelow Business Park. We have more land available ranging from 0.10 acres to 2.00 acres and we also expect a few industrial units to become available in the near future.
“We are continually speaking with local occupiers who are seeking accommodation along the A38 corridor between Burton and Lichfield and I am hopeful that some of the conversations will lead to further deals.”
Law firm Browne Jacobson and the University of Nottingham are launching a ground-breaking two and a half year Knowledge Transfer Partnership which aims to develop and embed long-lasting equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) principles and learnings into the firm’s practices and processes, amongst its key client-bases and the national legal sector.
It is the first Knowledge Transfer Partnership Browne Jacobson has entered into with a leading UK university and is part funded by Innovate UK, the UK’s innovation agency.
Browne Jacobson will work with the University of Nottingham’s leading business unit, Linguistic Profiling for Professionals, in the Centre for Research in Applied Linguistics (CRAL), along with a graduate associate to analyse, review and change the way it uses written, spoken and digital language to ensure it is more diverse and inclusive as an employer. The project will be overseen by Louise Mullany, professor in Sociolinguistics at the University of Nottingham.
Browne Jacobson is currently ranked as the UK’s leading employer in the Social Mobility Employer Index, the leading authority on social mobility workplace best practice in the UK.
Declan Vaughan, people director, said: “We believe this collaboration is truly ground-breaking. It provides us with a unique opportunity to address the language of exclusion in the workplace. It will help us to better understand and shape how we, our clients and the wider legal profession can improve the way we all communicate to create a more inclusive and diverse working environment.”
Claire Stripp, head of talent & knowledge at Browne Jacobson, added: “Research shows using language in the workplace that is outdated can have a detrimental effect on an organisation’s ability to attract and retain top talent, drive commercial success and innovate.
“We are passionately inclusive, and we believe that understanding how language can be unintentionally but significantly exclusive, and learning how to communicate truly inclusively, is ground-breaking and will help us to attract and retain the best talent and enable everyone to thrive with us.”
Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTPs) is Europe’s leading programme helping businesses to improve their competitiveness by enabling companies to work with higher education or research and technology organisations to obtain knowledge, technology or skills which they consider to be of strategic competitive importance. The UK-wide programme is overseen by Innovate UK and supported by 16 other public sector funding organisations. Projects typically last between 12 months and 3 years.
Professor Louise Mullany, lead academic and knowledge base supervisor at the University of Nottingham, said: “We are delighted that the KTP application has been successful. It will enable us to engage in critically important diversity and inclusion work over a sustained period of time, bringing long-lasting value to the firm and its clients.
“We are looking forward to applying our inclusive communication solutions package with the business and know that the knowledge we gain in return will deeply inform our research and practices in this area for many years to come.”
Charity organisers are asking company bosses to join them in the latest CEO Sleepout event which is taking place in Nottingham.
The national initiative raises vital funds to combat homelessness by asking business people from the region to sleep outside and experience one night of what homeless people encounter. This will be the sixth event CEO Sleepout has held in the area since 2016.
Chief Executive Bianca Robinson said: “Every year, the great people of the Nottinghamshire business community have come out in force to spend a night sleeping outside.
“To date CEO Sleepout Nottingham has raised a whopping £237,617 and we’re aiming to reach over the quarter of a million mark this year.”
Speaking of the current economic challenges we are facing, such as the cost-of-living crisis and rising bill prices, Bianca added: “We are seeing desperate inequality all around us because of a turbulent few years.
“Some people will possibly face a real dread of eviction if they fall behind on payments and there is not enough affordable housing to ensure everyone has a secure roof over their heads.
“We need to change this and make a stand against the forces pulling people into homelessness in this country.”
Funds from the November sleepout at Meadow Lane Stadium will benefit charities on the frontline of homelessness and poverty in the area, including Notts County Foundation, Emmanuel House and The Friary.
Denis Tully, the CEO of Emmanuel House, said: “The sleepout is a unique event to raise vital money for charities like ours to fund frontline services for people who need them the most.
“The insights shared about what homelessness is changes understanding and perspectives, which is so important in the long run.”
A large number of local people have already signed up to spend a night under the stars and raise vital funds but there is a limited number of spaces remaining.
Speaking about this year’s participants, Bianca added: “I’m excited to meet everyone who has already signed up.
“It’s an unforgettable night rubbing shoulders with like-minded peers in the business community and there is still time to sign up – all you need is a big heart and a sleeping bag.”
Patrick Dobb, director of Lace Marketing, is taking part in the event for the second time and hopes to raise £1,000. Speaking of his inspiration to sleep out, he said: “I have spent a night in the cold with CEO Sleepout before after I was inspired by a young man called Kurt who was living on the streets through no fault of his own.”
He added: “I would encourage anyone to get involved, it is a great chance to meet like-minded people and raise money for an excellent cause.
“Last year, I signed up 72 hours before the event, so it is never too late!”
The event will be sponsored by 200 Degrees Coffee which has supplied fresh coffee to participants spending a night in the cold for the last six years.
CEO Sleepout is hoping to raise £40,000 at this year’s event to add to the overall total of £3.1 million which has been raised by the national initiative since it was founded in 2013.
For more information or to sign up for the next Nottingham sleepout at Meadow Lane Stadium on November 10th, visit ceosleepoutuk.com/nottingham
Housebuilder William Davis Homes has recruited to three new senior roles to support its ambitious expansion plans.
The Leicestershire-based company has created separate land director roles for both the East and West Midlands – to drive the procurement and preparation of land for development – as well as appointing a chief financial officer.
Matt Colloby is West Midlands land director, heading a new team in that region. He brings significant expertise to the role, having over 35 years in the industry.
Matt said: “I’m relishing this exciting challenge – establishing the new office and working with the team to secure a pipeline of developments, which will supplement our current live sites and planning interests.”
Sarah Whetton joins William Davis as East Midlands land director, having already worked for a number of different housebuilders across more than 30 years – much of that at executive level.
Sarah Whetton
Sarah said: “Land with planning consent and in good locations is in high demand. I want to be able to help the company deliver a successful long-term land strategy which means acquiring the right opportunities for the business.
“I’m already loving it. I have an energetic and committed team working with me who equally understand the William Davis values and the ways in which we do business.”
Chief financial officer Richard Irons qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 1999 with KPMG. He has a strong track record in corporate and financial leadership across a wide range of sectors and brings a wealth of commercial and operational experience to William Davis.
Richard Irons
Richard said: “The product here is fantastic and the focus on quality and customer satisfaction is part of the William Davis DNA. I see my main role as helping the company to grow sustainably and efficiently without compromising the qualities for which it’s so well known.”
Guy Higgins, Managing Director of William Davis Homes, said: “We’re delighted to have made three such high-quality additions to our leadership team. It’s always been our philosophy that to succeed, we need to secure and nurture the best talent.”
Richard Irons and Sarah Whetton will be based at William Davis headquarters in Loughborough, while Matt and his new West Midlands team are in Leamington Spa in Warwickshire.
The housebuilder is planning to build and complete the sale of more than 400 new homes this year, at more than a dozen sites across the Midlands.
The number of companies filing for administration across the Midlands jumped 64% in the third quarter of 2022, as economic headwinds continued to buffet businesses the length and breadth of Britain. These findings were identified by Interpath Advisory in their latest analysis of notices in The Gazette. A total of 36 companies based in the Midlands fell into administration from July to September 2022 – up from 22 during the same period in 2021.This represents the highest number of insolvencies in a quarter in the Midlands since before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. August, which is traditionally the quietest month for insolvency appointments, saw the highest monthly number of administrations in the region since March 2020, with 16 appointments. The picture in the Midlands aligns with what is experienced nationally. Across the UK, there was a total of 265 companies which fell into administration from July to September 2022 – up from 176 during the same period in 2021, and up from 243 in Q3 2020. Notwithstanding the uptick in insolvency appointments in the last quarter, administrations both in the Midlands and nationally are still yet to hit the pre-pandemic levels. In Q3 2019, there were 51 and 401 administration appointments in the Midlands and nationally respectively.The rising number of insolvencies can be seen across a wide range of sectors, with building and construction, industrial manufacturing, leisure and hospitality, retail, and the food and drink industry all witnessing increased activity.Chris Pole, Managing Director in Interpath’s Midlands team, said: “The summer months often herald a quieter period for corporate insolvencies, and so the fact that the third quarter of this year, and specifically August, witnessed the highest monthly total in more than two years is particularly telling of the wider challenges which businesses are experiencing.“We know that companies across the Midlands have been wrestling with a myriad of issues for some time, from rampant inflation, to supply chain challenges, to labour shortages, so this is perhaps the first real evidence that a significant shift in activity is now underway.”He added: “And let’s remember: the bulk of administrations seen in the past quarter landed well before the economic and political storm that we’ve witnessed in the past few weeks.“The impact of rising interest rates, currency and gilt yield movements, and the increase in energy prices from 1 October are yet to feed through, but undoubtedly will only serve to compound the extraordinary pressure that local businesses were already under.”Chris Pole continued: “We’re now in a situation where interest rates may well be above 5% by Spring of next year, putting increased pressure on cashflows for businesses with high debt levels, and especially those with an unhedged position. Further, with suppliers trying to navigate the impact of a weaker Sterling, and consumers adjusting to rising mortgages and lower disposable income, businesses are going to be squeezed in all directions. “While the Government has intervened to provide certain relief in respect of rising energy costs and new loans for start-ups and small businesses, for many businesses, some difficult choices lie ahead.” Chris Pole concluded: “Speaking from our own experience at Interpath, we are certainly seeing a rise in activity across the breadth of the Midlands and, based on our current pipeline, we would suggest that by the end of Q4 this year insolvency levels will have risen even further. Identifying cash pinch points and seeking advice at the earliest opportunity will be key for businesses to navigate the challenges ahead over the coming weeks and months.”
Ted Baker, Sostrene Grene, 200 Degrees Coffee and White Rose have become the latest brands to commit to Derbion, Derby’s flagship retail and leisure destination.
Ted Baker have taken a lease on 2,960ft² on the prime fashion level on the upper mall. Nearby occupiers include Tommy Hilfiger, Timberland, JD Sports, Beaverbrooks and Footlocker.
Sostrene Grene, the Scandinavian furniture and home accessories brand, have acquired premises on the lower north mall comprising of approximately 6,000ft².
Fast growing Nottingham coffee roaster 200 Degrees secured premises on Crown Walk, signing a lease on a unit of 1,585ft² adjacent to Boots. This is the 18th store for the brand, complementing their existing store network in Birmingham, Leicester, Nottingham and East Midlands Designer Outlet.
Sustainable fashion brand White Rose have opened on Albion Walk, a new 3,000 sq ft flagship 14th store in the region following their recent opening in Leicester.
Derbion has welcomed a raft of big name brands in recent months including Tommy Hilfiger, Jack Wills and also announced a £2 million investment into the new food terrace which will open pre-Christmas 2022.
Frasers are due to open their new 127,000ft² flagship store in November.
Alan Pearson of FHP Property Consultants said: “I am delighted to have secured leading regional coffee shop brand 200 Degrees for their Derby debut, 200 Degrees are a fantastic brand which will enhance the food & beverage offer within the shopping centre.
“Leading Scandinavian homeware brand Sostrene Grene are building on their existing presence within the East Midlands for their new flagship large format store, which will add another dimension to the centre’s tenant mix.”
Michael Boundy, senior asset manager at Derbion, said: “Our leasing momentum has continued to gather pace this year with a string of major lettings alongside some significant upsizes and store refurbishments from H&M and River Island for their new River Studios format.
“We continue to drive forward our investment across the centre to ensure it remains the most attractive proposition for leading brands and our customers.”
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