New promotions at Aon’s Leeds office

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New promotions at Aon’s Leeds office

Aon, a professional services firm, has made five promotions in its Leeds advisory team which is responsible for commercial risk.

Aon has promoted Jonathan Harrison to head of sales for Advisory UK. With a career spanning 15 years, most recently as a client management director, Jonathan will draw on his vast insurance experience to lead the sales strategy across the UK for Aon’s mid-market and SME client division.

David Westcott, who has 15 years’ industry experience, is promoted to client management director and will oversee a team of client directors and account executives. He will also be responsible for business development for Aon’s Leeds and Harrogate offices.

Holly Copsey is promoted to client service director, Adam Wilson to client director, and Sara Wilkinson to client service manager. In her new role, Holly will oversee broking on new business, support business development, and allocate resources to new enquiries. In addition, she will be involved with mergers, acquisitions and transaction solutions.

Both Adam and Sara will service their respective book of clients. In addition, Adam will contribute to business development and support wider Aon functions. In her new role, Sara is now responsible for overseeing a team of eight brokers, which involves dealing with all aspects of development and training, being a day-to-day referral point for technical or market queries and managing workload allocation.

Tracey Threlfall, UK head of advisory at Aon, said: “Employees are front and centre at Aon and each one is provided with a progressive career path, structured training, and a flexible and inclusive working environment. These well-deserved promotions are testament to the hard work and dedication given to helping their clients make better decisions. It is great to see the advisory division in Leeds continue to go from strength to strength.”

Sara Wilkinson, client service manager in Aon advisory, said: “Aon is extremely supportive of any employee wishing to further their career, providing resources and structured training for the specific roles and business divisions in which you are interested. I was thrilled to receive the promotion and have found it both rewarding and challenging in equal measure!”

Digital showcase to boost net zero progress in West Yorkshire

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Digital showcase to boost net zero progress in West Yorkshire
An innovative new online platform has been unveiled by the Mayor of West Yorkshire, Tracy Brabin, to attract green investment and help boost the region’s progress in tackling the climate emergency. The Net Zero Investment Prospectus showcases opportunities for investors to support trailblazing projects, led by West Yorkshire Combined Authority partners. Initiatives in the multi-million-pound investment pipeline will help to radically reduce carbon emissions, improve the energy efficiency of people’s homes and businesses, and create thousands of new well-paid green jobs. This comes after Mayor Brabin allocated £40 million to progress her climate and environment action plan, with the goal of achieving a net zero carbon region by 2038 – twelve years ahead of the Government’s national target. Mayor of West Yorkshire, Tracy Brabin said: “Creating a net zero carbon West Yorkshire will unlock a once-in-a-generation opportunity to truly transform our region, reshape our economy and tackle ingrained inequalities. “We’re determined to work in partnership, across the public, private and third sectors to turn our ambition into a future defined by hope, innovation and collaboration. “This is an exciting chapter in West Yorkshire’s story, and we need the right investment partners to unlock the opportunities that will shape our future.” The prospectus has been developed as part of the Net Zero Region Accelerator – a West Yorkshire Combined Authority programme to support project development, providing long-term projects for green investment.

Business Productivity funding helps Rotherham engineering specialist fabricate bright future

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Business Productivity funding helps Rotherham engineering specialist fabricate bright future

A longstanding design engineering company has ignited its ambitious growth plans after securing funds from the South Yorkshire Business Productivity grant scheme, by helping them to save a staggering half a day per employee, per week in lost working time.

Rotherham-based Philford Design Engineering, which is headquartered at Aldwarke Business Park, designs, manufactures and installs the vital equipment relied upon by the quarrying, mining, recycling and energy sectors, including conveyor belts, crushers and automated metal detection equipment.

Over the past twelve months the company has seen its workforce increase by 25% and with a growing order book, Philford’s senior management team began exploring ways of improving the way in which the business operated.

A key challenge the business faced was that it was reliant upon a dedicated welding bay, which often meant moving large structures around the factory during the manufacturing process. Realising they were in a unique position to overcome the challenges the company was facing, Daniel Beckett decided to reach out to RiDO for advice.

Help came in the form of key account manager John Fox, who advised the company that it may be eligible to receive support through the South Yorkshire Business Productivity grant scheme: a match-funded ERDF grant scheme, specifically developed to help businesses overcome growth barriers.

The successful grant application enabled Philford Design Engineering to invest in new mobile welding and ventilation equipment, allowing crucial fabrication work to be undertaken without the need to move the large structures around the factory.

The funding secured proved to be transformational and as a result of the changes the company has implemented it is hoping to add another five new recruits to its workforce, as well as helping to pass on the skills and knowledge within the business to the next generation through its apprenticeship programme.

With the costs of the project match-funded through the grant, the company was also able to set aside additional funds to commission a new argon gas line, reducing the reliance on individual bottles, which needed to be replaced regularly throughout the working week. Since implementing the changes, the company has not only reduced lost working time, but the new welding equipment purchased has helped it to reduce spatter – formed when droplets of molten materials land on surfaces near to the area being welded.

Daniel Beckett, Management Accountant, Philford Design Engineering, said: “We’ve seen demand for our services increase significantly over the past 18 months, resulting in a 25% growth in our workforce. As a relatively small business, we knew that the key to creating sustainable growth wasn’t simply about recruiting new members of staff, but also overcoming the barriers that were impacting upon our capacity. This meant re-thinking the way in which we operated as a business.

“We knew that the limitations of our welding bay were holding the business back. I explained the problems we were facing to John Fox, and he recommended that we should apply to the Business Productivity Programme for help. The match-funded grant we received has helped us to purchase new portable welding equipment, which means that rather than spending time moving large steel structures around the factory, the welding equipment can be moved to where it’s needed.

“The match-funded grant also meant that funds which would have been set aside to invest in the welding equipment could also be reinvested back into the business and as a result we were able to bring forward our plans to commission a new argon gas line, which eliminated overnight the time spent changing individual gas bottles.

“The measures we have introduced have proved to be transformational for our business. Not only have they reduced the need to move the large structures we’re working on around the factory, but the new equipment has helped us to create a better quality of weld; the reduction in spatter being created also means less time grinding and cleaning too. It all adds up to quite a large time saving.

“Until the work was completed, we didn’t quite appreciate just how much time was being lost. We didn’t realise how transformative to our business the funds would prove to be, resulting not only in increased productivity, reduced lost working time, but also contributing towards the creation of five additional new jobs in the business this year.”

John Fox, Key Account Manager, RiDO, said: “SME businesses like Philford Design Engineering are the lifeblood of the local and regional economy, but in many cases the challenges they face can stifle their growth. The South Yorkshire Business Productivity Grant scheme was launched specifically to help businesses across the region unlock the barriers to growth they face.

“Philford Design Engineering recognised that simply recruiting new members of staff would not solve the problems they were facing; instead, they needed to re-think the way a key element of their production process was undertaken – something that required significant investment – and I feel confident that the Business Productivity Grant funding the company has received will help them to lay the foundations to create new skilled jobs and enjoy a period of growth and expansion.”

Citu and Sheffield Council seal deal for transformational zero carbon Attercliffe Waterside scheme

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Citu and Sheffield Council seal deal for transformational zero carbon Attercliffe Waterside scheme
Plans for the much-anticipated Attercliffe Waterside scheme in Sheffield are set to forge ahead with the announcement that Sheffield City Council and sustainable developer, Citu, have exchanged contracts on a development agreement for the site. The 23-acre urban regeneration scheme, which will transform brownfield land either side of the Sheffield and Tinsley Canal, will be one of the largest zero carbon communities in the UK, featuring more than 1,000 homes alongside climate conscious creative workspaces, an arts venue and retail opportunities to bring the neighbourhood to life. Citu has major ambitions for the scheme to set new standards of sustainability for Yorkshire, building on its multi-award-winning treatment of previously vacant or derelict brownfield land which include low-carbon residential neighbourhoods in Kelham Island, and the Climate Innovation District to the south of Leeds city centre. Jonathan Wilson, Managing Director of Citu said: “We have a long-term investment in Sheffield, creating award-winning new communities and employing dozens of local people here for more than a decade. It’s fitting that the city will be home to one of our most ambitious schemes to date. “This site has a rich history and is looking to a new chapter that will be at the forefront of tackling the biggest crisis of our generation, the climate emergency. We will use our 20 plus years of experience in sustainable placemaking to ensure we create a new neighbourhood that will work in harmony with the natural surroundings and exceptional beauty of this area, creating lasting impact for the community to thrive.” Citu will submit planning for phase one of the scheme in the coming weeks, which will include over 400 new homes and the conversion of existing buildings to form extensive arts, leisure and workspace opportunities. The first phase will develop the heart of the district transforming existing buildings into the new neighbourhood’s cultural centre with bars, an independent bakery and art studios. Extensive remediation works will now get underway, with new infrastructure installed before construction work commences on site in 2024. The land at Attercliffe Waterside, which is owned by Sheffield Council, which recently acquired the interests of the Canal and River Trust and Norfolk Estates using funding from the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority, was brought to market in 2019 and billed as ‘one of the most exciting development opportunities in the north of England’. Kate Martin, executive director of City Futures at Sheffield Council, said: “The exchange of this development agreement is a great moment for this regeneration project and we look forward to working with Citu over the coming months and years as it now moves into delivery. “The transformational scheme will deliver much needed high-quality homes and jobs and build on the success and momentum of the Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park; £17m of Levelling Up Funding currently being invested in Attercliffe as well as the growing Advanced Manufacturing Innovation District.”

Toy shop chain secures £400,000 to continue growth story

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Toy shop chain secures £400,000 to continue growth story
A Yorkshire business which is one of the UK’s largest independent toy shop chains has secured a £400,000 loan from NPIF – Mercia Debt Finance, which is managed by Mercia and is part of the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund. The funding will boost Toyland’s purchasing power and enable it to expand stock levels after the company took a lease on a new warehouse in Bradford. Based in Otley, Toyland was established in 2014 by husband and wife team Gordon and Amanda Walker. The couple now have ten stores across the North including Blackpool, Darlington, Doncaster, Halifax, Harrogate, Huddersfield, Kendal, Scarborough and Skipton. They currently employ 59 staff and expect to create several new jobs once the new warehouse is fully operational. Gordon, who is Managing Director, has almost 30 years’ experience in the industry, having started his career as an apprentice in his father’s toy business, Conways, in Keighley. He says: “Despite the growth of online retailing, nothing can beat the magic of a real toy shop. Children and parents alike still enjoy the excitement of visiting a store, where they can see and touch the products at first hand. “This finance will provide additional working capital to enable us to manage the seasonal fluctuations in trade, and buy stock in larger quantities at better terms to support our continued growth.” Gary Whitaker of Mercia added: “Gordon has a strong reputation in the industry that allows him access to all the major brands. He and Amanda have built an impressive business that continues to achieve consistent sales and growth. The funding will enable them to strengthen the business and improve efficiency so they can continue to delight their young customers for years to come.” Taryn Preen and Andy Redman at brokers ABL Business provided fundraising advice to the company.

CBI appoints chief people officer to lead cultural change

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CBI appoints chief people officer to lead cultural change
The CBI has appointed Elizabeth Wallace as interim chief people officer. This is the latest in a series of decisive steps to rebuild trust in the CBI’s culture and purpose, and follows the recent appointment of business ethics consultancy Principia Advisory. Elizabeth sits on the CBI’s Executive Committee and will report directly to the Board on matters of workplace conduct and culture. In her role, Elizabeth will start to implement the 35 recommendations put forward by Fox Williams following their independent investigation into allegations of misconduct. This includes integrating the post of chief people officer into the CBI’s culture – consolidating corporate values and employee experience as a matter of strategic importance. Previously, Elizabeth has held several leadership roles focussing on people strategy, including as head of portfolio talent at Hg and director of executive search at BlackRock. Rain Newton-Smith, CBI director general, said: “I am so pleased to welcome Elizabeth on board as chief people officer. Her role will be integral in reforming our people strategy – defining our shared values as we collectively recover from the challenges of recent weeks. With over two decades’ worth of experience, I’m confident that her guidance will accelerate our efforts to effect meaningful change across the CBI.” Elizabeth Wallace, CBI chief people officer, said: “I am delighted to have the trust of the director general Rain Newton-Smith and the Board to lead the way on cultural transformation here at the CBI. Making sure the newly created chief people officer role becomes a permanent part of the CBI’s DNA will be front of mind, as I work with people across the organisation to strengthen our employee experience offering.”

Dice expands in Sheffield

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Dice expands in Sheffield
UK engineering consultancy Dice is scheduled to open its second office in Sheffield and has appointed an associate director to lead the team. Associate director Adam Jolly will be heading the Sheffield office, which will initially be home to a team of four civil and structural engineers. It will be overseen by Dice director Jon Svikis and the Sheffield operation will also be supported by the wider multidisciplinary team located within the Nottingham head office. The decision to open in Sheffield has come as a result of a growing customer base in the Yorkshire region and ongoing projects in the city. It gives Dice a base to service existing clients and to build contacts with some of the UK’s major tier one contractors and consultants who operate out of Yorkshire. Adam Jolly joins the business from Mott MacDonald in the city where he has worked for the last eight years. He will be instrumental in growing the Sheffield office alongside director Jon Svikis within the city and the wider region. Adam will also be working with the structures team on project delivery. Commenting on his appointment to associate director, Adam Jolly said: “I’m delighted at the prospect of joining the talented Dice team and being a key part of the new office in Sheffield. The business is excelling in its field and I’m delighted to be part of its impressive growth. “Having studied and worked in Sheffield for half of my life, I am passionate about the city and excited to see it grow. I have a wide range of experience in the area which has given me a great understanding of how it is developing and the priorities of local clients and stakeholders. “I feel that Dice’s core values align well with the aspirations of the city and I intend to use my experience to help the business make a real positive impact in the region. “Dice has gathered some real momentum over the past few years. The business has a clear direction of where it wants to go and has the right drive and values to achieve this. “They’ve been involved in a wide range of interesting projects to date and have ambitions to deliver even more challenging work, which the team is more than capable of doing. Dice are set for an extremely successful future and I’m excited to be a part of the journey.” Speaking on the opening of the Sheffield office, Dice director Wayne Oakes said: “We already have established relationships with key partners including design consultants, developers and clients within the Sheffield City Centre Region so having a presence in the city is the next step in our growth. “Yorkshire is one of the most prominent regions in the country with two of the UK’s largest growing cities. We see Sheffield as a key city within the UK providing access to the wider Yorkshire market including Leeds and surrounding areas. Sheffield also has two key Universities allowing us to recruit the best up and coming talent. “We are seeing ongoing investment within Sheffield and surrounding districts due to key inward investment from schemes such as Heart of the City, University of Sheffield and Hallam University, AMRC, West Bar to name a few. There are also a number of other accelerating markets in the region such as Leeds, as well as developing regions driven by initiatives such as Towns Funds, Levelling Up and Northern Powerhouse.” Commenting on Adam’s appointment, Dice director Jon Svikis said: “Adam is already well known and respected within the Sheffield market having spent the past eight years at Mott MacDonald. “He brings strong local knowledge of the Sheffield city region and existing markets to the business. Adam also has excellent technical skills acquired from leading some of the UKs most complex civil and structural engineering schemes including Sheffield’s West Bar Phase 1, the Glassworks Barnsley and numerous schemes for Sheffield University. “Long term our aim is to grow the Sheffield office to a similar size as the Nottingham office, with a combination of civil and structural engineers and technicians. We’re excited at the prospect of a base in the Yorkshire region.”

J.R. Rix & Sons completes second acquisition of 2023

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J.R. Rix & Sons completes second acquisition of 2023
J.R. Rix & Sons Ltd has completed its second acquisition of 2023 in a move that further extends its offering in the renewable energy sector. The Hull family group, which is headquartered in Two Humber Quays on the city’s waterfront, has acquired Driffield company HART Plumbing & Heating, which will become Rix Plumbing Services as part of the deal. The acquisition follows the purchase of J Foley Electrical Ltd, also based in Driffield, which was completed in March this year. J Foley Electrical – which became Rix Energy Services Ltd – specialises in sustainable technologies such as solar panels, batteries, and electric vehicle charging points, and Rix Plumbing Services builds on this with the addition of air source heat pumps. Together, the two businesses enable J.R. Rix & Sons to deliver a full suite of renewable energy technologies to domestic and commercial customers across East Yorkshire. Duncan Lambert, Managing Director of Rix Petroleum, said HART Plumbing & Heating was highly regarded in Driffield and the surrounding areas, with an excellent reputation. He added that the business has knowledge in fitting air source heat pumps, and it was this that made the company an attractive proposition. Duncan said: “At Rix, we recognise that future energy provision has to be from sustainable sources so our aim is to help new and existing customers, both domestic and commercial, transition to renewable technologies from gas and oil. “Strategic acquisition has always been part of this journey, and we feel that in these two deals, we have found businesses that share our vision and understand of how being part of a large group will enable them to scale and help many more customers. “With J Foley Electrical now well integrated into the group, and the purchase of HART Plumbing & Heating complete, we are fully geared up to provide a wide range of sustainable energy solutions.” Chris Hart, the owner of HART Plumbing & Heating, said it had been a difficult decision to sell his business, but added that the Rix Group shares his values of ‘service and integrity’. As part of the deal, he will continue to manage the business in its new guise as Rix Plumbing Services. Chris said: “The decision to sell was not an easy one but I have recently trained to fit air source heat pumps – an opportunity with huge potential – and I believe that the best way to move forward is with a bigger company like Rix. “As a long-established and substantial business, Rix will be able to provide the administrative support, finance and access to the best products that will give me the ability to realise my ambition and vision to grow the business.”

Transpennine Route Upgrade reveals plans to slash carbon emissions, generate thousands of jobs and deliver billions of pounds in social value in the North of England

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Transpennine Route Upgrade reveals plans to slash carbon emissions, generate thousands of jobs and deliver billions of pounds in social value in the North of England
The Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU) has today revealed its strategy to “improve the lives of millions of people in the North” by slashing railway carbon emissions, equivalent to taking 6 million cars off the road for an entire year, creating and safeguarding thousands of jobs for local people and providing tens of thousands of opportunities for new entrants to the industry and young people, and delivering more than £4bn in social value and a further £4bn in wellbeing. The multi-billion-pound railway programme will deliver major upgrades on the 70-mile route between Manchester and York, transforming journeys across the North, better connecting towns and cities through more frequent, faster, greener trains, running on a better, cleaner and more reliable railway. As well as delivering benefits for passengers, the programme’s new sustainability strategy titled ‘Our Guiding Compass’ outlines its commitments to delivering environmental benefits, social value and employment opportunities. Rail Minister Huw Merriman said: “Sustainability is at the heart of the Transpennine Route upgrade – delivering faster and more reliable electrified services in the North in a way that’s also better for our environment. “I welcome the launch of today’s strategy and am proud to see the transformational benefits of the upgrade coming to life by creating new jobs and opportunities while slashing carbon emissions across the region.” Anna Humphries, Head of Sustainability and Social Value for the Transpennine Route Upgrade, said: “The Transpennine Route Upgrade’s sustainability strategy is clear in our vision for the North of England. We’re delivering not just a railway that will be faster, cleaner and provide more seats, but we’re putting the sustainability and social value delivery of the programme at the heart of all we do. “We have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to make a real impact on the lives of those who live in the North of England and ‘Our Guiding Compass’ puts in writing how we intend to do that.” Rob Warnes, Strategic Development Director at Northern Trains, said: “The Transpennine Route Upgrade will be transformative for our customers, enabling us to run greener, faster trains and slash our carbon emissions. “The programme is creating jobs here at Northern, as well as in our supply chain and across the North of England, offering our towns and cities a much-needed economic boost.” Nicola Martin, Head of Sustainability for TransPennine Express, said: “People and the environment are at the heart of Our Guiding Compass. This is so important today, in a world where people are more informed about the pressures on the environment. “The investments being made through the Transpennine Route Upgrade will bring welcome improvements to our rail network and will attract and retain customers who seek to travel in a low carbon way.” TRU will deliver a cleaner, greener railway by electrifying the 70-mile rail route between Manchester and York. It will also slash carbon emissions by mitigating negative environmental impacts during construction and enhancing the natural environment surrounding the route. TRU will create 4,000 new roles during construction with 60% of the workforce are being employed from within 25 miles of the route and 80% within 40 miles. 20% will be from underrepresented groups to create a diverse team to reflect the communities on the Transpennine route. Using cutting-edge technology, the railway programme has also calculated the impact of its sustainable development activities to £4.28bn in social value and an estimated £4.9bn in wellbeing impact, in addition to the traditional programme economic impact assessments. This is calculated using the Rail Social Value Tool, which is an online tool developed specifically for the rail industry in the UK, in line with HM Treasury Green Book Principles, to conduct valuations of the social value generated for individuals and society. It also uses the ‘WELLBY Assessment’, which estimates the impact of the change to wellbeing by calculating the amount of additional income a person would need to receive to then experience the same change in wellbeing.

Landmark Leeds city centre office building “topped out”

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Landmark Leeds city centre office building “topped out”
City Square House, the new 140,000 sq ft office building next to Leeds Station, has been “topped out.” This major landmark, which has been developed by MRP and built by McAleer and Rushe, is the most significant new office building in Leeds for a generation. Speakers at the Topping Out ceremony included Tom Riordon, the Chief Executive of Leeds City Council, with Tracy Brabin, the first Mayor of West Yorkshire, and Councillor Robert Gettings MBE JP, the Lord Mayor of Leeds, among the guests. Completion of the £100 million City Square House, scheduled for the end of this year, will coincide with the completion of the extensive public realm improvement works at City Square. The prime workspace will comprise Grade A office accommodation over 12-storeys including low carbon credentials, terraces on the 4th, 5th and 6th levels and extensive cycling, electric vehicle and e-bike charging point facilities. Global law firm DLA Piper has already signed a deal to take 83,000 sq ft of prime office space at City Square House in the largest private sector pre-let deal in Leeds in the past 20 years. Meanwhile Markel, an SME-focused expert in providing integrated insurance, tax and legal services, has taken 20,000 sq ft at City Square House on a 15-year lease. Tom Riordan, Leeds City Council’s Chief Executive, said: “It’s brilliant to see the progress being made on City Square House which is one of the most prominent locations in Leeds city centre. Further investment into commercial space, record cranes on our skyline and the growing appeal of Leeds to global businesses, shows how our great city is really continuing to thrive economically.” Angus Montieth, development director at MRP, said: “We have been quietly going about our business of building the best office development in Leeds with sustainability and wellbeing at the heart of its design. City Square House is now nearing completion and will be the final piece of the City Square regeneration plan. “We are delighted to welcome two companies with such excellent reputations as DLA Piper and Markel to City Square House. Our vision was to provide high specification, flexible Grade A workspace in the heart of the city centre and it is tremendously rewarding to witness this vision becoming a reality with more than 100,000 sq ft of space already let.” Jonathan O’Neill, senior director at Design & Build contractors McAleer & Rushe, added: “City Square House has been an exciting, challenging and rewarding project for us. As this iconic building nears completion, we are so proud. There’s no doubt that City Square House will be a magnificent addition to the built environment in Leeds city centre and a symbol of the city’s thriving economy.” Eamon Fox, partner and head of office agency at global property consultancy Knight Frank in Leeds, who is advising MRP, said: “It is tremendous to see this flagship building nearing completion, providing a very genuine cause to be optimistic about the commercial property sector in Yorkshire. “Two major pre-lets at City Square House are a resounding endorsement of this speculative development and we are experiencing strong interest in the remaining 37,000 sq ft of quality Grade A office space. “City Square House is the iconic new office development that the Leeds market has been waiting for. It is in a prime position, just off City Square and next to Leeds Station, and the remaining space will help to address the pressing need for quality Grade A office space in the city centre. “This splendid building now joins the Majestic, 1 City Square, 34 Boar Lane and Platform as four state-of-the-art office developments, which are a credit to the city of Leeds. They underline the fact that Leeds is now one of the most flourishing regional cities, not just in the UK, but in Europe,” said Mr Fox.
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