Womble Bond Dickinson has grown its restructuring and insolvency team with the appointment of Kelly Jordan.

Joining the firm’s Newcastle office, Kelly brings with her 20 years of legal experience, with particular expertise in restructuring and insolvency. Prior to her new role, she was a partner at Muckle LLP, where she gave advice in all aspects of restructuring and insolvency matters.

Kelly is also national council member and North East Deputy Chair of R3, the industry body of restructuring and insolvency professionals.

Kelly commented: “I am delighted to join the team at Womble Bond Dickinson. I look forward to drawing on my experience across insolvency and restructuring to support the firm’s client base.”

Kelly’s new role will see her work closely with Newcastle partners Julian Gill, Sally Dallow and Peter Maxwell in the firm’s Restructuring and Insolvency team. Commenting on Kelly’s appointment, Julian said: “I am delighted to welcome Kelly to Womble Bond Dickinson.

“Her appointment complements the firm’s existing insolvency and restructuring proposition, and her longstanding expertise make her a valuable asset to the team.”

 

Naomi Hutchinson joins Sunderland City Council’s growing Smart City Programme team as Chief Innovation and Growth Officer, to support the city's ambitions to be a UK leading smart city with opportunities for all.

Naomi joins the Council team from Sunderland Software City, where she worked for almost eight years as Head of Innovation for the most part.

Naomi said: “Sunderland City Council’s core ethos of leaving no one and nowhere behind really resonated with me, and as I delved deeper into the Council’s plans to build a leading smart city infrastructure, I could see clear opportunities for residents, visitors, local businesses and inward investors.”

Naomi added: “Joining the Smart City Programme team felt like the perfect fit and the ideal way for me to play a central role in technology improving the lives of residents, catalysing the scaleup of so many businesses, large and small, across Sunderland.”

 

Darlington Intermediaries, Darlington Building Society’s engagement service with brokers across England, Scotland and Wales, has made a specialist appointment dedicated to developing its brand in London and the South East.

The decision to add Tim Vigeon to the Intermediaries team as Associate Business Development Manager helps to develop the business through brokers in the south of the country.

Tim said: “It’s a really exciting role because it’s something new for both me and Darlington Intermediaries, and I’ve no doubt there’s huge potential.

Tim’s previous role was as Head of Lending for Buckinghamshire Building Society, where he had been employed for seven years.

“I needed a fresh challenge and coming to Darlington appealed for all kinds of reasons. It gives me a great opportunity to use my experience and contacts to develop and promote the Darlington Intermediaries brand in London and the South East. But the role also includes an element of support for the whole intermediaries operation, looking at the lending policy and how to develop other areas."

 

A logistics firm has grown its team as it bucks the trend in post-Brexit transport.
Logistics firm Europa Road based at Silverlink Business Park in Wallsend has welcomed Andrew Darroch as its new Branch Manager. The company employs a team of 15 and offers a comprehensive road freight service for import and export to and from Europe.
Europa Road is the specialist European road transport division of independent logistics operator Europa Worldwide Group. The company has been based locally for 22 years and moved to its current home at Silverlink Business Park in February 2020, which is twice the size of its previous office in Monkton Business Park.

Andrew from Blaydon on Tyne has been in the freight industry for 12 years working for a number of other leading transport and logistics firms before joining Europa Road.
He said: “I’m delighted to have joined the team in Wallsend at an exciting time of growth. The Europa team is keeping goods flowing smoothly with its DDP product which was designed to speed up consignments and reduce paperwork.”

Sales and Branch Network Director at Europa, Adrian Redmile, commented: “Andrew has a proven track record in the industry, and we’re delighted he has joined the team at such an exciting period of growth. Our business in the North East continues to flourish as a direct result of the team’s passion combined with our market leading products.

 

North East law firm Hay & Kilner is continuing to build its award-winning private client offering with the appointment of residential property specialist Claire Simmons.

She holds a Masters degree in Property Law from Northumbria University and has worked with a wide range of clients right across England and Wales.

Claire said: “The North East has always been the primary focus of my practice due to the qualities of both its people and its places, and Newcastle in particular is a thriving city that offers a huge range of opportunities.

“Working in residential property gives me the chance to really get to know my clients and their families. No two transactions are ever the same, and it’s really satisfying to help these people achieve their property ambitions.

“Hay & Kilner has always had a strong reputation for both its commercial focus and the quality of its highly-knowledgeable team, and joining the firm gives me the chance to work alongside some hugely impressive practitioners.
“The partners have been very supportive in welcoming me to the firm and the firm has a very enjoyable working atmosphere.”