A BUSINESSiQ round-up of the key moves at influential companies around the North East - who’s in and who’s out
Wates
Wates Construction has appointed Dave Saville as Regional Managing Director for the North, as the business continues to grow across the region in support of the Government’s levelling up agenda.
Reporting to Wates Construction MD Mark Tant, Dave will lead the business’ strategic plans across the North West, as well as Yorkshire and the North East, cementing its position as a leader in the provision of new schools, offices, leisure facilities and homes while expanding its offer in new sectors including healthcare.
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With almost 30 years’ experience in the industry, Dave joined Wates Construction in 2019 as Regional Director for the North West, having previously worked at John Sisk & Sons and at Laing O’Rourke. He has overseen key projects for Wates including The Sands Centre in Cumbria and the AstraZeneca Macclesfield Campus.
In 2021, Wates Construction generated pre-tax profits of £18.7m from a turnover of £772m and won key contracts in the North, including the design of Envision AESC’s advanced car battery gigafactory in South Tyneside and Sunderland.
TICA
The Darlington-based Thermal Insulation Contractors Association is on track to train a record number of apprentices this year.
It would normally expect to enrol between 60 and 80 a year but the 2022 figure already stands at around 130.
Demand from employers for skilled apprentices is being fuelled by an ongoing boom in construction projects, combined with a post-Brexit exodus of EU workers.
The sector has traditionally relied on recruiting self-employed contractors as a cost-effective and flexible way of bridging the skills gap.
Due to the increased demand from within the sector, TICA launched an additional January intake for its Thermal Insulation Apprenticeships, which attracted 31 people, and is on track to recruit more than 100 apprentices to the September intake at its National Training Centre in Darlington.
NEPIC
As the largest process cluster in the UK representing over 300 companies, The North East Process Industry Cluster (NEPIC) has recently made three new appointments to enhance its membership offering.
The organisation has welcomed Abigail Bell as innovation executive, Lesley Hawke as membership account manager and Dawn Musgrave as project manager for Supply Chain North East.
Experts in their field, NEPIC is already helping its members tackle Net Zero, clean growth and carbon capture with its ongoing projects. The new hirings further strengthen its focus on innovation, adding to their expertise in navigating key sectoral challenges.
EN:Able
EN:Able Futures has announced the launch of its Flexi-Job Apprenticeship Service in the North East and has made two new appointments.
Established in 2013, EN:Able Futures specialises in the construction and built environment sector.
Flexi-Job Apprenticeships are designed to create benefits for employers in industries such as construction and civil engineering, where it is often difficult for companies to employ apprentices for the full duration due to the nature of construction new build, repair and maintenance projects.
William Oliver has been appointed as senior apprenticeship manager and Sophie Richardson as assistant apprenticeship manager.
Waterstons
A North East technology and business consultancy has started the year strongly with a staff increase of over 30 per cent.
Waterstons has recruited over 65 team members across all departments since the start of the year.
The recruitment drive, which covers all levels from graduates and apprentices to senior leaders, is part of the firm’s strategic vision for the next three years which focuses on clients and people, not numbers.
Michael Stirrup, who became the company’s CEO in June 2021, explains: “We are, and always have been a people-first business, with each appointment designed to benefit our clients and drive us towards our 2025 objectives which include reaching new sectors, increasing diversity, and offering greater opportunity for learning and development.
“But over and above anything are the opportunities we want to give our people – from flexible working and unlimited holidays to international travel and relocation. We’re proud to empower them to explore new initiatives and drive innovation with our clients to help improve their businesses.”
Launched over 28 years ago, the company has expanded its capabilities to incorporate cyber security, digital productivity, and data and analytics, with its 278 employees working flexibly across four offices in Durham, Glasgow, London and Sydney.
Michael continued: “By 2025 we want to add more global locations, invest heavily in research and development, and double our turnover. The people who join us are key to realising these goals and with the expertise and passion of each and every one, we are confident that they will not only be met but exceeded.”
As DEI (diversity, equality and inclusion) is a huge part of any business’s growth journey, Waterstons has launched a podcast to share best practice, challenges and what it is doing to ensure equal opportunities for all current and future employees within the business.
Alex Waterston, Associate Director for Leadership explains: “As we grow, we continue on our DEI journey and while we have made progress, including bringing in an experienced consultant, we know we still have a long way to go.”
Waterstons offers a range of business consultancy and technology services to global clients across many sectors including manufacturing, social housing and education.
Seaward
County Durham-based Seaward Electronic has appointed a senior executive to oversee its brand development and marketing as it invests further in growth and international expansion.
Natalie Nichol joins as marketing manager at the Peterlee firm in a move that will see her working alongside the senior management team to develop a new marketing and communications strategy.
She will also oversee a dedicated marketing team alongside planning new product launches and integrated communications for the company’s sector leading range of electronic test and measurement instruments used in a wide variety of electrical, medical, industrial and energy sector applications.
Bringing more than 17 years’ experience and expertise in business-to-business and consumer marketing to the role, a key task will be to develop Seaward’s position in the USA, where the company sees significant growth opportunities for its medical device and solar PV test equipment.
At its head office in Peterlee, and with an operation in Tampa, Florida, Seaward employs around 160 people. In taking up her new position, Natalie believes there are considerable opportunities for the company to build on its strong brand presence, both in the UK and internationally.
She said: “I am delighted to be joining Seaward, which has very strong market presence. I am very excited about the future potential of the business and look forward to developing new strategies to help further raise the company’s profile and its position in the market.”
CEO Chris Callan said Natalie is a key strategic appointment and added: “We are committed to hiring the best industry talent to support our growth and ambitions, so it’s fantastic to have Natalie on board with her strong experience and track record in product brand development and broad marketing experience.”
Seaward is part of Metrawatt’s GMC Instrumentation Group, a collaboration of separate specialist test equipment manufacturing businesses based in Germany, Switzerland and the USA.
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