Ward Hadaway, Swinburne Maddison LLP, Percy Hedley Foundation, and Aon PLC are among a collection of businesses which have announced new appointments.

Ward Hadaway – Kathryn Walters, corporate team, Mark Wilkinson, insolvency and restructuring services

Kathryn Walters joins Ward Hadaway as a partner from international law firm Eversheds Sutherland, bringing her specialist finance experience and expertise to the firm. Kathryn will be primarily based at Ward Hadaway’s Leeds office, where she will lead the Yorkshire banking and finance team as a core part of the Corporate team, supporting its continued growth led by partners Adrian Ballam and Jonathan Pollard.

Mark Wilkinson, a specialist in Insolvency and Restructuring also joins Ward Hadaway’s commercial dispute resolution team as a partner from Knights PLC. Mark, who is based in the Leeds office, strengthens the law firm’s already nationally-recognised insolvency and restructuring services.

Steven Petrie, head of Ward Hadaway’s Commercial Dispute Resolution department, said, “Ward Hadaway is focused on helping our clients and our community to prosper and grow. We understand our local markets very well, and a big strength for both Kathryn and Mark are the relationships and reputation they have in the Yorkshire region.

“As well as operating independently, we can also see great potential for them to work together to provide a really rounded and comprehensive service to businesses and their funders.”

Robert Thompson, head of the firm’s Corporate department, added: “Ward Hadaway has a large network of banking and finance organisations that it supports across Northern England. In her role, Kathryn will focus on maintaining the relationships the firm has with key regional businesses, while forging new partnerships in the banking and finance space, attracting new clients to Ward Hadaway. Mark will be pivotal to helping financial services organisations and other businesses with insolvency and debt restructuring processes and issues.”

Talking about her new role, Kathryn Walters said: “It has been great to join Ward Hadaway in Leeds at a time when I can help support the growing team as they continue to champion high-growth businesses across the region, as well as deliver expert, and well managed, legal support for the region’s funders. I’m also excited to be playing an integral part in the development of the firm’s strategic and transactional Restructuring practice, working alongside Mark to deliver holistic solutions to local businesses, and the funders of local businesses, encountering challenging financial circumstances.”

The appointments of Kathryn and Mark are part of a strategic growth plan for Ward Hadaway’s Corporate team – already recognized as one of the most prolific in the region and nationally.

Mark added: “It is an exciting time to join Ward Hadaway in Leeds. As well as building on Ward Hadaway’s highly regarded insolvency practice, it is great to be able to help provide support to the other practice areas such as Corporate, Commercial, Property Litigation and Commercial Dispute Resolution. These teams have all grown in the region over the last 2 years, and I look forward to playing my part as we help clients tackle the challenges that lay ahead as the economy rebuilds from the numerous lockdowns.”

Swinburne Maddison LLP – Anna Stephenson, partner, Craig Malarkey, commercial team

Swinburne Maddison LLP has added to its corporate and commercial team with the senior appointment of Craig Malarkey.

In a second appointment at partner level, Swinburne Maddison has announced that Anna Stephenson, currently head of the firm’s private client team, has also been made a partner.

Both positions are effective from December 1 and form part of the firm’s ambitious expansion plans, which were announced following a reorganisation at the start of its financial year on May 1.

Partner Martyn Tennant said: “Craig has risen through the ranks at his last law firm to become head of the corporate and commercial team, specialising in corporate finance and transactional matters.

“We are extremely pleased that he has decided to join our team at this exciting stage in our development, which has seen our busiest year to date. He is a fantastic addition to our service offering.

“The timing of Craig’s arrival could not be better, given the volume, quality and complexity of our caseload which has created the need for more senior members of staff to lead on our many transactional engagements.”

Managing Partner, Jonathan Moreland said: “Anna has distinguished herself over eight sterling years with our firm, the highlight of which was her key role in helping the team to win the Northern Law Awards ‘Private Client Team of the Year’ in 2018.

“She was promoted in May that year to the position of managing associate and became head of private client soon after.

“Anna is an outstanding practitioner in her field of Wills, Trusts and Probate and has been extremely successful in leading the team, so it was an easy decision to appoint her to the partnership, a level at which I am confident she will further utilise her talents to help shape our future success.

Percy Hedley Foundation – John Knight, Chief Executive

The Percy Hedley Foundation has appointed John Knight as its new chief executive.

Mr Knight joins the foundation with more than three decades of experience in the charity sector.

His career to date has seen him leading several charities in the North East, the Isle of Man and most recently in Leicester where he has been CEO of LOROS Hospice for close to seven years. The majority of his appointments have been in organisations committed to helping children, young people and families.

He said: “It is a tremendous privilege to have been chosen for this role. I’m really excited to return to the North East and to join the fantastic team at the Percy Hedley Foundation.”

Aon PLC – Joanne Corbidge, client management director, Shaun Reynolds, client management director, James Walmsley, client service director, Elise Foster, operations manager, Susan Luke, client management director, Kelly Smith, client service specialist, Kevin Smith, client manager, Kris Allington, client director.

Joanne Corbidge, Shaun Reynolds, James Walmsley, Elise Foster, Susan Luke, Kelly Smith, Kevin Smith, Kris Allington, Barry Douglass, Tara Solanki, Aon plc

The global professional services firm, Aon plc, has strengthened its Newcastle and Stockton teams with five key leadership appointments and promotions.

Joanne Corbidge, who has thirty years experience, joins the Newcastle offices’ leadership team as client management director and is responsible for managing the corporate team. Prior to joining Aon, Corbidge was a client executive at Lockton Companies LLP.

In the Newcastle office, Shaun Reynolds has been promoted to client management director, James Walmsley to client service director, and Elise Foster to operations manager. Susan Luke, who is based in Stockton and has over 20 years experience, also joins the leadership team after being promoted to client management director.

In addition to strengthening its leadership team, Aon, due to continued market growth, has made a number of further appointments and promotions across its Newcastle and Stockton offices.

To support Luke and the Stockton office’s next phase of development, Kelly Smith and Kevin Smith have respectively been promoted to client service specialist and client manager, whilst Kris Allington moves from client manager to client director in Newcastle.

Barry Douglass who joins from Protect Ltd and has 34 years industry experience, and Tara Solanki who joins from Gallagher with 14 years experience, have both been appointed as client managers.

Solanki joins the corporate team and Douglass the advisory team. Based in the Newcastle office, Solanki and Douglass will be responsible for a book of clients, identifying and analysing risks and providing the best insurance and risk management solutions.