ATTAIN – which was acquired by global software specialist ICX4 in August – has seen a rapid increase in demand for its services as businesses gear themselves up for ecommerce to cope with the impact of Covid-19.

The expansion sees the ATTAIN team almost doubling in size, with appointments including: Natasha Capper as head of customer acquisition; John Grimshaw as business development manager; account manager Becca Boone; Alex Graham as sales support manager and Salim Guechoud – who completes the round of new appointments by taking on the role as technical manager.

The Wigan-based team will also be opening a second office in Trafford, and a focus on launching free webinars in 2021 will signal ATTAIN’s intention to be the go-to agency for small businesses needing digital marketing support.

Natasha said: “We are delighted be joining the business at this crucial time. The market is going through accelerated digital transformational change, and we have a unique opportunity to use our technical knowhow to help shape the next generation of business.”

Commercial manager Jackie Salt said: “Customer service has always been a top priority at ATTAIN. We really care about every one of our clients and therefore have committed to investing in our team to continue to give our trademark high level of personalised service to our new and long-term customers.

“Businesses have been hit hard by the lockdowns and have had to adjust quickly to survive. And we have been here to help them do that – from setting up e-shops to reassuring clients’ customers through targeted email campaigns and finding new audiences with digital marketing.

“The new key roles are the underpinning of the structure of the whole company and will support our ambitious plans for expansion in 2021.”

Lee, who has extensive experience across public transport, airports and retail, will join on 4 January 2021. It follows a competitive process involving internal and external candidates over a number of weeks to search for a successful candidate to run Stagecoach’s biggest bus company. Lee will succeed Elisabeth Tasker, who announced in August that she was planning to retire in January to spend more time with her family after spending 20 years with Stagecoach.

Lee will be responsible for 2,300 employees and more than 750 buses operating across Greater Manchester enabling around 106 million bus journeys a year. Over the past five years, Stagecoach Manchester has invested more than £37million in new buses and services, including the introduction of the region’s first double decker electric buses representing one of the biggest single investments in electric buses anywhere in Europe.

Lee was most recently Customer Service and Security Director for Manchester Airport Group, delivering front line services to 30 million customers a year. He has worked in senior customer service positions across a range of sectors, including Northern Rail and Transdev, as well as a number of fast-moving consumer goods businesses including Asda, Iceland, Pets at Home and PepsiCo. Lee also has extensive experience of stakeholder engagement, having worked closely with national and local authorities and major business groups throughout his career. Lee (56) lives near Chester with his wife and two children.

Stagecoach has a major presence in the North West, supporting nearly 4,500 direct jobs and a further 1,500 jobs through the supply chain. For every £1 in direct GVA contributions, an additional 61p is pumped into the wider regional economy.*

Carla Stockton-Jones, UK Managing Director for Stagecoach said: “We’re delighted that Lee will be joining Stagecoach Manchester in January.

“Our bus services play a major role in connecting communities across Greater Manchester and as we start to re-build from the impact of Covid-19, our priority is to work with stakeholders to deliver the best and most sustainable bus network for the region in the longer term. Lee’s vast experience will help us to ensure we are in the best position to maximise the significant opportunities for public transport in the future.

“At the same time, we must play tribute to Elisabeth Tasker for her fantastic contribution to the business and the local community, and wish her the very best for her retirement. Under Elisabeth’s leadership, major investment has been made to improve services for customers, with new buses and new services including the recent introduction of region’s first ever double decker electric buses. She has been a great asset to Greater Manchester and I’m sure everybody will join me in wishing her well.”

Lee Wasnidge added: “Greater Manchester is a hugely important region and there are some massive opportunities to help the region grow. Our bus services play an extremely important role in Greater Manchester, the powerhouse of the north, and are vital to supporting the local economy and communities as we recover from Covid-19.

“Partnerships will be crucially important as we move forward into the post-Covid world in ensuring that public transport supports the country’s green recovery. I’m looking forward to re-connecting with Transport for Greater Manchester and Greater Manchester Combined Authority and building new relationships with all the other stakeholders across the region as we work together to ensure Manchester has a world-class transport system.”

The company, which was created earlier this year as a sister firm to Kingsland Drinks, is headed by industry stalwart Becky Davies, who sits at the helm of Ten Locks as head of commercial.

Sinéad Lowe, joins the business as agency brand development manager, while Penelope McMylor has been appointed as sales manager for the start-up dedicated to creating and curating global drinks brands with purpose.

Sinéad Lowe has 20 years’ experience in the drinks industry, most recently in marketing at Signature Brands, part of LWC Drinks. Sinéad has also worked across import, distribution and marketing for spirits firm, Love Drinks.

At Ten Locks, Sinéad will use her industry expertise to lead the development of marketing strategies for the company’s portfolio. The firm has recently announced a series of compelling, purpose-led brands with a range of stories to tell and quality credentials, and Sinéad will focus on multi-channel campaigns, which bring the brands to life for the UK drinks trade and consumers.

Formerly North West sales manager for Mangrove Global, Penelope McMylor joins Ten Locks as sales manager. Penelope will be responsible for Ten Locks’ portfolio in the bar, restaurant and premium and specialist retail sectors, asserting the company as a go-to for premium, authentic and credible brands.

Like every member of the Ten Locks team, Penelope brings years of behind-the-bar experience to the role, having worked for some of Manchester’s top cocktail bars and venues. During her time in hospitality, Penelope developed an unrivalled passion for spirits, going on to participate in several nationwide cocktail competitions before she was head-hunted to work on the other side of the bar in the world of drinks.

Becky Davies comments: “We work in an industry that has people at its heart – it’s what makes it so special – and so welcoming Penelope and Sinéad to the team is a real highlightfor me. Not least because they bring bags of incredible experience and energy, but also because – much like Ten Locks – they want to be a force for positive change in an industry capable of great things.

“Sinéad’s well-rounded and strategic approach to brand building – from sales and marketing to distribution and wholesale – makes her a powerful cornerstone of the team. Our portfolio is designed to unleash untapped trends and innovative products, inspire the trade and lead consumers to new drinks and flavours. With boundless enthusiasm – which is really quite contagious – and long-standing experience, she’s perfectly placed to amplify what we’re bringing to the UK drinks scene.”

Becky continues: “With a similar background to my own, Penelope has years of on trade spirits and hospitality experience. Her drive, creativity and passion, along with a knack of seeing blind spots from both sides of the bar, means she joins Ten Locks with second-to-none relationships and ready to play a critical role in embedding Ten Locks in the industry.

“We launched Ten Locks in one of the most challenging years in history; the addition of Sinéad and Penelope can be considered a sign of our confidence in the UK drinks economy in the long term, despite the difficult times being endured right now by so many.”

“Additionally, Ten Locks plans to expand its team in early 2021 and will be recruiting for a variety of roles in the New Year – more positive news for the industry after such a tough year.”

Since launching in August, Ten Locks has worked to create and curate a powerful portfolio of compelling global brands including Nusa Caña, West Cork Irish Whiskey, Applewood Gin, Salford Rum, Banhez Mezcal, Diablesse Rumand ElTequileño – with more additions to the portfolio set to be announced soon. All brands are available to the UK on and off trade now.

Multi-award-winning eCommerce agency Bring Digital has hired three new digital specialists to join its team following another consecutive year of record growth.

The news sees the Manchester-based agency expanding the teams in both its SEO and its Paid Search departments.

It’s the direct result of a year which saw Bring Digital surpass £3 million in revenue and achieve the title of ‘UK eCommerce Agency of the Year’. The agency also welcomed several new client brands including Boohoo, Swinton Insurance and Slater Menswear.

Joining the SEO department are Grace Edwards and Ben Magnall. Grace joins the Content team from Manchester-based digital marketing Custard, and Ben joins the Technical SEO team following a stint at app development agency Indiespring.

Aidan O’Sullivan begins his tenure in Bring Digital’s Paid Media team. He joins from Manchester eCommerce agency PushON, where he developed key paid marketing channels for his clients.

“Being able to welcome new faces is one of the most rewarding parts of the record-breaking year we’ve had,” says Justin Young, Managing Director at Bring Digital. “We’re a people-first business, so reinvesting into our teams is at the heart of our ethos. It’s the reason we’ve been able to grow even in such a challenging season.

“We can’t wait to see what Grace, Ben and Aidan will bring for our clients.”

Equity Release Supermarket (ERS) continue to bolster their industry presence with the addition of three new appointments this month.

Andrew O’Connor, John Spink and Sara Whitbread will be joining the company, bringing a wealth of expertise, having each built up between 20 to 30 years’ experience within the wider financial services industry.

Equity Release Supermarket (ERS), one of the leading independent equity release advisory services, is continuing to expand operations and these new appointments take the company’s national network of advisers to 54, with news that more are set to join in the New Year.

Mark Gregory, Founder and CEO of Equity Release Supermarket commented: “We’re delighted to welcome three new faces to our experienced and well-established team. The industry is becoming increasingly aware of our exceptionally high standards of advice and inclusive culture, which continues to attract the most talented of people to the business. Andrew, John and Sara’s respective expertise will help us to further strengthen our position and reach throughout the UK.

“Our strategy isn’t to always look for advisers that have years of equity release experience, as that can sometimes be a challenge to train and mould them into the standard we demand at Equity Release Supermarket. Our new hires bring with them a breadth and depth of financial planning expertise, which fits perfectly with our approach of seeing equity release as just one aspect of later life lending and holistic retirement planning. They also highlight our commitment to investing in recognised talent amidst challenging market conditions and our continued investment within the sector.”

The newcomers are based in Hampshire, East Sussex and South Wales respectively, supporting the company’s growing national presence.

Andrew has over 20 years’ financial services experience having worked at Lloyds Bank and Chase De Vere previously. Whilst John brings a background in both wealth management and financial planning. This experience will help garner further demand within the wealth management sector. John has also held high-profile positions in several organisations, including working as the Royal Bank of Scotland’s Regional Director for Specialist Advice.

Prior to joining Equity Release Supermarket, Sara worked as an adviser offering both mortgage advice and equity release advice in London and Hong Kong. Sara’s appointment is representative of Equity Release Supermarket’s gender diversity and equality, in fact this year alone they have more than doubled their female count.

Mark continued, “At ERS we have always championed a gender diverse team, with the understanding that this not only makes for a better business, but also one that is more adaptable to a wider range of situations, and appeals to a wider range of clients.

“These new appointments are certainly reflective of our mission to have only the best of the best working for us.

“The global pandemic has of course challenged businesses in every sector, our industry included. However, we have an exceptionally talented and pro-active team who deliver unparalleled support and services to our clients, which have enabled the business to progress this year.

“We have also continued to enhance our offering with the addition of new digital practices, tools and guides, which have really resonated with our clients and partners, assisting them through this year’s adjustments. Our clients remain our number one priority and I look forward to watching Andrew, John and Sara excel within the business, helping us to thrive as a team and supporting our customers in every way we can.”

The company, now 54 advisers strong based across the UK, believes in recruiting advisers on the quality of their advice and developing them through their in-house training academy.

Mark commented on the company’s results and future plans: “There’s no doubting that this year has presented many challenges. However, despite these challenges, we have continued to stay true to our ethos and roots, taking a pioneering approach and adapting nimbly to all activity and the industry as a whole.

“This dynamic approach has seen our enquiry levels surge and subsequently the appointment of more talented advisors, setting us in a strong business position in the lead into the new year.”