Leeds-based law firm, Tyr, has bolstered its Commercial Property team by recruiting legal director Zoe Lang.

She moved to Tyr after training and climbing the ladder to partner at another firm.

Joining the Commercial Property team to once again work with Sarah Temple, Lang brings with her experience of working across a wide number of client profiles, from individuals, companies and partnerships to pension funds and charities.

With a focus on landlord and tenant work – acting for both property owners and corporate occupiers – she has worked with clients from a variety of sectors, including industrial, engineering, hospitality and retail.

She regularly acts for both property investors and corporate occupiers who have large portfolios of properties.

Lang said: “The opportunity to join Tyr came at a perfect time. I am very happy to be joining a growing and positive team, and I look forward to working alongside them all.”

Head of commercial property, Dean Jowett, added: “As Tyr grows and we expand our service offerings, we remain conscious of the need to continue to develop and fine-tune our foundation teams.

“With Zoe Lang joining the Commercial Property team we are adding strength and a wealth of experience in core areas, as well as capacity to the team, to ensure we continue to provide a stellar service to our clients.”

:::

Sheffield-based PCL, which designs and makes tyre inflation and compressed air products, has appointed a new marketing campaign executive.

Alex Bailey will lead a marketing strategy for the company’s Partner+ Programme. 

The initiative is aimed at growing the brand’s market share by supporting distributors to flourish.

Bailey brings expertise in partner relationship management from her previous role within the manufacturing industry.

She will draw on her expertise to build tailormade packages for Partner+ members and deliver campaigns designed to enhance customer base and extend market reach.

She said: “I am really looking forward to taking over the Partner+ program. We have some amazing partners, and I am eager to help set them up for success. I have a great team to support me and we have some big goals.

“My aim is to nurture the Partner+ program so it grows into a valuable asset that every partner can use and rely on for their marketing needs. I want every partner to feel valued and supported.” 

Bailey will also support the company’s marketing manager Matthew Butters in the implementation of the marketing strategy for the firm and any other group brand marketing requirements.

She added: “It’s exciting to be part of an industry-leading company which has such a fantastic working environment.

“What drew me to the business was the employee culture. Each department has a friendly network and it is clear that everyone is happy in their role and supported by their team.”

Bailey will report to Alan Findlow, head of retail distribution sales – UK & Ireland, who said: “With her results-orientated approach and passion for fostering long-term client partnerships, Alex is the ideal candidate to identify, design and deliver a range of strategic high volume activity campaigns for our Partner+ members.”

:::

The British Business Bank has appointed Vicky Mears as its new director of UK Network for the Midlands and North of England.

Mears brings more than two decades of banking experience in various roles including trade finance, relationship management within business banking, senior branch management in retail banking, and project management.

Her experience also includes five years working with smaller businesses to support their expansion into international markets, understanding the issues they face when scaling up, and accessing finance.

In her new role, she will work with senior network managers across the Midlands and the North to gain a deeper understanding of the small business landscape.

She will also provide support to entrepreneurs looking to access the finance required to scale up and thrive.

With its headquarters in Sheffield, her appointment will support the British Business Bank’s existing presence and commitment to supporting businesses across the North and Midlands, where access to finance has traditionally been more challenging.

Mears takes over from Sophie Dale-Black who held the position for three years.

Mears said: “Smaller businesses are critical to the UK economy, and I’ve seen first hand the impact access to finance can have not just for each business, but also the wider economy.

“That’s what attracted me to the British Business Bank. It’s a purpose-led organisation that genuinely works to make a difference and support ambitious UK entrepreneurs.

“It’s no secret that market conditions for smaller businesses have been challenging over the last few years, but entrepreneurs should feel confident knowing that there are plenty of finance options and support out there to help them on their growth journey.

“It’s an exciting time to be joining the Bank, and I can’t wait to work with the UK Network team across the North and Midlands.”

:::

Harrogate-based agency, Strive Group, has appointed a new senior leadership team as part of its strategic growth initiative.

The new appointments follow major client wins with the likes of Honda and Lotus.

Joining as head of customer and operations is Gemma Johnson, who brings a wealth of experience from her previous position as operations manager at Ardent.

With 11 years’ experience within customer and operational roles, she will lead the customer experience offering, focusing on improving operational efficiency and driving client performance across the agency.

Working alongside her is Ben Waterfield, promoted from head of brand experience to head of brand and strategy and Kate Riley, promoted from employee development manager to head of organisational culture.

Waterfield’s new position will see him leverage his branding expertise to oversee and lead the direction of Strive’s brand proposition.

He will also continue to work with clients, driving creative projects and long-term strategies that support future growth ambitions.

Riley’s new role will be crucial in driving the agency’s people-focused strategy, fostering a strong organisational culture and supporting business growth through effective change and transformation initiatives that align with Strive’s core values.

The agency specialising in transforming how businesses connect with their audiences. Its services include branding design, virtual reality, event management, customer service and lead generation.

Following business growth over the past year, Strive Group is celebrating an office expansion, almost tripling its office space.

Situated at Harrogate Business Park, the new office will feature a coffee shop open to the public, large breakout spaces for meetings, focus time and collaborative working.

Alistair Grant, director, said: “We are pleased to be in a position to accelerate business growth and the appointment of the new senior leadership team was pivotal in enabling us to do this. Kate, Ben and Gemma have a wealth of experience that will allow us to drive our expansion strategy forward.

“We are passionate about looking after people and aim to be the employer of choice in Harrogate.

“We know that attracting and working with the best people will enable us to attract the best business and execute outstanding work for our clients.

“Our ambitious growth plans have seen us double in size as a business over the last four years and we are looking to continue this growth by investing in our people and facilities.”