Emma Ralph has been appointed business development manager for Interagro UK Ltd, based at Great Notley, near Braintree.

Emma’s role at the firm, which sells adjuvants, or chemicals used with vaccines, has been newly-created.

She is well known in the agricultural industry having been an agrochemical buyer for farmers’ buying group Anglia Farmers for more than 11 years. She then worked for crop protection manufacturer BASF for a further five years in the commercial team developing its business with advisers and farmers,” she said.

“I am really looking forward to working for Interagro and will be looking for opportunities to grow their business in both the UK and in Europe,” she said.

“I have moved from a large organisation to a much smaller one, where I want to make a significant difference as well as a tangible contribution to their future success.”

Managing director Mike Roche said: “I am certain that Emma, with her successful sales experience and her strong relationships within the industry, as well as her obvious enthusiasm and drive, will make a real difference. We are really delighted she is joining the team.”

: : Regional law firm Ashton KCJ has recruited two new solicitors to its commercial property team.

Annette Collen, an associate, has joined the team in Norwich and Helen Stewart, a solicitor, has joined the Cambridge team.

Annette is a well established commercial property specialist who has worked for two large regional firms and has almost 30 years’ experience at a senior level.

She has experience of advising large national and regional clients on a broad range of projects, assisting with the negotiation of leases and advising on other complex property documents, including conditional contracts, options and overage agreements. She has recently completed a number of transactions relating to large offshore wind farms. She is married with three children.

Helen joins Ashton KCJ from a large, international law firm. She has a wide range of experience of commercial property work which includes acting for national and regional house-builders, public sector bodies and a variety of educational institutions. She deals with non-contentious commercial property work, from straight forward land acquisitions and disposals and leasehold transactions, to more complex matters involving the drafting and negotiation of option, overage and pre-emption agreements.

Helen is married with a young son. She plays league netball for a club local to her home.

Charles Webb, partner and head of commercial pProperty, said: “The appointment of Helen and Annette further boosts Ashton KCJ’s commercial property presence across East Anglia and endorses our commitment to growing this area of our business. I would like to welcome them to the team.”

: : Regional housebuilder Persimmon Homes Anglia is celebrating after one of its site managers was awarded a prestigious National House-Building Council (NHBC) Pride in the Job Quality Award for the sixth time in nine years.

Brent Titlow was recognised for his work at Sycamore Park development in Mildenhall.

Managing director Andrew Fuller said: “A Pride in the Job Award is the highest industry accolade a site manager can receive. Persimmon Homes demand the very highest standards of quality and service for customers, and Brent’s contribution – supported by assistant site manager Lee Cromack – is a superb example of this philosophy.”

Brent, 44, who lives near Norwich and has worked on a variety of developments during his 16 years with the company, said: “Sycamore Park has been a really good site, with a great bunch of tradesmen. It has been a pleasure to run.”

Away from work he likes to spend his time motor racing and windsurfing.

: : Whittle& Co’s Andrew Warner is celebrating recent exam success and his new Institute of Chartered Accountants England and Wales ACA qualification.

Andrew joined Whittle & Co in Colchester in January 2008 after graduating with first class honours in history and ancient history from the University of Reading. Andrew, who has lived in Earls Colne most of his life, previously attended St. Benedict’s College and then Colchester Sixth Form College.

Also adding letters to his name is Oliver White who joined Whittles in February this year. He completed his AAT qualification in August at the Colchester Institute.

Oliver, who also went to the sixth-form college in Colchester, now goes on to study for the ACA qualification along with colleague Dan Insley.

Paul Whittle, the firm’s senior partner, said: “One of the great pleasures of being a senior partner of the firm is seeing younger members of the team grow in confidence and experience and be justly rewarded for their commitment and hard work by achieving professional qualifications.

“Young talent such as Andrew and Oliver is vital to a niche practice such as Whittle & Co. They are the firm’s future. The continuity of values and the assurance that Whittle & Co will always deliver a professional yet personal style of service for all our clients.”

: : Three new recruits have joined the Ipswich and Colchester offices of chartered accountants and business advisers Larking Gowen.

Amy Hawes will be studying to become a chartered accountant in Ipswich alongside Sophie Curle, who will be taking the Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT) exams. Jack Briggs has joined the firm’s Colchester office and will be taking the AAT exams.

“We are delighted that Amy, Sophie and Jack will be joining the team and I am sure they have a bright future ahead of them,” said Larking Gowen managing partner Jon Woolston.

“As a practice, we are committed to continued growth and we have just recruited a total of 16 graduate and A-level students.

“Making sure we have the right number of quality staff is vital both to the success of the practice and our clients.”

: : Banking group NatWest has appointed Peter Rutland as relationship manager at its Colchester Business Centre.

Peter, who lives in the town, has more than 40 years’ experience with NatWest, and has spent the last 12 years working with small and medium-sized businesses in Romford.

: : EA Assist Ltd, which provides book-keeping, payroll and business support services to small firms in Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex has welcomed Eva Brown to the team.

Eva will be joining Suzie, Nick, Linda and Aileen in providing payroll and bookkeeping solutions to clients throughout East Anglia and beyond.

Eva’s role will be key in providing efficient payroll services to ensure the firm’s clients know what to pay, to whom and when.