Movers and Shakers - May 17

Professor Weir has had an extraordinarily successful academic career which has included leading four university business schools as director of the Bradford Management School, head of the Glasgow University Business School, dean and director of the Newcastle Business School and dean of the Scottish Business School. He was also chair of the association of business schools (UK) and is a visiting professor for numerous universities including Lancaster University, one of the most highly rated management schools in the UK, and the University of Lincoln with which UCS has strong links. He has also been a senior enterprise fellow at Essex University.

He has extensive experience of widening participation and partnership work with regional economic development partners. Professor Weir believes the core of education in all societies at all times is the contribution it can make to social and individual wellbeing and the future happiness, wellbeing and worth of the community. Within his role at UCS he will be very pro-active in creating community projects and enterprise and small business development.

Professor David Weir said: “I am delighted to be joining a strong team at University Campus Suffolk and look forward with keen anticipation to playing a part in establishing this exciting new venture. These are tough times but I have no doubt that we can build on the strengths of the established Universities of East Anglia and Essex, of a committed faculty and of the Suffolk commercial and community environment to make UCS the place to watch!”

Professor Mike Saks, provost and chief executive of UCS, said: “We are very much looking forward to Professor David Weir joining us. With his leading-edge expertise and connections, I have no doubt that he will make a huge difference in both the specific business, leadership and enterprise area and on the Executive of UCS in further developing university provision in Suffolk and beyond.”

AN innovative new type of consultancy has launched in Essex to help housing developers build affordable housing as a viable part of their private housing schemes.

Redbox Partnerships is the brainchild of the directors of long established, affordable housing project managers, Oxbury and Company who have an office in Chelmsford. The company identified the need for a new service to advise housing developers on how to maximise opportunity amidst significant changes to regulations and funding for housing associations, which look set to widely affect the affordable housing market.

Director, Martin Aust, who has more than 17 years of experience with a major provider of affordable homes has been recruited to “head up” the Redbox Partnerships’ team. He said: “Following the government’s comprehensive spending review last autumn, the way forward for affordable housing started to crystallise with the publication of a plan for the next four years from the government agency for homes and communities. It soon became very clear that in the new climate there was the demand for professional expertise and advice for housing developers and hence Redbox Partnerships was born.

“The changes in regulation and funding are likely to affect the criteria by which housing associations view affordable housing options. This may in turn mean that housing developers experience less demand for their schemes and therefore the market will become increasingly competitive. This is where Redbox Partnerships comes in. Working on behalf of housing developers, we can facilitate viable and sustainable, high quality affordable housing, which also meets the needs of local authorities and housing associations. With our many years of experience, depth of understanding and innovative pricing model, we can assist housing developers by positioning them in a way which means they will be highly attractive to the housing associations.”

Redbox Partnerships has offices in Chelmsford and Norwich which means they are well placed to provide a comprehensive service to clients throughout East Anglia and across the UK.

STEVEN Matthews has joined Suffolk based mechanical and engineering contractor, Bower Fuller, as its new divisional managing director. Having spent over 20 years working within the industry, Steven joins the team with a wealth of experience within the sector. He is a qualified quantity surveyor and a chartered member of the RICS. Steven’s previous role was managing director of JSMS (formerly MacLellan), a building services and facilities management contractor in Kent. During his tenure, Steven developed the business in London and the Home Counties within the health, education, fit out, industrial and heritage markets. Steven’s background and approach to partnering complements Bower Fuller’s capabilities and reputation. Bower Fuller provides mechanical, electrical and maintenance services within those same markets in close collaboration with its clients and supply chain.

Chairman, William Barnes said: “We are delighted to welcome Steven to the team. His skills and experience will continue to drive the growth and success of Bower Fuller as a leading building services contractor in the East of England, and beyond.”

Originally from Glasgow, Steven is relocating to Suffolk with his partner and two young children.

BURY St Edmunds ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) student Alison Ryder gained top marks in her F7 (financial reporting) exam. Alison has been named as a prize winner in ACCA global awards.

Andrew Leck, head of ACCA UK said: “ACCA has more than 404,000 students around the globe so for Alison to have gained top marks in her financial reporting exam is a fantastic achievement. Alison can be rightly proud of her award; it takes a lot of hard work and dedication just to pass the ACCA exams and even more to get top marks.

“ACCA provide business-relevant, first-choice qualifications to people of application, ability and ambition around the world who seek a rewarding career in accountancy, finance and management. Both our reputation and influence are respected worldwide by employers, governments and the profession itself. I wish Alison well in her continued study and look forward to her passing the qualification and becoming a full member of ACCA.”

Alison works for Ensors Chartered Accountants, one of East Anglia’s largest and most respected firms of chartered accountants. She is currently based at the Bury St Edmunds office.

Graham Page, partner at the Bury office, said: “We are extremely proud of Ali and very pleased that all her hard work and dedication has been rewarded with this remarkable achievement. Ali is a very popular member of the Ensors team and I am sure this is only the start of a very successful career in accountancy.”

JULIE Bridges has been appointed clerk to the Corporation and College Secretary at West Suffolk College, Bury St Edmunds.

She said: “I am looking forward to the challenges of this exciting and varied role. The college’s governance was graded outstanding at our last OfSTED inspection and my role will support and enhance those high standards and expectations into the future”.

Before joining the college, Julie was the director of central services for Suffolk Mind, a local mental health charity and many of her areas of responsibility have been transferrable to her new role at the college. She is also honorary secretary and trustee for CARA, a charity based in Colchester, which provides valuable support services to children, young people and women who have been raped or abused.

BARCLAYS Corporate has strengthened its East Anglia team by appointing Steve Webb as a relationship director. Steve joins from NatWest where he has a background in relationship management and business development. Previous to that, Steve spent 17 years at Standard Chartered Bank where he gained a strong background in the international and trade finance arena.

Based in the Barclays Corporate East Anglia team headed up by Tim Seeley, Steve will have a portfolio of corporate clients across both Suffolk and Norfolk; although he will mainly focus on supporting clients in Ipswich with a particular specialism in energy.

Commenting on his new role Steve said: “I am relishing the challenge of driving forward the Barclays Corporate profile in East Anglia and meeting existing and new clients. I have been impressed by the range of different sector specialists we have in the team who work closely with their clients, providing guidance and solutions to suit the needs of the company. This is what strengthens relationships where it’s not just client and bank, but where we work as very much part of the management team”

Steve lives in Kesgrave, Ipswich, married for 15 years with two teenage daughters and has a personal interest in running, golf and the gym.