Movers & Shakers:

Alan Wilkinson, who has spent 15 years delivering projects in the sector, has joined the 20-strong team and will head a new education and community project team.

Practice partner Rob Keeble said: “Alan brings with him an extensive education portfolio and unrivalled experience in this sector – which as a practice we have highlighted as a discipline we would like to expand into. By bringing Alan on board we can expand our services knowing we have a respected figure at the helm who will continue to deliver at the high standards we are committed to.”

Alan, who previously led the team at WPP Architects, said: “When the opportunity arose to join the team at KLH I knew it was the right move for me. They are a fantastic practice with a reputation of delivering high quality design for the healthcare sector, and I hope, with my extensive education portfolio, we can quickly become the first point of call for schools and academies wanting to transform their buildings.

“KLH work to the same principles which drive me – being totally client-focused and delivering buildings and facilities that exceed the expectations of clients, stakeholders and users.”

Recent projects across the region which Alan has delivered include Willowbrook Primary School in Brentford, Essex, Honywood FS20, a showcase for innovative learning in Coggeshall, and the Parkside Pupil Referral Unit, Ipswich, which was used as an exemplar in the Department for Education guidance document.

Alan has also appointed two new team members to make up the new KLH Education department. Graham Page and Robert Gillett-Ratley worked with Alan at WPP and also bring with them a wealth of experience of delivering projects in the sector.

: : A high-flying accountant from financial and business advisers Grant Thornton has achieved national recognition as one of the UK’s best and brightest talents in the industry.

Associate director Ian Thoroughgood, 31, who is based at the firm’s Ipswich office, has been selected in Accountancy Age magazine’s “Top 35 under 35s” accountants in the country for 2015.

Grant Thornton partner James Brown said: “I am immensely proud of Ian’s achievements and the deserved recognition he has gained. His potential that we identified several years ago is very much coming to fruition and I predict a fantastic future for Ian within the firm as he demonstrates so many of the qualities we look for in our people.”

Ian said he was “thrilled” at the recognition.

“I thoroughly enjoy my work and I am grateful for the support given by my managers and peers over the years which makes Grant Thornton such a great firm to work for,” he said.

Ian joined Grant Thornton in 2006 after two years of teaching science in schools in London. He gained his accountancy qualification in 2009 and was promoted to associate director in March 2015. As well as working for a variety of clients, Ian has been instrumental in the delivery of the firm’s Suffolk Ltd survey of the county’s top 100 businesses and the roll out of similar events across the wider region.

: : Nayland-based recruitment, training and executive business coaching firm the SVC Group has welcomed Steve Coulson as its new head of training, leadership and management.

Steve runs his own practice specialising in working with businesses to develop outstanding customer experience, enhancing the customer journey through delivering service excellence to provide sustainable growth and profits.

Steve has been coaching for eight years, including one-to-one coaching and group coaching to a variety of individuals, business leaders and managers. He also delivers training of structured workshops in self-awareness and leadership skills to senior directors and managers in companies and organisations as varied as small/medium enterprises to larger businesses.

Steve has worked with organisations including Tesco, Sainsbury, Asda, Mars, PepsiCo, the NHS and Virgin Atlantic as well as further education establishments including University of Dundee, Abertay University, University of Stirling and UHI Perth College.

: : Barclays Wealth and Investment Management has continued to boost its presence across the south region with a raft of promotions, moves and a new hire in the Midlands, South East, South West and East Anglia.

The bolstering of the teams comes in response to growing demand from clients for local wealth management services as the number of high net worth individuals increases across the south.

In the eastern region, Emma Leach has been promoted from a private bank executive to a private banker. Emma will be based in Ipswich, covering the region of Suffolk and north Essex.

Ben Gulliford, director of Barclays Wealth and Investment Management in the south, said: “We are delighted to announce the expansion of our teams in the south. At Barclays we are constantly looking to build out our business based on the demands of our local clients. With these changes we are confident we will be able to offer better support and expert advice to our high net worth clients across the South on everything from entrepreneurs looking to take the next step with their business, to families seeking support on inheritance and succession planning.”

: : Business expert Joe Gomez has become the area contact for business support and advice network Tinderbox Limited.

Having previously worked with York International, Johnson Controls, Honeywell and Tesco over a 25-year career, Joe decided to look for a way to offer his services and share his experiences to help businesses improve and joined Tinderbox, which provides businesses with skills and expertise.

Based in Chelmsford and covering, Essex, Hertfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Suffolk, Joe and his team will be working with local businesses to help improve their performance and prospects.

Joe is happy to offer a free initial discussion to explore the needs of your business and to illustrate the ways in which Tinderbox has already helped many clients and how they may be able to help your business.