Movers & Shakers: East Anglian accountancy firm Ensors recruits 13 student trainees

Alex Boyle of Rowan Dartington's Ipswich office. (Image: Archant)

“As a firm we are committed to training new accountants and have a very good success rate for staff passing the exams,” the firm said.

Five of the new students are based at Ipswich, with three at Cambridge and Bury and two at Huntingdon.

Four of the students are studying for the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW), five for the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) and four for the Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT).

Ensors staff partner Fiona Hotston Moore said: “As one of East Anglia’s most reputable firms it is important to ensure the continuation of our success and dedication to clients with the recruitment of new students that share our core values.

“We are thrilled to welcome another large intake of students and look forward to supporting them on their journey to becoming qualified accountants.”

:: Southwold-based PR agency Spring has recruited two new junior members of staff.

Toby Essex has joined as personal assistant to company founders Erika Clegg and Simon Hazelgrove. Toby has an art foundation degree from University Campus Suffolk and has spent the past year working in hospitality. He is now looking forward to learning more about the design world as well as further pursuing his love of photography.

Maddy Adey joins as communications executive. She recently graduated with a degree in English and French from the University of Liverpool and has now moved back to Wrentham.

Erika said: “I’m delighted that we are able to find positions for these two ambitious and capable young people at Spring.”

:: Investment advisers Rowan Dartington has appointed a new investment manager to develop activity in Ipswich.

Alex Boyle is joining the firm after seven years at Hawksmoor Investment Management as a senior investment manager. With over 30 years of experience in the financial industry in a combination of roles ranging from fund manager to investment writer and discretionary private client portfolio manager, Alex will be working from Rowan Dartington’s new branch in Ipswich.

Meanwhile, Luke Pearce has been appointed to develop the firm’s activity in the Leeds region.

“We have ambitious plans for Rowan Dartington in the UK following our acquisition by St. James’s Place earlier this year and these new hires are part of a series of objectives we have set for the firm,” said executive chairman Graham Coxell. “Attracting talented investment managers like Luke and Alex is a sign that the firm is in a very good place at the moment. Their extensive experience working with private clients and managing investment portfolios will be key to our development in Leeds and Ipswich.”

:: Alexandra Nelson has joined Ipswich-based law firm Birketts as a senior associate after 10 years working for a top US firm in the City. Alexandra advises a broad international client base from across the EU, US, Middle East and Asia. She has excellent corporate and commercial experience managing and advising on a full range of corporate matters including mergers and acquisitions as well as commercial contracts including supply, distribution, manufacturing and outsourcing agreements. Alexandra has also spent time working in-house as sole counsel for the UK operations of a large NYSE listed consumer goods company and acted as interim counsel for the European business of a US headquartered pharmaceutical company.

James Austin, head of the corporate team in Ipswich said: “Alexandra’s excellent experience with a broad range of industries further strengthens our offering to businesses in the region. Alexandra has ‘hit the ground running’ and is already forging relationships with some of our longstanding client base as well as adding her expertise when meeting new clients.”

Alexandra said she was “delighted” to join the firm.

“Whilst being primarily based in Ipswich I am also looking forward to working with the corporate teams in Cambridge, Chelmsford and Norwich,” she said.

:: Paul Downer, governor and alumnus of Writtle University College, has been appointed chairman of the British Association of Landscape Industries (BALI), the leading trade association for the nation’s landscape professionals.

Paul graduated from Writtle University College with a HND in Amenity Horticulture in 1989 and set up his own landscaping business, Oak View Landscapes Limited in Colchester.

He has been a member of the Royal Horticultural Society and a board director of BALI since 2006.

“I am very proud to be chosen to lead the board of directors at BALI as we continue to promote excellence, sustainability and quality in our sector,” he said.

“Delivering successful landscaping schemes is essential to maintain a balance between infrastructure developments and natural environments – all of which are of key importance for amenity purposes and wellbeing.”

BALI’s marketing and communications manager Darren Taylor said: “We are delighted with the appointment of Paul as BALI’s National Chairman. Paul’s landscaping business Oak View Landscapes Limited has continually supported BALI and the company itself has gone on to become one of the leading, premier businesses in the UK for landscape installation for commercial and private clients, winning numerous awards including several coveted BALI National Landscape Awards.

:: UK Power Networks has appointed Julie Minns as its new head of customer engagement.

In the newly-designed role Minns will oversee external communications, stakeholder engagement and sustainability for the UK’s largest electricity distributor; and joins UK Power Networks shortly after the network moved from fifth to second place in Ofgem’s annual stakeholder engagement rankings.

Prior to UK Power Networks Minns was a partner at communications firm Bell Pottinger, and spent 13 years at the mobile network operator Three, managing public affairs, corporate responsibility and consumer regulation.

She has a background in the voluntary sector, working for Scope and NSPCC and for four years as a local authority councillor.

Director of customer service Matt Rudling said: “I am delighted to welcome Julie to the team. Her appointment will strengthen our engagement with stakeholders and ensure we continue to draw on their feedback to deliver the best, most cost-effective electricity supply to 8.1m homes and businesses.”

Julie said sahe was “thrilled” to be joining.

“It’s crucial that networks engage actively with customers, influencers and decision makers, and I’m looking forward to getting out into communities across the south and east and London to hear from customers and stakeholders first hand,” she said.