Manningtree-based food ingredients company EDME has appointed a new operations and technical director. Metin Fevzi will oversee the production of tens of thousands of tonnes of flour and flakes to ensure the highest standards of product and service.

East Anglian Daily Times: Ryan's has welcomed new recruits. Back row from left,Trevor Griss, Ryan Horsey, Ryan Lyall and Jake Mower. Front row from left, Shannon Christie, Lucy Osborne & Chloe MowlesRyan's has welcomed new recruits. Back row from left,Trevor Griss, Ryan Horsey, Ryan Lyall and Jake Mower. Front row from left, Shannon Christie, Lucy Osborne & Chloe Mowles (Image: Ryan's)

Metin’s career in the food industry spans 14 years working for companies such as Arla Foods, Greencore Group, Premiere Foods and Alpro.

Chief executive David Thompson said: “He has significant experience in overseeing change and managing growth. This, together with his commitment to innovation and robust approach to quality, will help ensure a first class, and expanding, service to customers.”

Metin said: “Edme already has a great team in place, which makes my job a whole lot easier. We’ll of course be pushing forward, but the groundwork has been very firmly laid out.

“There are always processes and procedures that can be improved; always more effective or efficient ways of operating; always new things that can be done to make customers’ lives easier.

East Anglian Daily Times: Rob Tiffen, BirkettsRob Tiffen, Birketts (Image: Birketts)

“Many of the answers to continual improvement lie within the workforce. My job is to draw on the considerable expertise within the company, as well as to bring something new from the outside. Having spent time with people from across the business, I’m sure we’ll make a good team.”

EDME produces natural flours and flakes for bakers and food manufacturers and is best known for its wholegrain and malted products.

•Ipswich-based chartered insurance brokers Ryan’s has made six new appointments to strengthen its commercial sales team.

East Anglian Daily Times: Rebecca Pascoe, Suffolk Chamber of Commerce.Rebecca Pascoe, Suffolk Chamber of Commerce. (Image: Suffolk Chamber)

Trevor Griss has worked in the insurance industry for almost 30 years and joins as a corporate account executive from Willis. Trevor is a keen ultra marathon runner which involves running anything over a traditional marathon and up to 100 miles plus.

Ryan Horsey joins the enterprise division as account handler. Ryan has previously worked for Devitt Insurance and Direct Line Group and brings over 12 years of insurance experience to his new role. In his spare time Ryan’s passion is music and as a keen DJ he can often be found mixing tunes on the decks.

Ryan Lyall has three years insurance experience, he joins the hospitality division and previously worked for risk management company Sevatas. In his spare time Ryan enjoys music, festivals and playing and watching football.

Jake Mower joins as account executive from Drayton Insurance Services, formerly known as Mall-Wood. When Jake is not saving the world from poor insurance advice he has a keen interest in cars, likes to keep fit and enjoys playing guitar.

East Anglian Daily Times: Sue Philp, Suffolk Housing.Sue Philp, Suffolk Housing. (Image: Suffolk Housing)

Shannon Christie joins the corporate division from insurance broker Arthur J Gallagher. For the last 30 years she has worked in a number of roles within the insurance industry. Shannon enjoys live music events and watching rugby.

Lucy Osborne has been in insurance broking for almost seven years and joins us from Morgan Law Insurance as a corporate account handler. Lucy is kept busy looking after her young daughter but also enjoys dog walking and reading.

Ryan’s also reappointed Chloe Mowles as corporate account handler. Chloe has spent the last few months travelling around Asia and we are delighted to welcome her back to Ryan’s.

Managing director Robin Belsom said: “We are delighted to welcome our new recruits to the Ryan’s team. I’m sure with their combined knowledge and experience they will be a great asset to the business and will help strengthen the commercial division.”

East Anglian Daily Times: Joining the Inform Direct team, left to right: Peter Platt, Sapna Thomas and Jonathan Atkins.Joining the Inform Direct team, left to right: Peter Platt, Sapna Thomas and Jonathan Atkins. (Image: Keith Mindham)

•Rob Tiffen, senior associate in the commercial disputes team and head of franchise disputes at Ipswich-based law firm Birketts, was asked to be a member of a prestigious legal panel the British Franchise Association (bfa) annual conference in Birmingham in June.

The panel was comprised of a number of senior and well regarded franchising experts, and answered questions about a range of legal issues that are currently facing the franchise sector.

“It was a real privilege to be asked to be part of this legal panel. The calibre of panel members is second to none in the franchising sector. The opportunity to engage with fellow franchise specialists on current issues that the sector is facing, and so help the sector fashion its attitude towards those issues, is a genuine honour,” he said.

East Anglian Daily Times: Metin Fevzi, EDME operations and technical directorMetin Fevzi, EDME operations and technical director (Image: EDME)

This follows a speech by Rob at the annual bfa legal update for its members and at the recent bfa regional forum for London and the south east.

Ed Savory, legal director at Birketts and head of franchising, said: “The whole team here is absolutely delighted that Rob was asked to take part in this panel discussion. This is well deserved recognition of both Rob’s and Birketts growing reputation for its considerable expertise in the franchising sector.”

•Suffolk Chamber of Commerce, based at Ipswich, has welcomed Rebecca Pascoe as its new events manager.

Rebecca, who graduated from the University of Greenwich with a BA Hons in events management, has more than eight years’ experience of running events in central London. She has specialised in the commercial property sector, and the launch of new development schemes to market in central and Greater London.

“I grew up in the county and over the years as I worked in London have kept an eye on what Suffolk Chamber is doing,” she said.

“It has a great reputation, providing essential services and insights to its members and the wider business community and I’m delighted to have joined such a business of purpose.”

Amanda Ankin, head of chamber services, said: “With the recruitment of someone as experienced as Rebecca, we will now build upon these strengths to create an ever stronger events offer to our members.”

Rebecca, who will be in charge of a four-strong events team,will be applying some of the techniques and approaches she used in London.

•Bury St Edmunds-based housing association Suffolk Housing has appointed Sue Philp as its permanent chief executive after 14 months in the role on an interim basis.

During that time, she has overseen Suffolk Housing’s relocation to a new office and the introduction of agile working so that staff can work on patch, in turn helping them spend more time with tenants.

“I’m delighted to have been appointed as permanent chief executive,” said Sue, who has more than 30 years’ experience in the housing sector, including a decade as Suffolk Housing’s operations director.

“The public sector continues to face financial challenges, which means we need to find innovative and creative new ways to work. We have already laid strong foundations for this through the move to our new office and the introduction of agile working for our staff, and will now explore the possibility of strategic partnerships with others to help us work even smarter.

“Over the coming months, we will continue to look for ways to further improve the services we provide for the benefit of local people in housing need.”

Carole Taylor-Brown, chairman of Suffolk Housing, said: “I am delighted that Sue has accepted the post of chief executive on a permanent basis. Her appointment comes following a full and open national competition, which has ensured we have recruited the best.

“The knowledge and experience she brings will be vitally important and will ensure we continue to place our tenants at the heart of everything we do.”

•Ipswich-based secretarial software firm Inform Direct has appointed Peter Platt and Sapna Thomas as test managers and Jonathan Atkins as customer support manager.

Peter and Sapna are responsible for testing changes and improvements to the company’s software platform, liaising with the developers to rectify any issues and ensuring the highest level of functionality for users.

Both bring extensive technical experience to Inform Direct: Peter has worked at BrightGen and Smart421 and Sapna at BT and Itron.

Jonathan Atkins strengthens the company’s customer service team which provides telephone and online support for Inform Direct users. His previous roles have included teaching in Seoul, South Korea, and working in the Alumni Department at Warwick University Business School.

Chief executive Henry Catchpole said: “We are delighted to welcome Peter, Sapna and Jonathan to our enthusiastic team and are looking forward to their contribution to our future success.”