Law firm Ashton KCJ has welcomed solicitors Joel Furniss, Louise Cardwell and Janette Wand and PR executive Emily Sullivan to its Ipswich office.

Joel joins the firm as a solicitor in the company commercial team and has a wide range of commercial experience, having previously held roles both in private practice and in-house. He also established and ran a business which managed the UK interests of several overseas companies. Prior to qualifying as a solicitor in 2009, Joel’s studies included obtaining a masters degree in politics.

Louise and Janette both join the firm as solicitors in the lifetime planning team. They are experienced solicitors and previously worked together at a firm in Colchester. Both specialise in advising clients on will drafting, estate, tax and trust planning, preparation and registration of Powers of Attorney and administration of estates after death. They are members of STEP (Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners) and qualified members of SFE (Solicitors for the Elderly).

Emily joins the firm as PR executive from St Elizabeth Hospice in Ipswich. She has considerable experience in the professional services sector having previously worked in marketing, communications and business development roles for Prettys, Eversheds and Grant Thornton.

Chief executive Edward O’Rourke said: “We are delighted to announce these appointments which strengthen our Ipswich team and demonstrate our commitment to the future growth of Ashton KCJ.”

: : Financial adviser Brewin Dolphin has strengthened its Ipswich team with the appointment of a new business development manager.

Ross Slater will be working in Brewin Dolphin’s Ipswich office to promote the company’s investment management services to Independent Financial Advisers (IFAs).

Ross has more than 15 years’ experience in the financial services sector, and brings with him a wealth of skills and expertise to assist in growing the firm’s business in the town.

He is well known to many IFAs across East Anglia and has experience in both pensions and investments. With a strong technical background, he has achieved his Chartered status and is a Fellow of the Personal Finance Society. ‎His seven years at Zurich and six years at Liverpool Victoria mean he has always been intermediary focused, and understands the value of good quality service in building professional relationships.

Ross said he was “truly excited” about joining the firm.

“I am looking forward to building strong working relationships with IFAs who are looking for a trusted partner to outsource their investment business,” he said.

“Recent research has shown that more IFAs are looking to outsource to discretionary fund managers and this is a sector I will be looking to grow at Brewin Dolphin. Being based in East Anglia provides a great opportunity to work with a diverse range of clients and I look forward to continuing to build on this already impressive client base.”

Andrew Wheeler, head of Brewin Dolphin’s office in Ipswich, said: “We are very pleased that Ross is joining us in Ipswich. His experience and expertise will be a great complement to our growing team and he will be a great asset for expanding our business throughout East Anglia.”

: : Lender Bibby Financial Services (BFS), has appointed Kelly Hamill as head of sales as part of its strategy to increase funding support to businesses in the East Midlands and East Anglia regions.

Kelly – who took up his new role at the start of May – has extensive knowledge of the business funding environment, having spent 14 years working in invoice finance and asset based lending.

“I’m delighted to be back at Bibby Financial Services at a time when we are investing and growing,” he said.

Kelly joined BFS in 1999 but spent the last seven years at Close Brothers Invoice Finance where he was regional sales director.

He will head-up a team of five business development managers and three business development executives, responsible for increasing the funder’s presence in the regions.

In addition to Kelly, the lender recently announced the appointments of Paul Coase and Simon Boddy as business development managers for East Anglia and Lincolnshire.

Kelly will report to David Webb, who has taken up his new role of regional sales director for the central region.

“We’re currently providing upwards of £100million to businesses across the Midlands and East Anglia,” said David. “We are now looking to increase our funding support and these regions are crucial areas for us.”