Ipswich-based law firm Ashton KCJ has welcomed a new solicitor, Sophie McCadney, to its commercial property team.

Sophie is based at Ashton KCJ’s Cambridge office on Newmarket Road and she will be working alongside the firm’s well established commercial property team there. She qualified as a solicitor in 2012 at a firm in Newmarket where she also trained.

As part of the growing team, Sophie will be focusing on the sale and purchase of freehold and leasehold premises, management of investment properties, development work and landlord and tenant matters.

“I am excited to join Ashton KCJ and am looking forward to a more varied workload and having the opportunity to deal with some large scale projects,” she said.

Ashton KCJ partner Charles Webb said: “We are delighted to welcome Sophie to the team and are pleased to be attracting so much new talent to the firm. Her recruitment is an important part of our strategy to continue to grow our commercial property services across the region.”

: : Ensors Chartered Accountants has expanded the senior management team at its Fornham All Saints office, near Bury St Edmunds by the promotion of three key members of staff, David Nicolson, Chris Barrett and Neil Meekings, all to director level.

Having started his career with the Inland Revenue in Scotland, David moved south to Suffolk in 1994 and joined Ensors in 2005 as a personal tax manager. He moved to the firm’s Fornham office in 2007 to develop the private client offering and has now taken up his new role as director in charge of the private client group in Fornham.

Chris joined Ensors in 2001 as a student accountant and qualified in 2007. His career started in Ensors’ Ipswich office and he quickly moved through the ranks to become corporate services manager in 2012, looking after a full and varied client list as well as having responsibility for the office’s corporate services team. Having recently sat his Chartered Institute of Taxation (CIoT) exams, Chris has now taken up his new role as director of corporate services.

Neil qualified as a Certified Accountant with Ensors in 2004, and spent his early career working in the general practice division of the firm before moving to the corporate finance team in 2005. Over the last 10 years, he has developed his commercial and technical experience providing the springboard for his promotion to director of business services. He will have responsibility for developing the firm’s general practice client base with a particular focus on agriculture and rural businesses.

Graham Page, partner in charge of the Fornham All Saints office, said: “The addition of Chris and Neil to our team and the strengthening of our senior management by the promotion of David just reinforces our commitment to the local business community. The town of Bury St Edmunds, and its wider environs, have a well established and highly respected business community that we are proud to be a part of.”

: : Infection prevention products firm Tristel plc, based at Snailwell, near Newmarket, has appointed David Orr as a non-executive director.

The 56-year-old brings significant managerial and operational experience to the board, with more than two decades’ experience in board roles. He is currently group managing director of Fencor Packaging Group, a supplier of packaging to Tristel, a position he has held since 1999. He previously served as non-executive director and chairman of Pendragon Presentation Packaging. Mr Orr is not a shareholder of Tristel.

Chairman Francisco Soler said: “The board is delighted to announce David’s appointment as non-executive director. David will add to the board’s expertise and I know that he will be of great value in developing and managing our plans and objectives for the future.”

: : Bury St Edmunds-based Beckett Investment Management Group (BIMG) has promoted one of its private client consultants to its board.

Ben Brinkley-Everard became a director of the company in October with specific responsibility for wealth management. He joined the firm in 2010 and has become one of its leading consultants.

“The amount of referrals Ben receives from his clients speaks volumes about the quality of the advice he gives,” said managing director Ian White.

“His investment knowledge is second to none and we are keen for him to provide an additional level of strategic input to our company.”

Ben is a chartered financial planner and a fellow of the Personal Finance Society.

: : Muntons has appointed Zoe Robinson as grain buyer for its Stowmarket operation.

Zoe joined the Stowmarket-based maltster and malted ingredients firm just over four years ago, initially working in customer services before moving to the grain team two years later.

She has spent time working overseas which has assisted in her understanding of the commercial world and has been in training for this new role for some time. “Malting barley is our prime raw material and it is essential that we have the correct grains of the right quality in the right place at the right time. They must of course also be at the right price,” she said.

Muntons spends around £16million annually buying malting barley for its Stowmarket malting and ingredients operation, with virtually all bought from within a 50 mile radius of their plant.

Mike Norfolk, operational general manager for the supply chain team, said: “The grain team performs an important function, not just in the buying of the grains but also in matching customer requirements through to the raw materials purchased from our suppliers. Good communications are essential and I have every confidence that Zoe will perform admirably in her new role.”

: : A Taylor Wimpey site manager from Suffolk is celebrating after winning a prestigious national house-building award.

Nicos Charalambous, site manager at the housebuilder’s Concept development in Red Lodge, near Mildenhall, has been presented with a Seal of Excellence award at the National House-Building Council (NHBC) Pride in the Job Awards – for the third year in a row.

Steve Rolt, managing director of Taylor Wimpey East Anglia said: “I’d like to congratulate Nicos for winning the Seal of Excellence Award – his success is thoroughly deserved.

“We’ll all be supporting Nicos as he progresses through to the grand final in London.”

: : Experienced accountant Nigel Clark has joined Bury St Edmunds and Haverhill-based Jacobs Allen Chartered Accountants & Chartered Tax Advisers.

Nigel was with accountants Stacey & Partners,for 17 years before they became Knights Lowe. Prior to that he was with Ernst & Young in Ipswich.

He said he was looking forward to advancing his career with Jacobs Allen and will spend time at both of the firm’s town centre offices.

Director Sheila Burke said: “We are constantly expanding our practice and we welcome Nigel on board to assist with our growing workload. As we approach our busiest period of the year, it will be all hands to the deck! We are always pleased to add new talented people to our valued team.”

: : Estate agency Savills has announced the arrival of a commercial team at its Chelmsford office.

The team will be headed by Phil Dennis, who joins from Strutt & Parker where he spent 10 years advising on agency, investment and professional work across Essex, Suffolk, Norfolk and Cambridgeshire. Phil will be supported by associate director Mike Storrs, formally of Bidwells in Chelmsford. Mike has over 30 years experience in commercial property acting for occupier, developer and investor clients.