CRISP Malting Group has announced a double appointment, with Steve Le Poidevin joining as brewing sales director and Nigel Gibbons as craft brewing sales manager.

The firm has maltings in Ditchingham, Suffolk, and Mistley, near Manningtree as well as in Great Ryburgh, Norfolk, which supply whole grain and crushed cereals around the world to brewers, distillers and food producers in bulk and bag.

Managing director Euan Macpherson said: “Steve brings with him an extensive knowledge of both malt and the brewing industry and an impressive track record in the malting sector, as well as an absolute dedication to customer service.

“Nigel has in-depth experience of malting for craft brewers and his appointment signifies not only the fantastic growth of craft brewing in Britain, but also Crisp’s determination to support this exciting and vibrant sector.”

Steve said: “It’s very exciting to be joining such a well-respected, forward-looking maltings company at a time when brewers are getting more experimental and are taking more and more interest in the quality of their ingredients.

“I’m really looking forward to serving Crisps’ customers, who include many award-winning brewers from East Anglia and beyond.”

: : INDEPENDENT private client investment manager Brewin Dolphin has appointed Toby Sellers to its Ipswich office.

He will be joining as a divisional director of Investment Manager in a move designed to grow the Felaw Maltings based business.

Toby has over 25 years of experience in the financial services sector. He started his career as an equity analyst later becoming an institutional fund manager with Sun Life of Canada. Most recently, he has moved from Barclays Wealth, where as an investment manager he managed portfolios for private client and small charities and he will continue to manage private clients, charities, pensions and trusts in his new position at Brewin Dolphin.

“I am delighted to have joined Brewin Dolphin and to have teamed up with past colleagues to establish a successful and dynamic office in Ipswich,” he said.

Toby joins Matthew Shields, Nicholas Barber and newly appointed head of office, Andrew Wheeler.

Andrew said: “We are pleased to welcome Toby to Brewin Dolphin. He brings with him a wealth of experience gained in over 25 years of working with private clients and the new appointment will help with the commitment we have to grow the business here in East Anglia.”

: : LOWESTOFT-based independently-owned homebuilder Badger Building has appointed a new director.

Simon Muirhead, aged 34 and who lives in Oulton Broad, joined the company in 1994 straight from school as a trainee surveyor, and will now join the board.

He is involved in many different areas of the business including surveying, procurement, coordination of new home sales and customer liaison. He is an Incorporate Member of the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) having won the CIOB award for Professional Excellence while studying at City College Norwich.

Badger Building, which has nine developments in Suffolk, was established in 1989, has a turnover of around �10m and recently sold the 1000th house at one of its 13 active sites.

Founder and managing director Stephen George said: “Times are busy for us at Badger and we are growing steadily despite the economy. We are delighted to appoint Simon Muirhead as a director and welcome him to the board.

“He is a great example of a school leaver who has worked his way up our company. We supported him through his training and have actively encouraged his career development.”

: : ANGLIA Ruskin University has appointed Professor Gary Packham as Deputy Dean (Research and Development) of the Lord Ashcroft International Business School.

Prior to joining Anglia Ruskin, Professor Packham was Head of the Glamorgan Business School at the University of Glamorgan and also Director of the university’s Centre for Enterprise.

Professor Packham began his career in the financial services sector before returning to Higher Education. In 2001 he completed his doctorate, which examined management practices in fast growing firms.

He has led and managed a wide range of research and business engagement projects over the past 12 years; working for organisations such as the European Commission, Belgian Science and Policy Office, Welsh Government, Sector Skills Council and the Federation of Small Businesses.

Professor Packham has also been the academic lead on a number of European projects ranging from the use of e-learning to support entrepreneurs and business start-ups, examining key issues surrounding women’s entrepreneurship across the European Union and the early stage commercialisation opportunities associated with university research and intellectual property.

He continues to publish widely in international peer reviewed journals on subjects such as economic development policy, entrepreneurship education, small business management and strategy, technology transfer, innovation management and commercialisation.

Professor Packham currently holds visiting professorships at the Moscow International Higher Business School and the University of Glamorgan. His current research includes examining small business development and performance, ICT use in SMEs, the emergence of entrepreneurial universities and the contribution of women to the economy through self-employment.

He is a Fellow of the Chartered Management Institute, the Higher Education Academy and the Institute of Enterprise and Entrepreneurs (IoEE). He is also a member of the SFEDI advisory Council and on the board of trustees for the Institute for Small Business and Entrepreneurship (ISBE).

Professor Packham said: “I am delighting to be joining Anglia Ruskin University at a time when we are making a significant investment to develop research and business engagement within the Business School. “It is truly an exciting time and as a leading entrepreneurial university I am look forward to working closely with our business community and ensuring that we are delivering research, enterprise and innovation which can contribute directly to both our economy and society.”

: : JAMES Cornish has launched Henry Rose Lettings, a new lettings company in Ipswich.

James was formerly a branch partner at William H Brown Estate Agents.

“Having spent 15 years working for large corporate estate agents I am now relishing the prospect of providing my new customers with amazing customer service and utilizing the local knowledge of the Ipswich property market I have gained over that time,” he said.

James was a winner at the Archant Property Awards 2010 and won employee of the year and branch manger of the year on more than one occasion while working at William H Brown.