DEANNA Auker has joined the East of England Energy Group (EEEGR) as marketing manager, bringing with her a wealth of experience in marketing for national and international clients.

In a career spanning more than 13 years, Deanna has worked successfully and closely with international airlines KLM, Flybe and bmi in her role as commercial and marketing manager at Norwich International Airport, and has been responsible for the marketing strategies and all communications as marketing manager for M&H Plastics and The Castle Mall, Norwich.

Most recently Deanna led communications and events focused on a clinical restructure of more than 4,000 staff at the Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust.

“I am really pleased to be joining EEEGR at such an exciting time for the organisation and the energy industry,” said Deanna. “I am really looking forward to meeting existing stakeholders and establishing relationships with new ones. By using my knowledge and experience of marketing on a global scale I hope to present new opportunities for members and to help grow EEEGR, while building on the continued success already achieved by my new colleagues.”

EEEGR chief executive Simon Gray said: “I know all the team and directors will welcome Deanna to this exciting position which is so essential for the organisation’s future prospects. I’m sure her ability and experience will add even more to what our excellent EEEGR team has already achieved.”

: : JAMES Denny has joined online and community engagement specialist Consense from a local insurance comparison website and brings with him a wealth of knowledge and dexterity in front-end website and back-end database development.

James, from Ipswich, will work closely with the existing web team at Martlesham Heath, near Ipswich, to develop community consultation websites for a range of high profile clients, including National Grid and Scottish Power Renewables, as well as evolving the company’s award-winning online engagement tool, Open Debate.

The Open Debate system, adopted by energy and property developers across the UK, allows planning teams to engage with a broad range of local stakeholders in an accessible, interactive and auditable way.

Jessica Topham, director at Consense, said: “James’ appointment will help bolster our expertise in web development, to help us serve our core client base, drive new business and progress our online consultation offering.

“In his short time with us we have been thrilled by his level of technical skill and are looking forward to working with him throughout 2013.”

: : LAW firm Fosters has made two senior appointments to its residential team as well as recruiting additional staff members.

Amanda Nudd and Rebecca Laws are now joint heads of department based in Norwich while also in charge of the residential teams in Fosters’ Lowestoft and Wymondham offices.

Both joined the practice in 2005 and have played a key part in the growth of the residential department.

In Fosters’ Wymondham office, Vicky Holt has now been appointed to lead its residential team following her return from maternity leave.

Practice director Andrea Spooner, “Both Amanda and Rebecca have been instrumental in bringing the department to where it is today, which is completely unrecognisable from just a few years ago. But this is very much part of the Fosters philosophy of making ourselves available to suit the needs of our clients. Long gone are the days when solicitors were open 9.00am to5.00pm, five days a week.

“They richly deserve their promotions and we look forward to them taking the department from strength to strength.”

: : IPSWICH-based vehicle management and asset finance firm Tyson Cooper has welcomed local apprentice Joseph Keys as the newest member of its team.

As the new office assistant, Joseph’s role is to manage the administrative duties in the office, enabling managing directors Glen Tyson and Simon Cooper to focus on delivering customer service and focus on business growth.

Raised and educated locally in Ipswich, Joseph, who has returned to Suffolk after working as a freelance sound engineer around the UK, was enrolled on an ITS training course in Felixstowe when he was introduced to Tyson Cooper. The course is designed to help young people in Suffolk achieve an apprenticeship scheme in their desired industry. Tyson Cooper, based on Ransomes Europark, had approached the scheme in the hope of recruiting a local apprentice and offering them the opportunity to train with them to become an office manager.

Owner Glen Tyson said: “We really believe in supporting the local community and, although we could have recruited an established office manager, we wanted to offer our apprentice the opportunity to establish their career with us and grow through Tyson Cooper.

“We were delighted when we interviewed Joe; we didn’t expect to meet someone of his calibre so quickly into our search for a new member of our team. Joe has a very bright career in business and we hope most of that will be spent with Tyson Cooper.”

Providing equipment finance and fleet management solutions, Tyson Cooper was established in 2009 and holds over 35 years of industry experience. Aiming to facilitate business growth by providing a range of tailor made products and services to their clients, Tyson Cooper is well positioned to assist with financial and vehicle opportunities and management packages for any business of any nature and size.

: : CRISP Malting Group has appointed Dr David Griggs as project director.

David brings more than 20 years’ experience within the malting industry to Crisp. He is a diploma brewer, a master maltster, has chaired the Institute of Brewing and Distilling malting barley committee and is a Malting Diploma examiner.

Euan Macpherson, managing director of Crisp Malting Group, which has maltings in Ditchingham, near Bungay, Mistley, near Manningtree, and Great Ryburgh in Norfolk, said: “It’s fantastic news that David will be joining the Crisp team. He is well known and respected throughout the malting, brewing and distilling industries for his vast experience and knowledge, and he’ll be putting this to good use in driving innovation to keep Crisp at the forefront of the malting industry.”

: : COLCHESTER-based outsourced training and health and safety company Helmsman Services has appointed Kate Nudds as its new general manager. The newly created position is a strategic step forward for Helmsman, as it looks to expand into new market sectors and build on its existing client base.

Kate has a wealth of experience and knowledge of client handling, and outsourced recruitment management, as she is managing dierctor of Professional Choice Personnel Ltd. Her entrepreneurial flair has enabled her to maximise business opportunities throughout the Eastern region and London.

Managing director Tony Willson said: “2013 is definitely going to be a big year for Helmsman.”

: : SOUTHWOLD design agency Spring has announced the appointment of Shaun Meadows as a non-executive director.

Shaun was marketing director at RAC and then Aviva before becoming chief executive of Aviva Life Singapore and Hong Kong.

Spring’s founder, Erika Clegg, said: “We are delighted to have Shaun with us. He’s a terrific addition to our team – hugely ambitious for Spring and with great insights from the other side of the fence, having been client-side at a very senior level.

“Shaun understands and appreciates Spring’s worldview and is really helping us to focus on growth.”

Shaun said: “The combination of powerful endorsements for Erika and her company from a few of my contacts, together with the sheer creativity of the business, made it an easy decision.

“I’m delighted to be a part of this growing team of energetic and talented people. I hold huge optimism for both Spring and its clients and, most notably, its trajectory towards being the leading agency in East Anglia.”

: : SAFFRON Walden-based Saffron Building Society has appointed Sarah Howe as chief marketing officer to take responsibility for the development and management of all marketing capabilities across the business.

Sarah has more than 20 years’ experience in a range of high profile marketing roles inside and outside financial services. Her most recent role was as marketing director for over 50s insurance intermediary brands RIAS and Castle Cover, both part of the Ageas Group. In this role she developed a multi-brand strategy and marketing integration plan following Ageas’ purchase of Castle Cover Limited.

Sarah also worked at Bupa for more than 10 years during which time she was appointed to the role of chief marketing officer for the UK insurance division.

Saffron chief executive Jon Hall said: “We’re really pleased to have Sarah on board and welcome her into this new role. As a mutual we exist to serve our members so servicing our customers and their needs is all we care about. I’m looking forward to working with Sarah in developing and delivering the next generation of Saffron customer experience, products and services.”

Sarah added: “I’m delighted to be joining the Saffron Building Society at what is arguably a very interesting time for the financial services sector. As big banks continue to fail to put the customer first, more and more people are turning to local, community-focused institutions to help them with their financial needs.

“Saffron is a wonderful example of an organisation that places the needs of its members at the heart of what it does and I can’t wait to help the team develop their customer propositions further.”