People: Sheffield Technology Parks; Reward Finance Group; and other

Experienced business leader and operations manager Brent Woods has joined the team behind technology hub Sheffield Technology Parks as Head of Operations.

He has nearly 30 years of experience leading organizations in the creative and technology sectors.

Formerly CEO of The Media Center in Huddersfield, he also spent a decade running DocFest in Sheffield, during which he built an international reputation for the festival and the host city.

Sheffield Technology Parks (STP) was established more than 35 years ago. A not-for-profit organisation, STP combines work and meeting spaces, business incubation, scale-up support, networking and social events for Sheffield’s innovators.

The center is currently home to 17 start-ups under The Cooper Project – its business incubator – and is home to 35 established businesses, including several that have relocated to Sheffield from London.

Woods will oversee the day-to-day management of the building as well as lead a number of transformation projects to improve STP’s reach and capabilities.

He said: “What is exciting about joining Sheffield Technology Parks is the opportunity to bring fresh perspectives and innovative approaches to further enhance our offerings.

“It’s about making sure everyone who visits, works with or is part of STP has the best possible experience and I’m committed to continuing that focus.

“I really wanted to work in Sheffield and help grow it, so I think I’ve come to the perfect place.

“What is so important about STP is that it is a purpose-driven organisation. We can do generous and supportive things for businesses, especially start-ups.

“It gives the businesses that are based here an advantage and this is great for Sheffield’s economic growth as it creates more employers, producing potentially higher paying job opportunities in the city.”

Tom Wolfenden, CEO of STP, said: “There is no shortage of talent, innovation and ideas in Sheffield, but there is a lack of suitable space, infrastructure and business support for highly innovative start-ups and scale-ups.

“While we are in a strong position at STP, with full occupancy and a busy and thriving incubator, we are on a mission to create more touchpoints in the city; more space to grow and more infrastructure to support businesses at every stage.

“Having Brent on board is a game changer. Our team can now fully execute on the ideas and plans we’ve had for some time, which I believe will have a lasting impact on Sheffield’s economy and reputation as the best city in the UK to start and grow a business. technology business.”

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Alternative finance lender Reward Finance Group has further supported its expansion goals in Yorkshire with the appointment of an experienced relationship manager to join the team at its head office in Leeds.

Anthony Cope has been appointed to meet the needs of Reward’s growing client portfolio in the region, having worked in the financial sector for over 25 years.

He spent most of his career in a similar, customer-facing role at Yorkshire Bank (now Virgin Money) before recently moving into the growth finance space at The FSE Group.

Reward offering property investors and SMEs bespoke business finance loans and asset based solutions of up to £5m, he will be primarily tasked with supporting new clients face to face with their ongoing loan requirements .

He said: “Reward is one of the UK’s largest and most established alternative finance lenders and on a path to tremendous growth, so we jumped at the opportunity to be part of its success.

“Having spent so much time in the banking sector, I have seen first-hand the pressures and hurdles SMEs face when trying to access finance and the critical role alternative lenders like Reward play in providing fast funding solutions and flexible to meet this need.

“I look forward to working with our clients across the region and supporting them throughout their lending journey to help them unlock new business and growth opportunities.”

Chris Ibbetson, Reward’s regional operations manager, added: “Our whole business is built on building strong relationships, particularly across our portfolio of SME and property investor clients, so Anthony is a key appointment.

“He brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in finance and customer services, which will further strengthen our expansion plans and the very talented team at our head office in Leeds.”

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Law firm, Mills & Reeve, has appointed Bethan Davies as Senior Employment Adviser.

She joins from Leeds Chambers, Parklane Plowden, in a strategic move to strengthen Mills & Reeve’s in-house advocacy unit and provide clients with greater cohesion between solicitor and counsel.

A qualified solicitor, Davies, who will be based in the Leeds office for the national role, already has an excellent relationship with the firm after being regularly trained by the recruitment team.

Paul Johnson, head of the Leeds office, said: “The appointment of Bethan as Senior Recruitment Advisor is a strategic move for the team.

“Bethan already works closely with our employment lawyers and her appointment demonstrates our ability to recruit high caliber people to assist our clients in this region and nationally.”

Employment partner Richard Barker said: “Bethan’s arrival as a qualified solicitor is a key development for the employment, pensions and immigration team.

“Her appointment gives the company a real USP in the market as very few firms can offer in-house advice to their clients.”

Davies added: “Joining Mills & Reeve in-house is an exciting opportunity to streamline the client-solicitor-solicitor relationship and deliver consistency to clients.

“I hope this new structure will allow for a more collaborative approach to Labor Court litigation.

“This new role allows me to focus my entire practice on well-prepared work for a wide range of responsive clients. I am very excited to see how we can develop this role.”