People: Harron Homes; Long rail journeys; Sheffield Housing Company; and other

Harron Homes Yorkshire has appointed Darren Harley as part exchange manager to oversee the delivery of its part exchange scheme for customers looking to exchange their old home for a new Harron home.

He brings extensive knowledge of the real estate market from his 35 years in the real estate industry, having worked with new homes, real estate auctions and real estate agents across the country.

Harley said: “I started my career as a trainee surveyor in the 1980s, so I’ve been helping people move into their homes ever since.

“As a Parts Exchange Manager, I offer Harron Homes customers a personalized service, helping them get the most out of our moving services.

“I guide my clients through the process and make sure we get their property sold quickly and at the right price. This means working closely with estate agents across the country as well as solicitors and mortgage brokers as well as the Harron Homes sales team.

“Exchanging parts allows the customer to sit back and enjoy the process. With no chain to suddenly fall off, it’s great to be able to give customers the peace of mind that we are a safe sale as a cash buyer and have a genuine interest in making the move as comfortable as possible.”

Alison Taylor-Shaw, Sales and Marketing Director for Harron Homes Yorkshire, said: “We are delighted to have Darren on board. His knowledge and experience is a real asset to the team and is fantastic for our customers, guiding them through the parts exchange process.

“We’re excited to see what Darren can do and look forward to seeing him progress in the business.”

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York-based Great Rail Journeys Group has made promotions across its US and UK management teams in a move to support further development and growth across the company.

The international travel company has confirmed that Liz Owens has been promoted to senior vice president, general manager of rail vacations, US division of Great Rail Journeys.

Since her appointment in 2022, she has been behind the brand’s double-digit growth. Continuing to focus on strategic initiatives, she will now oversee the US sales and service teams, bringing commercial focus to the brand’s primary customer touchpoints.

Missy Paul has been promoted to director of independent rail vacation operations, with a particular focus on the Independent program.

He has extensive experience working in tourism for 16 years and will use his expertise to develop the program independently over the next few years.

Sarah McMullen has moved from head of people to director of people. She said: “I’m delighted to be recognized for my contribution and I’m excited to continue driving the people’s agenda for Great Rail Journeys and Vacations By Rail.”

McMullen leads the development and talent management of a growing team spanning two continents. She will help implement the people change program that will ensure the group’s plans in the coming years.

Dave Riley, Group CEO, said: “I am very pleased to see the continued development of our team mates who are driving the business forward at a rapid pace.

“It is fantastic that we are able to retain and develop both our long-standing teammates – Missy – and some of the newer team members, Liz and Sarah.

“I have no doubt that they will continue to grow and develop both the business teams and themselves as we navigate the next phase of our wonderful journey.”

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Sheffield Housing Company (SHC), a housing regeneration partnership which has delivered more than 1,350 homes in the city, has appointed a second development manager.

Alex Best, from Penistone, joins the team as it prepares to build a further 500 homes in Sheffield over the next five years.

Best has significant experience in the industry, having worked in the private and public sector on a wide range of projects – including housing, commercial storage and managing six Sheffield schools.

In his new role, he will oversee four sites in the Manor, three sites in Norfolk Park in the south of the city, two sites in Parson Cross and one in Shirecliffe in the north, as well as supporting residents’ relationships with people around the sites.

He said: “I am delighted to be joining the Sheffield Housing Company team. It’s a unique role that brings together a lot of my experience from previous positions.

“Working as part of a small and highly motivated team, I look forward to playing a part in building modern and stylish homes that add to Sheffield’s distinctive character and skyline.”

Established in 2011, with the aim of building 2,300 properties on a total of 23 sites by the end of 2026, SHC is Sheffield City Council’s joint venture development company with private developer Keepmoat Homes and Great Places Housing.

Steve Birch, development director at SHC, said: “Alex has an excellent knowledge of the city and the construction industry and his expertise will be invaluable as we move forward with the next stage of our delivery program bringing more sites before.

“As a small team – all local to the area – we are passionate about Sheffield and delivering homes that will enjoy longevity and help welcome more people to our city.”

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TransUnion, a global insights and insights company based in Leeds, has appointed Praneeth Meka as its new director of data and analytics for the UK and Europe.

The appointment sees the company combine data asset management and data science and analytics leadership into one leadership role for the first time.

Meka is responsible for the entire data lifecycle, from acquisition to analysis, modeling and ongoing quality improvements that position the business for future growth.

He will advise the UK and Europe director and their teams on the benefits of TransUnion’s data assets and how evolving technology can support the business’ drive to bring innovative solutions to market.

Prior to this new role, he led the transformation of data science and analytics across TransUnion’s UK business, building a team of data scientists and analytics consultants to support growth.

He also launched Innovation Labs in UK businesses, which saw 14 successful events in 2023, leading to direct revenue improvements.

Meka said, “Data asset management and data science and analytics are an intrinsic part of TransUnion’s growth and are at the heart of producing new models, products and strategies for the business.

“I am excited to lead a team that will support all lines of our business to become more data-driven and to be part of the executive team of inspirational leaders.”

Meka joined TransUnion UK in March 2021 from HSBC UK, where he was head of digital and product analytics, following data leadership roles at Emirates NBD, JP Morgan Chase and Citigroup, among others.

TransUnion’s Director of Data and Analytics for International Markets, Dinesh Chawla, said: “With his extensive experience in data asset management and data science and data analytics, Praneeth’s leadership skills and talents bring a unique capability that will be a growth factor for our region. “