Couch Perry Wilkes (CPW), the national M&E consultancy, has made a number of senior appointments across its UK offices. Promoted to director were Gareth Moad, who heads up the engineering team in Leeds, and Nilesh Mistry, who has worked in the firm’s Nottingham office for more than a decade. Public health specialist, Jim Buckley, and Oliver Cozens, who leads the firm’s power team, have also made the step up to associate. “Recognising and rewarding our talented and hard-working team is something that is really important to us as a business, especially those who have been with us for a number of years, so we are delighted to be able to announce this string of promotions across the firm,” said Mark Morris, director at CPW. “All four of them have made significant contributions to the business and their promotions are testament to the ongoing hard work and their dedication to the firm. We are very pleased to welcome them to the senior team and look forward to their involvement in driving the business forwards as we progress our plans for growth across the UK,” he continued. With more than 200 staff based across its ten regional offices across the country, CPW works on high profile schemes, including the newly-opened Lincoln Transport Hub and Project Greengrass – British Sugar’s state of the art office space in Peterborough, which is due for completion later this year. “It goes without saying that I’m very pleased to be stepping into this new role. I have a huge amount of respect for the senior team at CPW and I look forward to being involved in the company’s further progression and growth,” said Nilesh about his promotion. “I am delighted to be taking on the role of director and am excited to be a part of helping to drive the business forwards as part of the senior team,” added Gareth. Celebrating 40 years in business in 2018, CPW specialises in designing and integrating the full range of energy solutions into existing and new building by using innovative and contemporary engineering techniques.

Free training is available for Tees Valley SMEs, as a further £1 million of funding has been made accessible.The fund, accessible through the Skills Support for the Workforce (SSW) project and co-financed by the European Social Fund, will give SMEs the opportunity to offer their employees professional training across a range of skills and sectors. “The project has already made a significant impact in the region, having helped over 400 businesses and 1,000 employees gain new skills over the last 18 months,” explained Sue Dawson, regional development manager of the SSW project in Tees Valley. “Securing an additional £1 million funding means we will be able to extend that reach and support even more businesses, helping them to achieve their growth plans by offering them the opportunity to upskill employees through free training and improved productivity,” she added. The SSW project works in partnership with the Tees Valley Combined Authority to close the area’s skills gaps. It offers courses in employability skills, as well as specific courses across the Combined Authority’s priority sectors – advanced manufacturing/engineering, business and professional services, digital and creative, energy, culture and leisure, health and biologics, chemical processing, low carbon, and logistics. “We know employers across our key sectors need problematic skills gaps to be filled so they can overcome the biggest barrier to business growth,” said Councillor Christopher Akers-Belcher, Combined Authority Cabinet Lead for Education, Employment and Skills. “Skills Support for the Workforce is a valuable resource to help inspire and support the region’s workers to learn the new talents that will help our companies succeed. By targeting our priority sectors, this programme is shoring up the fields that need it most and I welcome this extra funding to assist even more in-need businesses,” he continued. Co-financed by the European Union’s European Social Fund and the Education and Skills Funding Agency, the project is available for SMEs seeking non-compulsory work-based training to support their business growth plans. Its course are delivered by a network of local training providers in partnership with Calderdale College.

Martin Pease has been appointed by WATG, one of the world’s leading integrated architectural design firms, as Managing Director of the firm’s practice in London. Pease brings 25 years of design and commercial business experience to WATG, with deep expertise across the United Kingdom, United States and the Middle East. “I am delighted to welcome Martin to the firm. His commercial savvy, design talent and leadership skills will enable WATG to significantly scale our UK operations with a continued focus on delighting our clients and delivering excellent design. His experience with large-scale project delivery will bring a unique perspective to our London operations and our global team at large,” commented Anthony Mallows, President and CEO. Martin’s previous role was as Head of Architecture and Building Engineering at Atkins North America, where he stayed from 2014 until 2018. During his time there he grew the firm’s business by 40% across six offices. Prior to his tenure with Atkins North America, Pease was Head of Architecture for Dubai-based Damac, the largest privately-owned property developer in the Middle East. “I have always admired WATG’s reputation for design excellence and the firm’s incredible portfolio of work from the past 70+ years. I’m incredibly excited to contribute to the firm’s vision for growth and honoured to join such a highly talented and passionate design team,” said Martin Pease. Throughout his career, Pease has acquired a vast portfolio of work, including large scale mixed use projects alongside work in aviation, rail, residential, commercial and public architecture. Notable projects include the Getty Centre in Los Angeles, the Glyndebourne Opera House in the UK, the Navy Museum in Washington D.C., Glasgow College in Scotland, a new terminal at the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport and the Trump Golf Course Clubhouse in Dubai. Originally from the UK, Pease worked there for several notable firms, such as Richard Meier, Michael Hopkins, Stride Treglown Architects and Atkins UK. At the moment, Martin is writing a book on ‘How to Present’ for architects, done in conjunction with the University of the West of England.

Rachael Hobbis, who worked with national law firm Shakespeare Martineau for ten years, has been appointed by Brierley Hill-based solicitor Higgs & Sons as its specialist construction Partner. This move is part of the firm’s plan to unite its commercial and residential property teams under a single umbrella, creating one of the largest specialist teams in the region. “I am looking forward to being part of the Higgs team as it continues to grow,” said about her appointment Ms Hobbis. “I will be able to support my colleagues throughout the firm and the needs of clients across all sectors in the region and beyond, utilising my extensive commercial experience of working in the construction industry and expertise to achieve clients’ goals.” Rachael has earned her experience by working in a wide range of construction projects, including residential and commercial development, healthcare, education, leisure, retail and infrastructure projects. She is capable of assisting the client team at various stages of a project, from advising to the procurement of a project, including the form of build contract, consultants’ appointments and collateral warranties, as well as working alongside the professional team during the delivery of the project or providing support and advice when issues arise on site. “Rachael has significant experience in working with a wide spectrum of property professionals across a range of sectors,” said Cherry Elliott, Head of Property Services at Higgs & Sons. “The newly unified practice group at Higgs offers expertise in all aspects of commercial and residential property. Rachael’s appointment has bolstered particularly the residential and commercial development that we can now provide.” “Our development team can assist clients on all aspects of their deal throughout the lifecycle of the project. Providing advice across sectors including manufacturing, construction, retail, leisure and healthcare, Rachael will be a significant addition to our team,” he concluded.