The Newcastle office of UK law firm Ward Hadaway has announced five promotions, including the appointment of Hollie Ball and Tom Shears to partner within the employment department.

The regional promotions are part of a wider 19-strong cohort across the firm's national network. Highlighting its focus on internal career progression, nearly half of those promoted this year initially began their legal training with the firm.

The remaining Newcastle advancements span multiple sectors: Matthew Brady becomes an associate in commercial dispute resolution, Heather Armstrong is named managing associate in private client, and Sam Watts steps up to associate in real estate.

Ward Hadaway, which expanded its regional footprint last year by merging with Teesside-based The Endeavour Partnership, employs approximately 600 people across its offices in Newcastle, Leeds, Manchester, Teesside, and Birmingham.



Siemens has appointed Brian Holliday as chief executive officer for the UK and Ireland, effective 1 June 2026. Holliday, who has spent over 32 years with the engineering giant, will oversee a workforce of 12,000 people and national revenues that reached £4.6 billion in the 2025 financial year.

The appointment holds strong relevance for the North of England, where Siemens maintains a substantial industrial and manufacturing footprint. Holliday is a visiting professor at the University of Sheffield, an alumnus of the University of Manchester, and co-chairs the Made Smarter Commission, which supports Northern manufacturers with digital technology. He also serves on the board of Skills England.

Holliday will retain his role as managing director of Siemens Digital Industries, which operates major technology and development hubs across the North, including a prominent digital manufacturing facility in Congleton, Cheshire.

Matthias Rebellius, Managing Board Member of Siemens AG, said: “Brian brings a deep understanding of our strategic priorities and our customers, as well as strong insight into the challenges facing industry as it digitalises. His external experience with the Catapults and Made Smarter will also be a real asset.”



Huddersfield-based precision engineering component supplier Accu has appointed Dan Jack as chief executive officer. He joins from Trifast plc, where he served as chief commercial officer.

Co-founder and outgoing chief executive Martin Ackroyd will transition into the newly created role of chief digital officer, remaining on the board to oversee the company's technology and AI integration strategy.

Mr Jack, who brings nearly 25 years of industry experience, will manage Accu's operational and financial performance. His primary focus will be accelerating global expansion across the US, mainland Europe, and Australasia, while building partnerships to expand the company’s catalogue of more than 500,000 components.

Dan Jack said: "It is a privilege to join Accu, which I believe is the most progressive engineering component e-commerce platform in the world."



Ruth Hargreaves has been appointed as the new head of corporate at independent law firm Brabners, succeeding Mark Rathbone. Hargreaves, who trained with the firm before working in-house at technology company TomTom, returned to Brabners in 2017.

She takes leadership of a 76-strong team that advised on transactions valued at £762.3 million between May 2025 and April 2026, a significant increase from £465.1 million during the previous 12 months.

The appointment comes amid broader expansion for the firm, which operates across the North of England and is opening a London office following a merger. Brabners reported annual revenues of £60.2 million and pre-tax profits of £20.3 million for the 2024–25 financial year, representing its eighth consecutive year of growth.

Recent additions to the team include tax partner Euri Yoon and corporate partner Stuart Hatcher to support its expanding national platform.



Leeds-based textile manufacturer AW Hainsworth has appointed Tom Anderton and Lauren Hill as international sales managers. The appointments aim to support the business's global growth across the aviation, apparel, and interiors sectors.

Mr Anderton, who brings a decade of experience as head of marketing and business development at aviation maintenance firm Bostonair, will focus on account growth for Replin by Hainsworth, the mill’s specialist aviation division.

Ms Hill, previously head of sales at The Fine Bedding Company, will drive growth across the firm's apparel and interiors categories in both domestic and international markets.

Tom Anderton said: “Joining AW Hainsworth is an exciting new stage in my career, and I look forward to growing the brand in conjunction with this fantastic team and in line with the business’ values of quality, sustainability and family."

Lauren Hill added: “My background in premium fabrics, interiors and international market expansion, matched with a BA Honours degree in Fashion, make this role a dream opportunity for me to return to my fashion and textiles roots and I’m so proud to be a part of this truly iconic British brand.”

The historic West Yorkshire mill, established in 1783, recently received a King’s Award for Enterprise.



North East stonemasonry and architectural precast concrete specialist Classic Masonry has appointed Joe Pearson to a business development administration role.

Mr Pearson, 35, from Newcastle, joins the firm following nearly 12 years as an office manager at Sir Robert McAlpine and a subsequent role as operations assistant at Wates Group. In his new position, he will focus on data analysis, streamlining procurement compliance, and optimizing company data to support growth.

Mike Moody, managing director at Classic Masonry, said: “The fact he has spent a great deal of his career working with tier 1 contractors will be of enormous benefit to us.”



Yorkshire law firm Chadwick Lawrence has promoted Leanne Franks to equity partner following her 11-year tenure at the practice.

Based in Yorkshire, Franks serves as partner and head of the corporate and commercial department. She joined the firm one year after qualifying, transitioning into corporate law from the ground up. Today, she acts as a trusted adviser to regional businesses and major sports organisations, including Huddersfield Town Football Club, Leeds Rhinos, and Barnsley FC.

In her new role, Franks takes a direct stake in the firm's financial success and will help shape its future strategic direction.

Neil Wilson, managing partner at Chadwick Lawrence, said: “Leanne’s contribution to the firm over the past decade has been outstanding. Her commercially minded approach coupled with a collaborative and pragmatic leadership style has seen her significantly increase our client base and develop strong talent in our team. We are proud to make her our next equity partner.”



Yorkshire industrial AI company IntelliAM has appointed Joel Crawford as chief revenue officer, effective 1 June 2026. Based in Knoxville, Tennessee, Mr Crawford will lead global revenue strategy with an immediate focus on US market penetration.

He brings more than 17 years of experience in asset management, having previously led US expansion for wireless predictive maintenance provider I-Care Reliability. The appointment follows IntelliAM’s rollout to its first US customer, Baxters, last year. Founded in 2023, IntelliAM uses machine learning to optimise manufacturing data for clients including Mars, PepsiCo, and Hovis.

Tom Clayton, chief executive of IntelliAM, said: “We see a significant opportunity to drive improved productivity and asset reliability for industrial customers in the US through the application of AI, and with this foundation in place, we’re well positioned to lead that digital transformation.”



Harrogate-based research agency Harlow Consulting has appointed Mary Meredith as its new research manager.

Ms Meredith will support the firm's mixed-methods research and evaluation services, working across sectors including construction, heritage, healthcare, education, and the arts. She joins the agency with a background spanning marketing, organisational research, intelligence, and specialist human resources roles.

Founded in 2019 by co-directors Jennifer Brennan and Clare Vokes, the North Yorkshire consultancy delivers projects for national bodies, including Historic England, the NHS, and the British Film Institute.

Jennifer Brennan, director at Harlow Consulting, said: “Mary brings diverse skills to our team. She has an impressive background, and her communication skills are particularly valued as our agency continues to evolve. Mary has a passion and flair for understanding the human factors that influence organisational decision-making and change.”



North Yorkshire agricultural machinery dealership Ripon Group has appointed Chris Northway as chief financial officer. Mr Northway, a chartered accountant who began his career at KPMG, joins the board following his previous role as director of financial control at Barrett Steel.

With 18 years of experience in senior finance positions, he will lead the finance function, oversee financial planning, and develop strategic models to support business performance.

Established in 1982, Ripon Group has a £160 million turnover and employs 270 people across 13 depots in Yorkshire, Teesside, Lincolnshire, and Nottinghamshire. It serves as a major regional distributor for machinery brands such as John Deere.

Richard Simpson, chief executive officer at Ripon Group, said: “His experience in complex, multi-location businesses, combined with his technical expertise and commercial acumen, makes him a superb addition to our leadership team.”



Accountancy and business advisory group Azets has appointed Sarah Palmer as an audit and assurance partner in its Leeds office.

Palmer, a University of Leeds mathematics graduate, joins the firm following a 17-year career at PwC, where she progressed from associate to director. She specialises in delivering audits for private equity-backed and internationally owned entities, with a focus on the manufacturing and retail sectors across Yorkshire.

Claire Needham, regional managing director for Yorkshire, said: “I am confident that she will make a major contribution to the continued success of our expanding audit team in Yorkshire and the UK.”