people Movers and risers


Accountants and business advisers James Cowper Kreston, which has offices across the Thames Valley, has strengthened its corporate tax team with the appointment of Margaret Savory who was previously at the Reading office of BDO. She has considerable experience in advising entrepreneurial and fast- growing businesses on all aspects of their corporate tax affairs. Her clients include companies at all stages of growth, from small owner-managed start-ups and large private-equity backed businesses to AIM listed companies.


Three partners at Reading- based law firm Blandy & Blandy LLP have been included in the Citywealth Leaders list 2016, in recognition of their expertise in private client and family law. Brenda Long, chairman and a partner in the family law team, is recommended alongside fellow family law partner Andrew Don (pictured). Joint managing partner Philip D’Arcy’s experience in advising on contentious probate matters is also acknowledged.


Legal practice Osborne Clarke has retained 92% of its 12 autumn qualifiers, with two qualifying into its Thames Valley office in Reading. The nine other qualifiers will be based in its Bristol and London offices. Based in the Thames Valley and qualifying into the commercial team is Matt Johnson left), while Kristian Assirati (right) will join the commercial litigation team.


Roy Magara has moved from his Nottinghamshire practice to Hedges Law in Oxford where he has joined the growing dispute resolution team as a solicitor advocate. With dual qualification as a barrister and a solicitor, he has expertise across the range of general civil litigation, but his primary focus is on employment law.


In its largest intake ever, Softcat, the Marlow- based IT infrastructure provider, has welcomed 78 new members of staff. The majority of them have recently finished university and are joining the reseller’s graduate scheme. They will take on sales, technical and administrative roles in each of Softcat’s six UK offices. The development comes less than a month after Softcat welcomed 23 new employees to its apprenticeship scheme. The firm’s staff numbers have increased from 400 to 1,000 in the past five years.


Nigel Taylor (second left), founder and chairman of Fareham- based Taylor Made Computer Solutions, is picking up the reins of his company with a senior-level restructuring which includes two new appointments to the board. He is back running the IT company he founded with his wife Aly (second right) more than 20 years ago, following the departure of managing director Tim Walker, who is looking for a change of direction and leaves the business at the end of September. Joining the board as finance director is Joe Jeffers (left), who has spent many years in industry and private practice, and Matt Faulkner (centre), who assumes the role of technical director having been promoted internally. Aly Taylor resumes the role of HR director and Ian Lockwood (right) remains commercial director.


THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE – THAMES VALLEY – OCTOBER 2016


Oxfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership (OxLEP) has strengthened its board with the announcement of two new board directors, Penny Rinta-Suksi and Phil Southall. They will join the board as non-executive directors, responsible for driving the growth of the local economy and creating sustainable jobs. Both Rinta-Suksi and Southall work and live in Oxfordshire with Rinta- Suksi a partner at law firm Blake Morgan, and Southall managing director for local bus operators Oxford Bus Company and Thames Travel, part of Go-Ahead Group plc.


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