The latest Bondholder appointments and promotions

Champions (UK) plc, Ford & Stanley Talent Services Group, Flint Bishop, the Cathedral Quarter Hotel and Salloway Property Consultants are among the latest Marketing Derby Bondholders to announce new appointments in recent weeks.

Champions (UK) plc has appointed experienced executive Amir Qureshi as managing partner to lead its leadership-focused divisions, The NED Advisor and Board Champions.

Amir, whose career spans senior roles in global corporates, private equity-backed businesses and high-growth firms, has been brought in to expand the groups’ work with investors, boards and C-suite teams.

He said: “I’m delighted to be joining Champions as managing partner to lead both The NED Advisor and Board Champions.

“These two divisions serve distinct but complementary markets.

“The NED Advisor focuses on the private equity and investment community, providing both the breadth of a high-calibre leadership network and the depth of support from pre-deal due diligence through to post-deal value creation, including fractional and interim leadership.

“In parallel, Board Champions supports corporate and growth businesses in strengthening board and C-suite effectiveness, governance, and performance.

“Our mission is to modernise how boards and investors access and engage leadership, moving from passive oversight to active partnership.

“By aligning the right people with the right opportunities, we aim to help investors, CEOs, and boards unlock greater performance, growth, and long-term value creation.”

Matthew Hayes, managing director of Champions (UK) plc, said: “Amir’s appointment marks an exciting and major step in the development of The NED Advisor and Board Champions.

“His arrival will strengthen both divisions’ leadership offering to investors, boards, and C-suite executives worldwide.

“Amir will build on an exceptional career which has seen him lead transformation, governance, and performance across multiple sectors.”

Ford & Stanley Talent Services Group has welcomed four new additions to the team, marking a continued period of growth across the business.

Ronnie Burton joins as sales and client development manager within Talentwise, Ford & Stanley’s blue collar talent acquisition business area.

His appointment strengthens the relationship development capability within the Talentwise business and supports the company’s objective to expand client partnerships.

Ryan Hunnam also joins the team as group sales and client development manager.

Josh Winfield also joins as senior consultant within Ford & Stanley Executive Search.

Finally, Samanta Vitkauskaite joins a newly created key account support team as recruitment coordinator.

Sam Ford, recruitment operations director at Ford & Stanley, said: “We’re thrilled to welcome Ronnie, Ryan, Josh and Samanta to the team.

“Each brings unique strength and experience that will help us continue to grow and deliver exceptional service to our clients.

“Their appointments reflect our commitment to investing in talent and expanding our capabilities across all divisions.”

Law firm Flint Bishop has appointment Nomaan Tahir as head of commercial finance, reinforcing its focus on commercial insight and strategic growth.

Nomaan is an ACCA-qualified finance professional with extensive experience in driving business performance across both high-growth and established organisations.

He has a proven track record in translating complex financial data into strategic insight to support investment, pricing and growth decisions.

He joins Flint Bishop from The Ricoh Group, where he served as senior finance business partner.

Chief executive Qamer Ghafoor said: “I’m delighted to welcome Nomaan to the firm.

“His arrival represents a significant senior appointment for Flint Bishop that strengthens our FP&A and commercial capability.

“Nomaan will play an integral role in ensuring financial insight sits at the core of how we operate and grow, helping us make better-informed decisions, manage resources effectively and support our long-term strategic objectives.”

Derby’s Cathedral Quarter Hotel has welcomed award-winning chef Buddhika Dayananda to its growing team.

Buddhika, who is from Sri Lanka, was just five years old when he started cooking with his mother in their family kitchen.

Now, after travelling the world, he is serving up his culinary delights at the St Mary’s Gate hotel, introducing themed food nights and serving up his speciality curries.

He said: “I am honoured to be here in Derby and serving all our guests at the Cathedral Quarter Hotel.

“I have worked in many countries and in some very prestigious hotels, but my heart is in Derby now.

“It is an enormous privilege to be here, and I can’t wait to cook for you all. I want to meet new people and give guests a meal to remember.”

Finally, Salloway Property Consultants has announced the promotion of William Speed to associate director.

William joined the company in 2019 as a trainee surveyor and qualified as a chartered surveyor in 2023.

He has since become an important member of the agency team, playing a key role in a number of notable lettings and disposals over the past year.

Managing director Stephen Salloway said: “William has proved himself to be a tremendous asset.

“He has a strong commercial awareness and a professional approach that has earned the respect of colleagues and clients alike. His promotion is thoroughly deserved.”