The latest Bondholder appointments and promotions

Stepnell, Geldards and Nelsons are among the latest Marketing Derby Bondholders to announce new appointments.

Stepnell has committed to expanding its specialist construction services with the appointment of Mike Smedley as strategic director.

Operating across all of Stepnell’s geography, Mike brings more than three decades of experience with major national contractors, having most recently served as managing director at Brymor Group Southern.

A chartered quantity surveyor and fellow of the Chartered Institute of Building, Mike will support the development of Stepnell’s specialist divisions into independent business lines.

These include Step Energy, Lawford Bespoke Joinery, plant and fleet services, concrete repairs, and a new CCTV offering currently in development.

Tom Wakeford, managing director at Stepnell, said: “Mike’s leadership and depth of experience in building regional and national teams will be a huge enabler as we expand our project capabilities and become even more responsive to our customers’ needs for specialist services.

“His proven ability to develop and grow business units aligns perfectly with our ambition to create resilient, service-led operations across the business – rooted in strong leadership and mentoring, innovation, and collaboration.”

Law firm Geldards has announced that Thomas Emmett, a leading specialist legal advisor to educational institutions and expert in special educational needs, will be joining its national education law team as partner and head of schools, colleges and university services.

His expertise will strengthen the firm’s growth strategy for the highly specialist team, enhancing their support for clients across the education sector.

Geldards’ education law team is recognised as a leading national practice in education, special educational needs and disability law.

The team has seen significant growth over the past few years to meet increased demand from parents, students and educational institutions seeking legal services.

Thomas joins from Knights, which recently acquired Birkett Long where he was a partner and the head of education.

At Geldards he will provide expert legal advice to educational institutions from across the country, including maintained schools, single academy trusts, multi-academy trusts, independent schools, further education and higher education institutions.

Adam Friel, partner and head of education law, said: “We are excited to welcome Thomas to our expanding education law team.

“Our team has earned a well-deserved reputation in the education sector as the ‘go to’ firm for education law matters and we are pleased to be strengthening our service further.

“Thomas brings an extensive knowledge of education law and a proven track record in advising parents, students, schools, colleges and universities in achieving successful outcomes.”

Finally, law firm Nelsons has welcomed Joanne Millership as legal director at the firm’s Derby office, bringing a wealth of specialist experience in complex care proceedings.

Since qualifying in 2011, Joanne’s career has been dedicated to care proceedings, where she has built a reputation for representing local authorities, children and parents.

She joins Nelsons from her previous role at Family Law Group, where she spent seven years, and before that, she worked for Derbyshire City Council for six years.

The appointment is a key part of Nelsons’ strategy to expand its family law offering and further strengthen its presence in Derby.

Emma Davies, partner and solicitor in the family law team, said: “We are proud to welcome Joanne to Nelsons to enhance our commitment in Derby further.

“Her deep understanding and experience in care proceedings alongside her dedication to clients make her a perfect fit.

“Her knowledge will be invaluable as we continue to navigate the challenges in the legal aid sector and provide exceptional service to our clients.”