Appointments: Vice presidents hired at Sheffield football club; Partner joins Eversheds from rival; two board members appointed at insurance firm JM Glendinning and more

Sheffield United Football Club has appointed two new vice presidents.

Darren Baker and Glenn Day join the club, along with associate vice presidents Mark Ross and Tajinder Singh.

They join current senior vice president Graham Moore and vice presidents Martin Green, Mike Blundell and Martin Ross.

Stepping down are Chris Steer, Andrew Laver, Ian Cameron and John Burnley.

“We are a proud, football-led organisation that rightly classifies itself as a community and family club,” said co-owner Kevin McCabe. “The Vice Presidents – well-known within the Sheffield City Region community – help maintain the spirit, culture and ethos of a Sheffield institution that has been in existence since the creation of Bramall Lane in 1855.”

Co-owner HRH Prince Abdullah bin Mosa’ad echoed Mr McCabe’s gratitude. He said: “The success of the Blades is the sum of contributions from many, many people both within and outside the Club. The contributions of the Vice Presidents are undoubtedly a key factor in propelling the Club to ever greater heights.”

Darren Baker is managing director of Rotherham-based JB Doors Ltd, a company specialising in the nationwide supply and installation of garage doors.

Sheffield-based Glenn Day, with his wife Anita, ran AG Glass, a successful glass process company based at Tankersley, which became the largest in the UK before being acquired by a Japanese company.

Anthea Whitton has been appointed as a partner in the Leeds office of Eversheds Sutherland.

She joins the team from Squire Patton Boggs, and specialises in advising companies, trustees and retail pension providers.

Recognised as a ‘leading individual’ in both Legal 500 and Chambers UK, Anthea has worked with a number of pension providers to create DC master trusts, regularly providing specialist advice on DC pension provision.

Richard Shelton, partner and head of Eversheds Sutherlands’ pensions practice in Leeds, commented: “Anthea is a senior and well-respected pensions partner in the Leeds legal market. Our eighth lateral partner hire made into the pensions team in the last five years, Anthea’s appointment further bolsters our capability within Leeds and is part of a continued growth and investment story, both nationally and internationally.”

Anthea Whitton, commented: “I’m delighted to have joined one of the leading pensions teams in the UK and Europe. It’s an exciting time to be part of Eversheds Sutherland, particularly in relation to its growing international pensions practice across Europe and the US. I look forward to drawing on my experience and expertise to help develop the practice further.”

Eversheds Sutherland recently welcomed principal associate, Andy Wright, to its Leeds pensions team.

Two board members have been appointed at insurance broker JM Glendinning.

Kathren Wright has been recruited internally as group finance director, succeeding Tim Hutchinson who has retired.

She joined JM Glendinning in 2014 as head of operational finance. Previously she worked at Vege and fibre optic supply and installation company.

Lee Elgie has been promoted to group HR and operations director from his position as head of operations.

He joined JM Glendinning in 2013 as head of operations, to ensure strong insurer relations and provide support to enable the business to fulfil expansion plans.

Nick Houghton, JM Glendinning group MD, “Both Kathren and Lee are professional and self-driven team members, who set goals and standards and who lead by example.

“We aim to recruit the best and invest time in individuals to encourage them to fulfil their potential, which is precisely what has happened in Kathren and Lee’s journey at JM Glendinning.”

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Two directors have been appointed to the board of West & North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce.

Andrew Digwood of Rollitts solicitors and Suzanne Watson of Approach PR were both elected by members and took up their posts in July. Ed Everard of Saville Audio Visual has stood down.

Digwood has worked in dispute resolution since 2004, acting for a range of clients including corporates, charities and educational institutions. He is a trustee of Leeds University Union.

Watson joins the board by virtue of becoming vice-president of Bradford Chamber. The Ilkley-based business woman has run Approach PR since its creation in 2001.

Stephen Wright, chairman of the Chamber Board and Managing Director of Thorite, said of the appointments: “While we are sad to lose Ed, we are pleased to recruit people of the quality of both Andrew and Suzanne. They are both keenly dedicated and successful business people with knowledge and experience in abundance. These appointments can only strengthen what is already a first-class Board of Directors, to help steer and guide the Chamber as it continues to deliver quality services that connect, support and represent businesses in our patch and beyond.”

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