It's Friday which means it's my good news blog.
1. The legend that is Louise Stephenson (Associate CIPD) has taken on a new role as partner to lead the Drax Private Equity team across the North. The founder and host of the Women in Business network has played a pivotal role at Rowan Executive Search, which was acquired by LCap group. Three Hill Capital invested £32.5m in LCap in December and its brands include Rowan, Drax, Altus and Drax affinity, leadership dynamics and PACE. Stephenson has also been given investment to take the women’s community on a national tour and is determined to back more female-founded businesses
2. Massive congratulations to Christine Bellamy on being appointed the new interim chief executive officer for the Government Digital Service. She’s moved from the role as director of GOV.UK. I used to work with her many years ago and she’s a good egg
3. Christopher Gallagher has started a new position as UK&I Risk Consulting Leader at Big Four firm EY. Well done
4. Sheila Manzano has started a new role as news and outreach manager at No Brainer - Search-driven Content Agency | B Corp
5. Edwin Booth CBE DL, executive chairman of the family supermarket chain, has taken on a new role as board trustee of The Eden Project. He joins Matthew Lusty & Victoria Valentine. Well done
6. Amman Ahmed, co-founder of MusicForPets, has been inducted into the Recording Academy, the prestigious organisation behind the Grammy Awards. He said: “With only 2% of the Academy's members being of South Asian descent, it's a privilege to help shape the future of our music scene worldwide.”
7. I’m a bit late to the party but congrats to Maria Sarkar MBE, VP and co-founder of Warrington-based DriveWorks on her recent MBE for services to manufacturing
8. Ian S Dixon has been appointed as GM Business Growth Hub’s new head of Access to Finance after 16 years as the Hub’s Access to Finance (A2F) Team Leader. Great effort
9. Rochdale’s finest Tony Bannan, OBE has started a new role as chief operating officer for Lattimer Group after recently leaving his role at Precision Technologies Group (PTG) and Holroyd. He’s a top man
10. Cheshire-based Entropix Ltd, a company creating high-performance enzymes for use across a range of sectors, has secured a six-figure investment from LYVA Labs. The company was co-founded in 2021 by Rob Rule & David Hornby
11. Food tech trailblazer OSY Group has received a five-figure grant from Innovate UK Business Growth to accelerate its international growth ambitions. Well done to chief executive Marc Braterman
12. Gorvins Solicitors has appointed Patricia Robinson as partner and co-head of family to support growing demand for services in this area of expertise. She previously worked at Slater Heelis
13. Finally England's footballers are in the final of the Euros 2024 and England's greatest fast bowler Jimmy Anderson brings the curtain down on a stellar cricket career. Make history
