New partners take on key roles at law firm Dickinson Dees

John Connor will join the firm’s banking team, from DLA Piper in Leeds. He has more than ten years’ experience in advising banks, specialist lenders and borrowers on asset-based lending, acquisition finance, property finance and debt sale deals.

Andy Stirk, also from DLA Piper, will be joining the firm’s corporate recovery team in Leeds. Mr Stirk is experienced in restructuring and insolvency across a range of sectors, advising banking clients and other financial institutions on distressed businesses. His experience includes acting in relation to several high-street retailer failures and football club insolvencies.

Sheffield company VOICE Marketing has appointed Andrea Whitehead to its board of directors. She is already contact centre director for VOICE and has previously worked with companies such as Egg and First Direct.

Harrogate-based learning and development company, Red Sky Learning, has bolstered its team with two new appointments. Stephanie Corking has joined its team of consultants. Ms Corking was previously head of learning and development for Crabtree & Evelyn. In addition, the company has appointed Haley Mitchell-Kirk as senior team support. Ms Mitchell-Kirk joins Red Sky following three years in the recruitment industry.

Blue Water Danbrit Shipping, the Humber logistics business which serves the renewable industry, has appointed Rob Ballance as business development manager. Mr Ballance, a mechanical engineer, has previously worked on projects in China and Sweden, as well as overseeing European operations from Zurich. He is joined at Blue Water Danbrit by operations manager Thomas Bryan. He manages imported wind turbine projects.

Hadrian Healthcare Group has taken on a manager and quality assurance manager for its new £6m residential and nursing care development in Yorkshire, Wetherby Manor. Denise Stephenson has been appointed manager, while Sharon Connolly, has joined as quality assurance manager.

Richard Pennycook, the outgoing chief financial officer at Morrisons, has been appointed a non-executive director at The Hut Group, the online retailer. Mr Pennycook announced in June that he intends to stand down from Morrisons to pursue “a portfolio career”.