Leeds-headquartered national chartered independent financial adviser The Private Office (TPO) has appointed Russell Tyler as commercial director. The move follows a minority investment from US private equity division Goldman Sachs Alternatives in January 2026.

Mr Tyler joins from boutique financial services M&A advisory firm Hines Associates, where he served as a director and advised TPO on the Goldman Sachs transaction. He previously spent 11 years at KPMG and has advised on approximately £2bn of completed UK wealth management transactions. In his new role, he will focus on identifying strategic M&A opportunities to supplement the firm's organic growth.

Stuart Phillips, chief executive of TPO, said: “Having completed our minority investment with Goldman Sachs Alternatives, we're continuing to strengthen our leadership team as we enter the next phase of our growth. Russell brings a wealth of experience from across the corporate finance market together with a deep understanding of the wealth management sector, having worked with many of the UK's leading firms. His commercial insight, strategic thinking and intimate understanding of our business will help us accelerate a much broader range of growth initiatives across the whole company, alongside our inorganic growth ambitions.”



Skipton Business Finance (SBF), a subsidiary of Skipton Building Society based in North Yorkshire, has appointed Nicki Hallett as head of securities to oversee operational and risk functions.

Ms Hallett brings 25 years of commercial invoice finance experience to the business. She previously spent over a decade at Pulse Cashflow Finance in senior roles, including operations director, and has held leadership positions at Aldermore Invoice Finance and Close Invoice Finance. In her new post, she will manage securities and contribute to strategic initiatives aimed at improving client workflows.

Michelle Wilson, chief operating officer at Skipton Business Finance, said: “We’re delighted to have Nicki at SBF. She brings an exceptional level of invoice finance experience, alongside a deep understanding of risk, operations and relationship management. Nicki’s experience of leading teams and managing complex portfolios will be a real asset to the business. Her appointment further strengthens our senior team and will help ensure we continue to maintain the strong operational foundations and high levels of service that our clients and introducers experience as we grow.”



Gateshead-based contractor Able Construction has appointed Angela Carney as a non-executive director to strengthen its board.

Established in 1987, Able Construction delivers design, build, and refurbishment projects across northern England, focusing on social housing, healthcare, and education. Ms Carney brings more than 30 years of industry experience to the role. She is the founder of Carney Consultancy, a safety, health, and environmental advisory firm, and currently serves as president of the Northern Counties Builders Federation and co-chair of Working Well Together North East.

Ken Parkin, managing director at Able Construction, said: “I am so pleased that Angela has accepted this key role as I have always been impressed by her drive, enthusiasm and ability to get things done. As non-executive director, she will bring a huge amount of knowledge and experience, particularly in people development, training and health and safety, all of which are key areas of any business. Angela will also bring strategic oversight across the business, providing added strength at board level and independent scrutiny, constructive challenge and support to the executive and senior management team.”



Wallsend-based subsea technology and marine robotics manufacturer SMD has expanded its senior team with two strategic hires and an internal promotion, taking its total workforce to 314.

The company has appointed Ryan Lumsden as product line manager for remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) and Paul Green as head of continuous improvement. Long-serving employee Hui Yan has been promoted to innovation technical manager after a decade with the firm. Mr Lumsden, who brings roughly 30 years of offshore engineering experience, will help steer SMD’s commercial portfolio alongside its £3m SMD Tech Works facility on the River Tyne, launched in 2025.

Mike Jones, chairman at SMD, said: “We have seen around a ten percent increase in our workforce in the past year, which reflects both the strength of the business and our confidence in the future of the industry. As a proud North East organisation with a global customer base, we remain committed to investing in regional talent, creating highly skilled jobs and supporting the future growth of the UK's subsea engineering sector. These senior appointments strengthen our capabilities across product development, innovation and operational excellence.”