APPOINTMENTS
TEES Business appointments
Kate Wells, Ben Bramwell and Jamie Gibbon, Waltons Business Advisers Teesside accountancy and advisory firm Waltons Business Advisers kicked off 2026 by announcing three key promotions.
Kate Wells, Ben Bramwell and Jamie Gibbon have all been elevated to new management roles.
The triple promotion comes at a time of significant growth and expansion and sends a clear message that there are opportunities available to be part of this exciting journey.
Paul Harrison, managing director of Waltons, believes that recognising and promoting staff in a timely manner is vital for maintaining a motivated team and a firm with the right culture.
Paul, speaking at Waltons’ headquarters at Hartlepool Marina, said:“ We want to recognise Ben, Kate and Jamie for the exceptional job they are doing and provide the platform for them to move forward in their careers.
“ The team are an integral part of what makes Waltons a great place to work, alongside the incredibly diverse range of clients we support.
“ These promotions show that Waltons is an attractive place to work. We want to provide the best career opportunities in the region, and we are always looking for the right people to join our expanding team.
“ We are also committed to taking on more apprentices to find our next Kate or Jamie.”
For Kate, the promotion to finance assistant manager comes after a decade of dedication.
The 27-year-old joined Waltons straight from school as an apprentice and has a unique family connection to the firm.
While Kate represents the success of home-grown talent coupled with long-term internal training, the promotion of Ben to
tax manager demonstrates how Waltons is increasingly becoming a hub for talent across the North-East, also attracting and quickly developing experienced individuals from larger regional firms.
Jamie has been promoted to audit manager. Like Kate, the 28-year-old is a product of the Waltons training system, having started as an AAT apprentice before qualifying as a chartered accountant in 2023.
Are you looking for your next career move? Waltons Business Advisers is currently seeking ambitious individuals to join its growing team. Visit waltonsba. co. uk.
Professor Mark Simpson, Teesside University Teesside University has appointed Professor Mark Simpson as its next vicechancellor and chief executive.
He will take up his appointment following the retirement of Professor Paul Croney OBE at the beginning of September 2026.
Professor Simpson is currently deputy vice-chancellor at the university and has held numerous senior positions throughout his career at Teesside.
He was previously dean of the School of Social Sciences, Humanities and Law, has a distinguished reputation for teaching and learning and is a principal fellow of the Higher Education Academy and a Fellow of the Royal Society for the Encouragement of the Arts( FRSA).
Under current vice-chancellor Professor Paul Croney’ s leadership, the university has received national recognition for excellence, including being named Times Higher Education University of the Year 2025, and the Daily Mail Modern University of the Year 2026.
Mark said:“ Leading our university will be the greatest honour of my career, and I am excited to have the opportunity to build upon the many successes achieved under Paul’ s outstanding leadership.
“ Teesside University is a force for good, a driver for change and innovation, and prides itself on delivering an outstanding learning and student experience.”
Stewart Stewart, Nova Pangaea Technologies Nova Pangaea Technologies, the Tees Valley company that has developed a novel technology to produce sustainable aviation fuel from waste biomass, has appointed veteran cleantech leader Stewart Stewart as CEO.
Stewart brings 30 years’ experience in commercialising breakthrough energy and low-carbon technologies and scaling venture-backed companies across the US and the UK.
As CEO, he will lead the growth of Nova Pangaea, including development of the first commercial plant using its proprietary technology as part of its mission to decarbonise aviation.
The company, which is backed by International Airlines Group, is currently working with British Airways and LanzaJet on Project Speedbird, a governmentsupported collaboration to produce sustainable aviation fuel( SAF) in the UK.
Stewart joins from the New York-based investment bank Javelin Capital, where he advised on“ green fuel” opportunities.
Originally from Texas, he previously held executive leadership roles with cleantech companies BayoTech and Concord Blue Energy in Los Angeles, and guided UK infrastructure owners on decarbonisation
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