The Business Exchange Swindon & Wiltshire Edition 40: Dec/Jan 2018/19 | Page 6

BUSINESS NEWS MBO AND NEW HEAD OF LEGAL The groundbreaking Swindon-based firm Optimum Professional Services – the first in the area to combine accountancy and legal services – has been the subject of a management buyout by CEO Richard Mathews from its parent company RFS Holdings. And in another positive move for the company, a new head of the legal team has been appointed. Solicitor Iain Mason has taken over from Mary Hoffman, who has retired after a long and successful career in conveyancing, wills and probate. Richard said Iain’s arrival, swiftly followed by the MBO, were good news for Optimum and its many clients. “The management buyout puts Optimum in an excellent position to support SMEs and owner managed businesses,” said Richard. “Ours was the first company in the area offering both legal and accountancy services, which gives not only convenience to our clients but is more cost-effective, as everything they need is under one roof. At the same time, we extend a warm welcome to Iain, who has a wealth of experience as a commercial property solicitor and is already proving to be a big asset to the team.” Iain, who joins the team from Thrings, will oversee the legal team at Optimum, which deals in all areas of property law, wills and probate. He said he relished the prospect of working with Optimum, which breaks the mould of traditional professional services firms by offering a range of services under one roof, including business development, accountancy, payroll and bookkeeping, as well as law. “There are so many businesses in Swindon and the wider area which are owner managed and SMEs,” he said. “We can offer them a really great service, Expansion for Swindon’s Niche Recruitment Richard Mathews (left) with Iain Mason (right) where our expertise is all in one place – the business advice, the accountancy, the commercial property legal advice. And businesses are based on people, so we can help with personal property and personal tax too.” Iain began his legal career in 1999. Specialising in property law since then, he has worked with a range of clients across the South West and the UK, from large corporates to individuals and renewable energy providers. He was also part of the legal team working with the Homes and Communities Agency, helping with the regeneration of Swindon’s town centre. For more information about Optimum, visit: www.optps.co.uk, email: [email protected] or call 01793 538 198. INNOVATIVE CHANGE MANAGEMENT FIRM LAUNCHES ONLINE A new digital company that helps business professionals, leaders and decision makers to create effective change in the workplace has been launched in Wiltshire. Changetoolbox has been setup by Jessica Bailey who has a wealth of knowledge and experience working with blue-chip companies and major brands. Her expertise lies in people-lead change consultancy, change management, employee relations and project management. Jessica said: “In my experience I recognise that many businesses and SMEs don’t necessarily have the budget available to bring in the right resources. I understand that change within any business can be confusing, overwhelming and often difficult to navigate and so I’ve developed Changetoolbox to overcome these pain-points.” The new online-based Changetoolbox offers companies the opportunity to successfully navigate their change journey, with the guidance of cost- effective services and tools. 2019 will see the launch of new services, tools and exclusive memberships and benefits. A new innovative live Change Community platform is also on its way, where members can explore and network with other thought leaders and like-minded business professionals. If your business has concerns on how to implement change and wants to be kept up to date with the latest hot topics and business insights visit: changetoolbox.com Independent recruitment consultants, Niche Recruitment have enjoyed rapid growth in 2018. After another successful year and a steadily growing team, Niche is expanding into an even bigger space, after outgrowing their Basepoint Swindon office. Niche’s new home will be Callow Hill Business Park set overlooking the green lansdscape of Brinkworth. Niche was set up by Michelle Graham and Nick Wimshurst in June 2015, driven by their passion and commitment to finding and recruiting the best talent. Specialising in marketing & digital, project & programme management and head office operation sectors, Niche is committed to providing a high-quality, professional service to both candidates and clients. Director Michelle said:“It’s an exciting time for Niche Recruitment and a real milestone for the business. We’re welcoming more and more people to the Niche family and we’ve invested in a beautiful office space to inspire our growing team. We are delighted to be based in Callow Hill Business Park and we’re looking forward to our future here.” Niche has set itself apart from other recruitment agencies by incorporating emotional intelligence profiling in their selection process. Co-director Nick added: “After partnering with a leading business psychology consultancy, it’s led Niche down an exciting path. In a talent-short market the need to attract and find talent is becoming more and more difficult. As a team we’re passionate about highlighting candidates’ positive personality attributes instead of placing them purely on skillset. We want to match our talent more effectively to focus on their personal and interpersonal ability that can be utilised in the workplace.” To find out more about Niche Recruitment and their use of emotional intelligence within the recruitment process, turn to pg 17. Niche is still looking to recruit. They’re currently looking for motivated individuals to join their award-winning team. If you’re interested in joining them, call 01793 230469 or email [email protected] For more info: www.nicherecruitment.co.uk Award winning venue in an idyllic location - Conference facilities, meetings and events 01249 400 014 [email protected] wellingtonbarn.co.uk 6 THE BUSINESS EXCHANGE 2018