The Business Exchange Swindon & Wiltshire June 2014 Edition | Page 7

APPOINTED

GWP boosts
design offering
with two new
appointments

Farming expert joins Old Mill
Accountants rural team
Left to right, new GWP designers:
Ryan Perrington and Tom Wilkie

GWP Group has appointed two designers to their
specialist team, enabling the company to offer further
product and packaging design capabilities.
Ryan Perrington joins the company as a
packaging designer and Tom Wilkie has been
appointed as trainee product designer.
Over the last decade, the number of
specialised packaging related design courses
have been in decline, which has had a knockon effect on the number of people with the
skills and knowledge needed by GWP.
Ryan’s background in retail and point
of sale design has equipped him with the
necessary skills and he will be designing and
developing existing corrugated and correx
packaging.
Tom will be working across the Group and
will be enabling the team to develop new
and innovative packaging designs.
Although this is Tom’s first packagingspecific role since graduating from the

University Portsmouth with a degree
in product design and engineering, his
experience in working with similar software,
enthusiasm and aptitude for design
highlighted him as having the potential to
fulfill a key role in the design team.
David Pedley, CEO of GWP Group, said:
“We are delighted to welcome Ryan and
Tom into the design team at GWP. Ryan’s
experience will compliment the existing
strong structural design team at GWP and
bring an added dimension of expertise.
“With Tom’s skills we will be able to
expand our offering and create new solutions
to meet the evolving needs and specifications
of our clients. He will also support the team
in turning their ideas into reality and so
develop our range and capabilities.”

New chair appointed to
Swindon & Wiltshire LEP
The Swindon and Wiltshire Local Enterprise Partnership
(SWLEP) has announced the appointment of Barry
Dennington as new Chair.
Barry was confirmed as Chair at a Board
meeting held at the end of May and will
take up his appointment at the beginning
of June. As a senior executive with
extensive leadership experience, Barry
most recently held the position of Chief
Operating Officer and Deputy CEO at
semiconductor manufacturer Plessey.
Barry said: “This is a very important
time for SWLEP and I am delighted to be a
part of it. I look forward to building on the
significant progress that has already been
made to ensure long-term prosperity for
the area.”
Barry has lived and worked in the area
for many years and further commented
“I believe we have a great opportunity
working with local business leaders and
Government to deliver growth in Swindon
and Wiltshire and I am delighted to accept
the role as Chair.”
Barry has successfully managed
international teams in the USA, Asia

and Europe for organisations including
NXP Semiconductors and Phillips
Semiconductors. He will work with the
SWLEP to ensure that Swindon and
Wiltshire businesses are represented and
their voices are heard.
To find out more about the SWLEP visit:
www.swlep.biz

Barry Dennington - newly appointed SWLEP Chair

Mark Seager, a specialist rural accountant
with 10 years experience in farming
accountants, has joined West Country
accountants and financial planners Old Mill.
One of the leading rural specialists in the
region, Old Mill employs 70 staff on farming
accounts across its five offices in Wells, Yeovil,
Exeter, Melksham and Dorchester.
Mark will join as manager, working
alongside team members Neil Cox and Mike
Butler, where his invaluable experience will
help bolster the young rural team. Mark
started his career with Taunton practice
Albert Goodman in 2004. He worked there
for seven years, gaining his ACCA before
going on to become assistant manager at
Milsted Langdon in Bristol. The 34-year-old,
who also has a degree in agriculture, comes

from a family of farmers and lives on the
family’s farm, in Pylle, with wife Hannah
and their children Joshua, four and
two-year-old Elsie.
“Coming from a farming family gives
me first-hand knowledge of the sector and
therefore a unique insight into what our
clients want and need,” says Mark. “This,
combined with a decade of experience
working on rural accountants means I will be
able offer my clients a truly valuable service.”
Neil Cox, head of the rural team in
Wells says he is delighted to have such an
experienced rural specialist on board.
“I am really pleased to have Mark join my
team. We are always looking for accountants
with genuine agricultural knowledge and
together with his accounting experience he is
already proving to be an excellent fit.”
Mark concludes: “I am really pleased to be
working with Old Mill. They are one of the, if
not the best and well renowned agricultural
specialist accountants in the region.
I am looking forward to the extra
responsibility of being a manager, the
variety of clients in the portfolio and the
chance to do some higher end tax planning.
I am also looking to progress my career here,
and am confident that Old Mill will support
me in that.”

SUZANNE CLEARED FOR TAKE
OFF IN AIRSHOW ROLE
A new head of Business Development has touched down at
the Cotswold HQ of t