April/May movers and shakers

OXFORD: Accountant Shaw and Company has received the Investors in People Award (IiP). It will provide a framework for Shaw to ensure that the company continues to succeed and that employees continue to perform and improve the way they work. Managing partner Ian Wenman said: "IiP highlights that the firm is moving in the right direction and that we are committed to our staff. I would like to thank all who have contributed to the firm gaining IiP status."

OXFORD: Architect Greg Owen has become the seventh member of Savills' architectural design team. His new role as project architect will give him the scope to build on previous experience gained in wide a range of projects. His portfolio includes high value residential, PFI and conservation work, as well as smaller unique and challenging contracts. Other notable projects include a sports pavilion and police custody centres. He said: "I was attracted to the Savills job because it was a unique opportunity to join and contribute to a dynamic team working on a range of exciting projects. It will give me the chance to develop my skills further and to take the lead in complex and varied projects."

OXON:Hair salon owner Anne Veck has unveiled a £25,000 salon refit with a Mediterranean theme, influenced by trips to Morocco and Tunisia, plus mosaic tabletops which she designed and made. The retail area and visual display units feature selections from her photo collections. Anne's awards include Alternative Hair Visionary Award 2004 and she is Wahl UK Artistic Team's long hair expert. The launch also celebrated the salon's new partnership with Wella. Anne opened her Oxford salon in 1991 and her second salon in Bicester in 2001. The refit was funded by reinvesting business profits, a reflection of the success of the salons. Anne said: "We have redesigned the salon layout to create space for two more styling positions and a more spacious and welcoming reception area."

OXFORD: Philip Page has been appointed as operations director of Oxford Immunotec, which makes a pioneering tuberculosis test. He has over 25 years' experience in the pharmaceutical industry. He was previously operations director for Evotec, where he was responsible for the production, quality and engineering departments. James O'Rafferty has been appointed as associate director european sales, while Barbara Maniglia becomes senior manager of EU marketing. Chief executive Dr Peter Wrighton-Smith said: "The team will be responsible for delivering our European growth strategy and for positioning the T-Spot TB test as the most accurate and effective tool for use in the diagnosis of latent tuberculosis infection worldwide."

OXON: Private banker Michelle Thresh has been appointed to the city's team of Coutts Co. Michelle was previously financial planning manager for PricewaterhouseCoopers and has been appointed specifically to aid the development of the business throughout southern Oxfordshire, where Coutts has seen increased demand for its wealth management services. Nigel Hawkins, senior manager, said: "We are delighted to welcome Michelle to the team, an expansion which marks the continued success of Coutts in Oxfordshire. Her experience will enable us to further build the business throughout the county, and build on the office's successes in 2005." Michelle is an associate member of the Personal Finance Society and a member of the Association of Taxation Technicians.

WITNEY: Four Pillars Hotel has appointed Steve Jones as its new general manager. But Steve is not new to the company he joined Four Pillars 10 years ago as a trainee. He worked his way up to conference and banqueting manager and then assistant general manager, before moving on to Regal and Corus Hotels, where he spent the last four years as general manager of Browns Over Hall Hotel in Warwickshire. As well as a refurbishment at Four Pillars later this year, Steve also plans to improve customer service and has launched a recruitment drive targeted at local people. He said: "I want to employ more people from Witney and offer them flexible working hours, which fit into their home lives."

OXFORD: Sytner motor retail group has appointed Julian Butler, 36, as dealer principal at Lexus Oxford. He had worked at Johnsons Honda since 1999, where he was general manager and opened up Johnsons Kidlington; an Oxford Motor Park based business, which he saw rise to an unprecedented three per cent return on sales. A former professional footballer with Southampton, he moved to the motor trade at the age of 22 when he joined Kernahan Rover, now Kernahan of Witney, as a trainee sales executive. Nick Hilton, managing director for Sytner's Lexus franchise, said: "I am delighted to have someone of Julian's calibre on board with us. He brings with him a wealth of experience, which includes many successful years with Honda in Oxford."

LITTLEMORE: Carpenter Michael O'Connell has nailed himself a successful construction career with affordable housebuilder Lovell. After successfully completing his apprenticeship with the company, the 25-year-old, who lives in Littlemore, has been given a permanent job with Lovell as a carpenter. Before joining Lovell three years ago, Michael was a factory worker. "I was doing pretty dead-end jobs but I'd done some labouring on a building site and becoming a carpenter was something I'd always been interested in. I went to my local careers office, who put me in touch with Lovell and I began my apprenticeship." Michael has worked on a number of Lovell sites in Oxfordshire, including the company's development at Neave Mews in the centre of Abingdon and on a scheme at Launton, near Bicester. He is currently working on a major 127-home development at Westcroft, Milton Keynes. His apprenticeship involved attending regular residential training courses at the Lovell Craft Academy in Leicestershire. Michael is now about to complete his NVQ Level 3. He said: "I would like to move into site management I want to learn as much as I can about the different construction trades."

BANBURY: Steve Maycock has become group finance director of Group MCE, based at Bloxham Mill, near Banbury. It is a holding company for businesses involved in marketing communication experiences with offices in North America and South Africa. Both subsidiaries specialise in marketing communications for brands such as Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Breitling, DeBeers, and Volkswagen. Steve brings 25 years of financial leadership experience to Group MCE and will apply his expertise in building a sound financial foundation for the development of the group, leading the business both organically and by acquisition. Chief executive Nick Matthews said: "In a very short time Steve has already added tremendous value."

BEGBROKE: Nanotechnology company Oxonica, of Begbroke Science Park, has been awarded ISO 9001 certification in just six months for its UK-based activities in the research and development, manufacture and supply of innovative commercial solutions in nanomaterials. Oxonica, a spin-out from Oxford University, was accredited by Moody International. Chief executive Kevin Matthews said: "Nanotechnology is a fast growing, fledgling industry. It is therefore reassuring for our customers and investors to know that Oxonica has rigorous quality control procedures in place meeting the globally recognised and respected ISO 9001 standards at all stages."

OXON: Tony Stratton has been appointed as the new chair of Oxford Inspires, the cultural development agency for Oxford and Oxfordshire. He succeeds Professor Andrew Goudie. Mr Stratton is chairman of sales development agency CPM Group. During his 30 years with the company he has been responsible for establishing the group's presence in continental Europe, overseeing acquisitions and start-ups in nine European countries. He is a non-executive director of The Smollan Group, IMSG and Unisono, and is chairman of Tonic Life Communications and The Quantic Group. He is also a director and past president of Thame Show.