Business people: Bright Purple Resourcing’s staffing coup

Published on 22/10/2012 00:00

FINANCIAL services and IT recruitment specialist Bright Purple Resourcing has pulled off a staffing coup of its own, luring Rise Group managing director Georgette Stewart to Edinburgh with a newly-created role.

In five years at Rise, Stewart held the positions of finance director and operations director before taking on the top job. Before that, the qualified accountant spent the first 15 years of her career in finance roles with a number of companies including Scottish pharmaceutical business Quintiles and Adobe, where she was European company accountant.

As delivery manager at Bright Purple, she will oversee the group’s permanent staffing division, which it is focused on growing in the UK and beyond.

Bright Purple chief executive Nick Price said: “Taking on someone with Georgette’s drive and extensive corporate experience is a hugely positive step forward for our business. She is an exceptional leader with superb organisational skills and undoubtedly someone who fits the profile of what we look for in Bright Purple people.”

McPherson follows Thoresen to ABI

LESLEY McPherson, the former communications director at life and pensions group Aegon UK, is heading to London for a few months to look after public relations for the Association of British Insurers (ABI).

She is expecting a busy six months standing in for Liz Forster, who is on maternity leave, as interim head of communications.

McPherson announced in March that she was leaving Edinburgh-based Aegon in March after 12 years, to take up other opportunities. She oversaw the media function at Aegon during a tricky two years for the business as it underwent a massive restructuring programme.

She follows a path trodden by her former boss at Aegon, Otto Thoresen, who is now director-general at the ABI.

That’s a ‘wrap’ for Aviva’s Kettlewell

ANOTHER mover in the world of communications is Alistair Kettlewell, who is leaving Aviva to take to the newly-created position of platform marketing manager for Nucleus, the Edinburgh-based “wrap” operator owned by independent financial advisers.

Kettlewell, who has been at Aviva for the past eight years, will join Nucleus’ five-strong communications team in January, reporting directly to communications director Rebecca Christensen-Rennie.

He will be responsible for the design, management and delivery of all “adviser-focused marketing and communications initiatives”, working closely with member firms to ensure they get the right access to the right information in the right format.

Kettlewell said: “I have followed Nucleus’s progress and success with great interest over the years.

“As one of the most forward-thinking organisations operating in one of the most exciting sectors of the industry, the decision to join the team was an easy one and something I am very much looking forward to.”