Nigel Wright - Managing Director

Nigel Wright started his career as a chartered accountant. In 1988 he started his own recruitment consultancy, Nigel Wright, initially focusing on the recruitment of finance professionals for North East companies. Today Nigel Wright employs in excess of 100 staff and is still based in Newcastle upon Tyne. The company recruits finance, HR, IT, sales and marketing, public sector, legal and operations professionals throughout the North East. On a European level Nigel Wright recruits for automotive and aerospace and FMCG companies. Over the next two to five years Nigel Wright intends to increase its operations with the addition of over 70 specialist consultants.

Wendy Parvin

Wendy Parvin joined the University of Durham in 1998 to champion the area of new venture creation with a specific focus on graduate entrepreneurship. In the role of programme director she devised and delivered the GLEAM programme (Graduate Learning of Entrepreneurship Accelerated through Mentoring). GLEAM is now an established business start up model for graduates regionally, who are mentored by SME owner/managers and initiated into the North East business community. Wendy is currently the champion for GLEAM’s adaptation, as a UK best practice model to the MEDA Region sponsored by the EU.

Prior to joining DBS Wendy was a partner in the new venture Pro-Act from 1991 – 1995. Pro-Act was set up to provide drama based training for front line professionals working in the public and voluntary sectors in dealing with domestic violence. Its aim was to enable those professionals to understand the issues they were facing, and to identify positive solutions appropriate to their roles. Key customers where police, probation, housing and legal services nationally.

Wendy brings with her imaginative ways of working with groups to facilitate personal and professional change. Intrinsic to her working practice, is the aspiration that enterprise support is designed and delivered to enable people to have access to the information, space and services they need in order to make practical choices and gain greater control over their lives. Underpinning her work is the intention to empower people, to be proactive in co-creating enterprising opportunities.

Jonathan Beckerlegge - Council Member, ACCA

Beginning his accountancy training at 17 years old in a small practice in London, Jonathan spent the following 14 years in London working both in practice and in commerce learning the other side of the audit life.

Following this Jonathan moved to York to small-certified practice and remained there until 2004 when he became Group Financial Officer to the Global Procurement Group Inc; a company that Jonathan had originally helped create and develop with a colleague.

Jonathan was also voted into the ACCA Council in 1989 and through his years of service as been fortunate enough to be President, in the year 2002/2003. During this time Jonathan has also chaired The Practice Society, a society for all members working in practice, for three years, and in edition chaired for the Association the following committees: Authorisation; Members Services; Corporate Governance; Ethics and Auditing in addition to chairing various task forces, and also been a member of several others, including this years inaugural Nigel Wright North East Accountancy Awards.