BLM announces promotions

INSURANCE and risk law specialist BLM, has announced 12 partner promotions and 33 associate promotions.

The promotions are spread across all six of the firm’s business streams, with nine in claims solutions, 17 in large loss and technical, seven in speciality and financial lines, six in healthcare and commercial, five in the firm’s Scotland business stream and two in the firm’s Ireland business stream. In addition, the firm has bolstered its family law team with a new appointment.

Iain Buchanan, who has been with BLM – and its Scottish predecessor HBM Sayers – for 10 years has become a partner. Iain, who is based in the Glasgow office, specialises in defending large loss and catastrophic injury claims for insurance customers.

Also in Glasgow, Victoria Anderson, Kelly Brotherhood and Zoe McDonnell have become associates and Claire Raftery has stepped up to become an associate in Edinburgh.

Mike Brown, senior partner at BLM, said: “The business world is changing and within it, the worlds of insurance and law are going through their most dynamic and disruptive period in decades. To thrive in these markets, whilst meeting the needs and expectations of our customers, we need to have a solid, agile team that can help us to create a sustainable business model for the future.”

New GM for five-star resort

FRANTZ Mathis has been recruited as general manager of Cameron House Hotel

In his role MJr Mathis will play a key part in promoting the five-star Loch Lomond hotel where he aims to enhance the customer experience, increase sales and develop the success the resort is already renowned for.

He joins the Scottish resort with a wealth of experience in the luxury hospitality sector having worked for several prestigious hotels and organisations, including Tate Modern; Selfridges; Atlantis, The Palm; and One&Only Royal Mirage in Dubai.

Most recently Mr Mathis held a position at Shangri-La in Abu Dhabi as executive assistant manager food & beverage, where he was responsible for the extensive food & beverage department.

With over sixteen years’ experience in the industry, Mathis has been very influential and has a track record of driving success for hotels around the world.

Commenting on the appointment, Andy Roger, resort director at Cameron House said: “Mathis brings with him a wealth of experience and expertise that will help us to deliver the highest levels of customer service at Cameron House Hotel. He has worked at some of the top hotels in the world, has a great enthusiasm for the industry and will be a real asset to our team.”

ScotlandIS boosts board

HEAD Resourcing director Lee Murray has been elected to the board of ScotlandIS, the trade body for Scotland’s digital technologies industry.

Following a round of nominations and voting by companies in the Scottish information technology (IT) industry, Lee was elected alongside Kenny Millar from Amazon Development Centre Scotland, Russell Dalgleish from MBN Solutions, and Jude McCorry from The Data Lab.

ScotlandIS champions the ambition, talent and experience in the sector, and is at the centre of a variety of industry initiatives.

Ms Murray currently runs a quarterly Scottish IT Directors’ Forum with IT directors from a number of sectors across Scotland, as well as an IT Skills Panel, an initiative designed to look at how organisations can work collaboratively to address the short, medium and long-term IT skills requirements of the industry.

She is also a member of the Women in Technology Steering Group – established by ScotlandIS earlier this year – and will be a contributor to the Gender work stream of the Scottish Digital Skills Programme which commences in August 2016.

Ms Murray commented: “I firmly believe that ScotlandIS plays an invaluable role in fostering growth across the Scottish IT industry. I am extremely proud to be joining the board and look forward to helping promote Scotland as a thriving IT and digital technologies community.”