EW
Board

Mark Ellis, Chairman

After completing an honours degree in law and then a postgraduate qualification in marketing, Mark worked for a marketing consultancy firm for 2 years. He qualified as a solicitor in 1994. Mark practiced as an employment law solicitor for 10 years at a leading regional firm of commercial solicitors. He became Head of Employment Law Team and a partner in the business. As Head of Employment Law Team, Mark built a reputation for high quality, practical employment law support. His Team was recognised by the independent quality guides, Chambers and UK Legal 500.

In 2004, recognising a market opportunity for high quality, fixed fee business support services, Mark set up Ellis Whittam. Mark successfully built Ellis Whittam in to a multi-million pound business with a market leading reputation for service excellence.

In 2010, with a strong Operating Board in place, Mark became Chairman of the business.

Deven Thakrar, Chief Executive Officer

Following the successful completion of his academic career, Deven joined Marley plc on its graduate management training programme. He became the youngest General Manager in Marley's history with responsibility for £80m turnover over 15 locations throughout the UK.

Deven then joined the Ryder group, headquartered in the US, where he was responsible for major expansion of its European operation, achieving partnerships with Federal Mogul, Sanyo, Sony and Hewlett Packard.

Throughout his career Deven has focussed on profitable multi-million pound business developments, strategic growth, diversification and the delivery of inspirational service to clients. He has worked with blue chip, public limited and private equity organisations. Deven has established networks of value added relationships in a range of market sectors including retail and FMCG through to automotive and technology, building a wide portfolio of business development partnerships with companies such as Sainsbury’s, Marks and Spencer, Next, O2, Zurich Insurance and RBS.

As Managing Director of organisations such as Hays, RAC and Glass’s, Deven successfully developed new strategic directions and formed and executed diversification and acquisition strategies that added significant shareholder value.

Deven's vision for Ellis Whittam is to continue to focus on its two greatest assets - its clients and colleagues - in order to deliver inspirational service and to maximise the potential of such a great business.

Peter Schofield, Director of Legal Services

A barrister by qualification, Peter initially took the academic rather than the practising route. For 16 years, he was a lecturer in law at Reading University. At one time or another, he taught most legal subjects (and wrote a textbook on land law) but his enthusiasm was always for employment law (on which he also wrote a book).

In 1990, Peter joined the Engineering Employers Federation in the South East as their first legal adviser. He stayed with EEF for 20 years, eventually becoming its Director of HR & Legal Services, with responsibility for the service delivered by 100 professional staff.

Before becoming a Director, Peter was variously a helpline adviser, a tribunal advocate, an appeal tribunal advocate, a professional support lawyer, a manager and a lobbyist of Government on behalf of employers. In this lobbying role, Peter regularly met Secretaries of State and Ministers.

Peter was, until his recent move back home to the North West, secretary of the Employment Appeals Tribunal (EAT) Users Group and vice-chair of the Industrial Law Society.

Attracted by the challenge of a fast-growing business with a commitment to quality and a passion for client service, Peter joined Ellis Whittam.

Nick Wilson, Director of Health & Safety Services

Nick joins Ellis Whittam from a successful commercial legal practice where he was their head of Health & Safety and Environmental Services supporting a diverse range of clients in the private and public sectors.  Previously, Nick worked as EHS Manager for CPUK, the cereal manufacturing division of Nestle and prior to that he served as an Inspector for the HSE Inspector in the North West for seven years carrying out investigative, enforcement and inspection activities across all industrial sectors.  He has an extensive knowledge of health and safety legislation and its transposition into practical risk control measures within the workplace.

Whilst with the HSE, Nick spent a two year period of secondment in the power generation sector where he undertook research on new work at height legislation in collaboration with Aston University and prepared his MSc thesis on behavioural safety and rule violation modifiers.

Nick has various professional accreditations including CMIOSH and MIIRSM, is a member of the IOSH Council and is an accredited trainer for IOSH and CIEH. He is a regular contributor to safety journals and an accomplished speaker.

Mark Siney, Finance Director

After completing his BA (Hons) degree, Mark qualified as a Chartered Management Accountant.

In 1993 he joined motor vehicle retailer Evans Halshaw Holdings Plc (later acquired by Pendragon Plc) as Management Accountant. In 1998 he was promoted to Financial Controller, responsible for 4 dealerships with annual revenues of £75 million.

Mark was appointed Regional Finance Director at FTSE-250 equipment rental business Ashtead Group Plc in 2000, with responsibility for 75 depots and a combined hire fleet of £100 million. In 2003 he moved to become a director at accountancy practice WSS.

In 2005 Mark joined pub/hotel chain Baa Bar. Following the company’s admission to the Channel Islands Stock Exchange in 2006, he became its Group Finance Director.

Mark rejoined Pendragon Plc in 2008 as Divisional Finance Director, responsible for 45 dealerships with annual revenues of £750 million.

Andrew White, Commercial Director

After completing his Economics Degree, Andrew joined the Royal Mail Graduate Scheme through which he also qualified as a Chartered Management Accountant. Andrew progressed to become Head of Financial Planning for Royal Mail in the North West North Wales Division, where he controlled the planning process for budgets in excess of £1 billion and the Capital expenditure budgets for all major projects.

Andrew then joined the RAC and soon made the switch into a commercial role when he became General Manager for their third party Logistics business, managing major aftermarket contracts with major automotive players such as Hyundai, Cummins, Isuzu, and Dennis Eagle.

Andrew moved to EurotaxGlass as their Director for Insurance and Bodyshops, managing relationships with customers such as The Royal Bank of Scotland, Fortis, and Zurich.

Andrew then joined Phoenix Insurance as their Senior Relationship Manager. After completing a major strategic review of the outsourcing proposition within Phoenix, Andrew went on to manage a number of multi-million pound supplier contracts with organisations such as HCL, Unum, and Percana.