Isabel joins as the firm’s first full-time chief operating officer after sixteen years spent advising PLC clients with financial consultancy, Buchanan. Peter, a senior property and public sector expert, joins as a non-executive director.

The two appointments to the 25 strong, £2.5 million specialist consultancy follow the hire of professional services adviser, John ‘Louis’ Armstrong CBE as non-executive chairman last year.

All three will work alongside the consultancy’s founder and chief executive, Gavin Ingham Brooke, who will shift his focus from day-to-day management to advising the consultancy’s clients on high stakes communication and corporate positioning, while leading the firm’s new business and innovation streams.

“I am delighted to welcome Isabel and Peter aboard to join Louis and myself. Our aim is to build a platform beneath a scalable business capable of taking on much larger clients and more resource-intensive remits,” said Ingham Brooke.

“Central to that goal is an outwardly focused board with major league experience. Isabel will help us to develop the operating systems which underpin our consultancy’s know-how and team. That, in turn, will be key to generating superior financial performance and a culture in which high-flying consultants can excel.”

Louis, a former barrister and Royal Navy Rear Admiral, brings policy and leadership expertise from across both Whitehall and the professions, having served in the Cabinet Office and as previous chief executive of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) which he took from 90,000 mainly UK members to more than 150,000 worldwide during his 12 year tenure.

In addition to his role at Spada, Louis is chairman of Professions for Good, a coalition of professional bodies, representing more than a million professionals, who work together in the public interest to further meritocracy, professional ethics, and fact- and evidence-based decision making. Armstrong previously held several senior policy positions under former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, and was appointed CBE in 2004 for his services to the property industry.

Aside from his Spada role, Peter Mawson is the chief executive Officer of the West Northamptonshire Development Corporation. With over 30 years in the public and private sectors, Peter was previously chief executive of Donaldsons LLP and led the business until its sale to DTZ Plc in July 2007, whereupon he headed DTZ’s integration team.

He brings to Spada extensive operational management experience, as well as in-depth knowledge of the public sector.

“While Spada is still a relatively small outfit, it is clearly thinking big in terms of the investment it is making to underpin the quality of its service delivery, grow its consultant base and sustain a premier ranking,” explained Peter.

During her time at Buchanan Isabel Podda advised a range of leading plcs and corporate clients in sectors ranging from financial services to business support services and was co-leader of the company’s working practices group. During her time at the agency Buchanan more than doubled in size before being acquired by WPP.

“Spada is at an exciting juncture in its development, with a plethora of opportunities. Our executive team comprises an exceptional group of advisers who have helped Spada to develop a first class reputation for delivering top level advice in our core markets,” commented Isabel on her appointment.

Isabel and Peter can be reached at isabelpodda@spada.co.uk and petermawson@spada.co.uk