We are delighted to welcome Michelle Merola to Ocorian as Business Development Director to drive the growth and delivery of our employee incentive services.

We have more than 25 years' experience in the employee benefits sector and provide tailor-made solutions in employee participation for a large portfolio of FTSE 100, 250, 350 and AIM-listed companies, multinational corporations, leading financial institutions, and smaller, often private equity-backed private companies.

Michelle is part of the commercial team that reports to Simon Behan, Chief Commercial Officer and she will work closely with our existing employee incentive plan clients to ensure service excellence and will proactively develop our client book within private equity. Michelle will also further extend our scope of influence with private companies regarding employee benefit trusts.

Michelle is based in the UK and is highly regarded in the share plan sector, having been actively working with share plans for over 21 years. She has worked at the highest levels within the sector in a mix of FTSE 100/250 companies in the financial services and retail industries. Prior to joining Ocorian, Michelle gained seven years' experience within the Growth & Acquisition team at YBS Share Plans (part of the Yorkshire Building Society).

Commenting on Michelle's arrival, Brendan Dowling, Managing Director of our Jersey office and Head of Employee Incentive Services said: "We are delighted to have Michelle onboard to further develop our employee share trust and share plan administration services. Such a senior appointment reflects our ongoing commitment to delivering service excellence to our existing clients and in continuing the significant growth we have seen in this area in recent years. We are extremely pleased to welcome Michelle to the Ocorian team."

Michelle added: "I'm thrilled to be joining a team that is often cited for its consistency and reputation within the employee incentive scheme space and boasts a large portfolio of impressive client companies. This is a thriving sector and Ocorian's ambitious growth plans, experience and deep commitment to client service give it a prominent place within the marketplace. I'm really looking forward to collaborating with our delivery teams, building strong networks with our intermediaries, and establishing new partnerships right across the UK."

Supporting your ambitions

Whether setting up an employee benefit trust, introducing a new plan or transferring existing arrangements, our approach is both pragmatic and collaborative. We work with you and your advisers to maximise the effectiveness of your incentive arrangements.