Professional services provider’s new appointment

WARRINGTON-based professional services provider Optionis has appointed First Freelance founder Mark Beal-Preston as chief commercial officer
His new role will bring over 10 years’ experience of the contractor market, including his previous position on the board of the FCSA. He is responsible for all sales, marketing and commercial partnerships across the group, with the aim to drive high growth initiatives for all brands.
Mr Beal-Preston’s previous role was managing director and founder of First Freelance, the London-based contractor accountancy firm, which was acquired by Optionis in February following on from the group’s merger with the Arkarius Group in 2017.
His appointment coincides with the appointment of Amy Davies as director of sales.
She has been with the group since 2015 as head of service delivery for Parasol and Group Onboarding, following a career in corporate services and business transformation. She will now oversee a team of 60 across Optionis’ Parasol and ClearSky brands ensuring that potential clients receive the best, expert advice.
CEO Derek Kelly said: “I’m delighted to have Mark on board in his new role and I know that, with his strong experience and heavy focus on contractor supply chain compliance, he’ll be a real asset to the team and our agency partners.
“Our recent FCSA accreditation, including passing the detailed compliance audit to gain this, just shows that Optionis is a strong, reliable and compliant business and we’re going from strength to strength.
“With the continued growth of the group it’s crucial that we have a strong leadership in place to steer us to a successful future, and we have invested in our executive team by appointing several new members in recent months.”