Solomons Europe has made a double appointment to its senior team as it forges ahead with its ambitious growth plans for the North East and wider region.

Chris Pratt joins as North East Regional Associate and will work closely with the practice’s directors on a programme of client growth and team expansion within this key region of the Northern Powerhouse.

Experienced Quantity Surveyor Chris will play a key role in identifying new opportunities in the process and pharmaceutical industries along with others emanating from planned Northern Powerhouse infrastructure projects and those identified by the Tees Valley Combined Authority, particularly its hugely ambitious Teesworks development.

Meanwhile, former business journalist and communications professional, Luke Dicicco joins Solomons Europe as Head of Enterprise and Engagement.

Along with raising the profile of the practice across the North, and its involvement in helping to deliver several nationally significant developments, Luke will also work closely with directors to drive forward several economic and social impact initiatives.

These include building cohorts of like-minded SMEs across the North with the aim of securing framework contracts with big tier companies delivering large-scale projects, particularly in the process and energy industries.

Chris and Luke will be central to the launch and growth of a new Solomons Europe office in Tyne & Wear, which is due to open before the end of 2020, adding to the existing bases in Newton-le-Willows, Hartlepool and Papcastle and Kendal in Cumbria.

Solomons Europe’s Managing Director, Dominic Doig, said: “I’m delighted to welcome Chris and Luke to our senior team to help drive forward our ambitious growth plans for the North East and the wider North.

“Despite the current economic volatility across the UK, we are making good progress on a timetable to increase our already well-established North East team from 17 to 25 over the next 12 months.

“There is so much going on across the Northern Powerhouse, and a real buzz around developments such as Teesworks. Our specialist skills and knowledge in the process, engineering and energy industries, mean we’re ideally placed to support the delivery of projects that will help push the North’s levelling up agenda.”

Chris said: “It’s an exciting time to be joining the Solomons Europe team, and I’m looking forward to helping grasp opportunities in the North East. We already have a strong reputation in the marketplace, enabling me to hit the ground running in positioning us as the go to practice for high quality quantity surveying and commercial contract support.”

Luke added: “I’m really excited to be joining a company that shares my passion for ensuring SMEs have the opportunity to play a central role in delivering the North’s economic and social renaissance.

“Social impact is core to our ethos – if we do well, then we should rightfully share our success within the communities we are based. Whether lending a helping hand to new start-ups, encouraging young entrepreneurship, or working closely with others to push the SME agenda with big players and politicians alike, we believe small companies truly hold the key to sustainable growth.”

Founded in 1998, the Solomons Europe has grown from two to almost 60 employees, providing specialist quantity surveying and project control support for clients in the process, engineering and energy industries.

Having received support at the start-up stage, Solomons Europe has launched a series of social impact projects under the #Payitforward umbrella.

This has included loans and free office space for start-ups and the 'Who Wants to be a Young Entrepreneur' project piloted by Blackpool-based young people's charity The Magic Club, where children are set the challenge of starting their own business.

In 2019 it staged the Fit District Festival in Cumbria to promote the importance of health and well-being to employers and the wider public.