Danielle Amor has just reached a major milestone at Pannone, after celebrating 10 years at the firm last month [September]. Her work anniversary mirrors that of the firm, having joined Pannone just a few months after the MBO completed on Valentine’s Day 2014.
“It was an exciting time to join Pannone and the firm felt very collaborative and supportive,” explains Danielle, who was impressed by the firm’s approach and reputation.
Danielle has seen first-hand how much the firm has changed in the last 10 years – all the while retaining the same culture through recruiting likeminded people and creating the right environment for those people to prosper and grow.
“Right from my first day, everyone was very friendly and relaxed,” says Danielle. “I knew I had made the right decision and quickly felt part of the team.”
Unsurprisingly, no two days are the same at Pannone. “One day I might be working on the settlement of a trade mark dispute, the next negotiating a software licensing agreement and the next advising a client on a data breach,” explains Danielle.
Advising on data has become a significant part of the commercial team’s practice in recent years, driven by the radical overhaul of data protection legislation in the UK in May 2018.
“The GDPR required most businesses to adopt new policies and procedures,” explains Danielle. “We were extremely busy during this period trying to get all our clients (and ourselves) up to speed with the new requirements. Looking back now, as a team I feel we handled the pressures really well and we have since become one of the leading firms advising on data in the North West.”
As key achievements go in the last 10 years, that is certainly up there for Danielle. But it’s also the smaller things that create lasting memories.
“In one meeting, a particularly remarkable client wrote us each a personalised poem which he read out at the end,” recalls Danielle. “I’m not sure what that says about the quality of our discussions during the meeting, but I certainly will never forget it!”
While Danielle agrees that Manchester has huge appeal and is a great place to live and work, she wouldn’t be averse to Pannone opening a remote working space in Hawaii! Jokes aside, she sees significant potential in the region over the coming 10 years.
“With the right investment in transport and infrastructure, Manchester can solidify its position as the UK’s biggest business hub outside of London, particularly for tech businesses and start-ups,” she says.
One thing is for sure, Pannone will be there to see how the region unfolds. As Danielle says, the firm is ‘steadfast’ and will long be an unwavering feature in the North West marketplace.