Black & White Bridging has appointed a new non-executive director (NED).

Retired solicitor, Bridget Juckes, starts her appointment with immediate effect, joining the current board of four.

Juckes (pictured) has a career spanning almost 40 years at the highest level. She has been a partner at Wards Solicitors, heading up the corporate and commercial team for over 20 years, leaving to become an associate director at Bristol solicitors Gregg Latchams.

She has a background in corporate law and an in-depth knowledge in complex legal matters.

Juckes is also a member of Soroptomists International of Bristol, part of an organisation that works at a local, national and international level to educate, empower and enable opportunities for women and girls.

Black & White doubled its total lending within the last two years and now aims to become a leader in the in the commercial finance market targeting product expansion in both property and non-property finance. Juckes’ role will be to help accelerate this growth while also bringing an experienced, impartial and independent viewpoint.

Martyn Smith, managing director at Black & White, said: “Bridget has an outstanding track record, both of helping businesses to grow, but also providing guidance on corporate law and complex legal issues. In addition, she is a member of the Soroptomists which is very important to us. At Black & White we not only want to grow but to do so in the right way. Diversity and inclusion are of huge and growing importance to us. We want to nurture and develop talent from all backgrounds, promoting from within wherever we can.

“As well as Bridget’s considerable legal expertise, she is passionate about empowering women to become the best they can be, so we welcome her insight and her independent challenge. This can only help our business to grow in the very best way.”

Juckes added: “Black & White is a business with a good track record, but one that stands out because it is keen to improve the way it operates. It has a growing reputation for excellent service, but it also wants to expand to ensure this excellence is also applied to the way that it treats its staff and develops new talent. By improving the focus on staff, in turn this will result in still better service both for intermediaries and to the end customer. It is this that drew me to the company.”