The 39-year-old joined RSM Robson Rhodes from university and in recent years led the firm's corporate recovery team in a number of high-profile administrations. The firm merged with Grant Thornton in July 2008.

Two join team

TWO new faces have been added to the expanding financial services team at Leeds-based leading accountancy and business advice firm HW Chartered Accountants.

Natalie Stevens and Claire Massey have joined HW as sales support consultants.

Claire, from Ossett, will be responsible for the administration and valuation of client portfolios while Natalie, from Dewsbury, is in charge of product and fund research and report writing.

HW's Leeds office now has 40 staff and is part of HW Group, one of the top 15 accountancy firms in the UK.

Expansion time

LAW firm Hempsons has expanded its real estate team with the appointment of solicitor Colin Wolfe.

He joins Hempsons' Harrogate office from Fox Hayes in Leeds where he was an assistant solicitor acting for investors, banks, developers and retailers in a variety of commercial property transactions. He will work on a range of real estate work for Hempsons' national client base.

Four promoted

GLOBAL property consultancy Knight Frank has promoted four staff at its Leeds office.

Tom Lamb, Paul Hallam, Greg Millar and Mark Bailey have all been appointed associates.

Mr Lamb joined Knight Frank's industrial property department in 2007 following five years working in Sheffield with Fuller Peiser; Mr Hallam joined the valuations team in 2006 from SHM Smith Hodgkinson in Leeds; Mr Millar, who also works in valuations, moved from Lambert Smith Hampton in London to Knight Frank in 2004; and Mr Bailey is a former Sheffield and North Yorkshire hotelier who came from Christie and Co in Leeds to join Knight Frank's expanding hotels department in 2006.

Student on team

BRADFORD-based PR consultancy Approach is investing in the next generation of PR practitioners with its latest student appointment.

Rebecca Campbell, 20, from York, joins the Little Germany-based team as a work placement student to complement her Comparative Media degree. Alongside an administrative role, Rebecca, who also has experience in journalism, will provide client support in media relations and copywriting and contribute to national consumer campaigns.

New specialist

A CONTINUING growth in commercial property valuation and specialist receiver work at Leeds surveyors Stevens Scanlan has led to the appointment of Mary Mooney.

She is assisting with valuations on a wide range of industrial and commercial units and offices throughout the county, mainly on behalf of banks and major lenders.

As qualified Law of Property Act (LPA) receivers, the firm is called in by banks and other lenders and financial institutions when building owners default on mortgage payments or do not meet agreed terms on repayment.

Mary has just completed her MSc in real estate, a stepping stone on the path to Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) accreditation.

Lawyer's post

A CAMBRIDGE-educated lawyer has been appointed by Harrogate-based Beck Solicitors.

Samantha Haslam, 34, will join the family law department. She worked for Gordons Solicitors in Leeds for several years and joins Beck Solicitors from the Garforth office of Godloves Solicitors.

Angela Beck, who established the firm six years ago, said: "We are delighted to welcome Samantha to the team. Her credentials speak for themselves and I know her experience will prove invaluable as we continue to grow our family law practice."

New director

LEEDS Building Society has appointed Abhai Rajguru as a non-executive director.

Mr Rajguru, 42, is a qualified accountant who began his working career as a private client stockbroker with Charles Schwab.

This was followed by five years with Nationwide Building Society and a further five (until 2002) at Ernst and Young in Leeds and London as a director in its business risk practice. He has since been a partner in an asset management operation.