Appointments: Nuclear research centre director role for professor

Prof Burke has more than 30 years’ experience in materials and manufacturing process research for the power generation industry, most recently as manager of Westinghouse’s Materials Center of Excellence in Pennsylvania, USA. Based at the Nuclear AMRC laboratories at Manchester University’s Dalton Nuclear Institute, he will lead collaborative, industry-focused research across the Nuclear AMRC’s facilities in Sheffield and Manchester.

A Sheffield hotel has appointed a new general manager.

The Sheffield Park Hotel, which is currently being rebranded as the DoubleTree by Hilton Sheffield Park, has taken on Steve Whittaker to help reposition the hotel as one of the region’s best.

Mr Whittaker joins the team after working most recently as resident manager at the Queen’s Hotel in Leeds and the York-based Aldwark Manor Golf and Spa Hotel. Design and marketing agency Sowden & Sowden has strengthened its marketing and communications team by hiring Kate Thompson as its new media buyer. She has three years’ marketing experience and will be based at the firm’s office in Hessle, near Hull.

Renovo Employment Group, based in York, has brought in two Welfare to Work experts to manage and develop its distance based support services for programme providers.

Dee Waddington previously established and managed employment programmes such as New Deal for North Yorkshire County Council and Initial Steps for Hull and East Yorkshire MIND. Frank Duggan was previously a youth transition specialist at Selby College.

Accountants Garbutt & Elliott have strengthened their payroll team with the appointment of Lorraine Young. Ms Young joins the York-and-Leeds-based accountants, as payroll manager. She had previously worked for Bradford engineers Gardner Denver, hotel chain Q Hotels and Henton accountants in Leeds.

Jo Guy, managing director at Leeds-based AJ Social Care, has been appointed to the Skills for Care national steering group. With a goal of raising the profile of the social care sector, she will be involved in creating a model that offers greater co-ordination and support for care ambassadors and their projects.

A new private banking partner has been appointed to the expanding team at Yorkshire Bank North Yorkshire Financial Solutions Centre. Mark Johnson, who first went into banking in 1984, will work with integrated financial solutions teams at the York-based centre to provide private banking services to high net worth individuals and expand the portfolio.

Vehicle tracking company Remote Asset Management (RAM) has expanded. Chloe Frampton joins the Leeds team as installations adviser and David Sanders joins as field sales representative. Paul Davies who started his career with RAM as part of the telesales team has been promoted and will join David in field sales.