Appointments: Search specialists find their own leader to head up company’s tracing division

Mr Oates will manage the research experts who service the Leeds-based firm’s growing portfolio of business clients as well as reuniting long lost relatives and friends.

Newlands Community Association has strengthened the management team for its new £4m Inspire Bradford Business Park development with the appointment of finance manager Carol Driver. Ms Driver, who has spent the last two years as a self-employed accountant, will be responsible for managing all of the financial activities relating to the Inspire development, including liaising with the business park’s tenants.

Inspire is a new commercial property development in the Eccleshill area of Bradford that will house Europe’s largest straw bale panel constructed buildings.

Financial services firm Informed Financial Planning has promoted Rebecca Colley to operations director. Ms Colley joined the Hull-based firm, which has an office in Leeds, in 2007 and has played an integral part in the growth of the business over the last few years.

Constructionline, a database of contractors and consultants, has appointed Kevin Nicholson as a client relationship manager in North East and Yorkshire. Mr Nicholson will provide procurement support to clients in the public and private sector such as Sheffield County Council. He joins Constructionline from Capita Resourcing where he helped liaise with stakeholders in local government to ensure the census recruitment strategy was carried out effectively.

Property investment and development company Town Centre Securities has appointed Ellie Dreisenstock as its new marketing manager. Ms Dreisenstock has nearly 10 years’ experience in marketing and previously held positions in a range of sectors from health, business services, recycling and finance.

Transport recruiter Driver Hire is strengthening its national accounts team with two internal appointments. Peter Lawford will become national sales director with responsibility for the ongoing development of the Bradford-based firm’s core national accounts business. Graham Duckworth will be divisional director responsible for dh logistics appointments.

Printing firm Paragon Group UK has appointed David Monks as the company’s sales and marketing director. Mr Monks, who will be based at the firm’s head office in Wakefield, previously worked at Communisis as strategic development director.

VINCI Construction UK has appointed Robert Hall as the region’s new business development manager. Robert joins VINCI Construction UK from ISG, where he was a senior business development manager and education sector lead. He is tasked with growing the business in Yorkshire.

Strategic Corporate Finance has appointed Catherine Gordon as head of business development. Her previous roles span firms including Deloitte, Marconi and Coopers & Lybrand.