Appointments: Textile house chooses manager to boost exports of protective fabrics

His primary responsibility will be to expand the Leeds-based company's market share in mainland Europe and North America, areas where he gained extensive experience in his previous position with specialist leather producer Pittards.

Controlled Speed Engineering, which designs and manufactures specialist electronic assemblies for global markets, has appointed Faron Dukes as director of manufacturing.

Mr Dukes, who used to be operations project manager at set-top box maker Pace, joins from Elstat Electronics where he was group manufacturing and programmes director.

The company, based in Brighouse, West Yorkshire, has also appointed Tina Zhang as production planner. Tony Fielden, who has been with the company for 15 years, has been promoted to technical manager.

Insurance technology provider SSP has bolstered its senior management team with the appointment of Nigel Kohler as sales director for its insurer division.

Mr Kohler, who was senior vice president of financial services for Tieto, will head up the sales and business solutions team at the Halifax-based firm.

Law firm Gordons has enhanced its planning & environmental law offering with the appointment of planning expert Kate Butterfield, formerly a director in the Leeds office of Cobbetts.

She has been involved in some of the region's most high profile developments, including securing planning permission for Yorkshire's tallest building, Bridgewater Place in Leeds, and advising Land Securities on planning issues for the White Rose Shopping Centre, also in Leeds.

She joins the Leeds and Bradford firm's planning and environmental law unit as a solicitor and will work alongside solicitor Mark Blackburn in expanding the firm's offer.

Energy management consultancy Orchard Energy has appointed Richard Bass to oversee its expanding finance team.

Mr Bass joins Orchard following a period of rapid growth at the company, which has led to the opening of six new UK offices this year in addition to its established centres in Brighouse and Bradford.

Developer The Skelwith Group has appointed Nigel Brunt as the director of sales and marketing for Raithwaite Hall Country Retreat in Sandsend, North Yorkshire.

Mr Brunt who has more than 15 years experience within the hotel and catering industry was perviously director of sales and marketing for Grand at York's Cedar Court Grand Hotel and Spa, following senior positions at Cliveden, The Oxfordshire and Lensbury.

Law firm Schofield Sweeney has expanded its employment law service with the appointment of partner Alex Clements.

Ms Clements specialises in all aspects of employment law. Prior to joining Schofield Sweeney in Leeds, she

worked at Ward Hadaway

in Leeds.

Accountancy firm KPMG's Leeds office has appointed two new partner appointments and four new directors.

The firm's two new partners are Chris Stott in transaction services and Nick Evans in pensions investment. The four new directors are: Annette Barker in forensic, Ian Brotherton and Neville Dastoor in financial services; and Martin Tyley in IT.