Appointments: Top-level promotions made at KPMG

Mark Longworth is now a partner of the firm and Hugh O'Reilly an associate partner focusing on performance technology within the firm's financial services practice.

A further five people have been promoted to director: Andy Sills in audit, Nick Pheasey in private client tax, David Bunkle in pensions, Justine Andrew in business development and Martin Kelly in restructuring, a practice which has also invested in the recruitment of Gareth Harris, who has joined as a director from Yorkshire Bank.

Coutts & Co have appointed Ian Copley, as senior private banker to the Leeds office, based at Park Square. He will be advising the growing client base in the region, with a particular focus on entrepreneur and family business clients.

Yorkshire accountants Garbutt and Elliott have strengthened their tax team with the appointment of Nick Davies.

He joins the York-based accountants as a senior employment rewards specialist. He had previously worked for Leeds accountants Armstrong Watson and Grant Thornton.

A director at financial services firm Grant Thornton has been appointed chairman of the Institute for Turnaround (IFT) in Yorkshire and the North East.

Daren Bekisz, a recovery and reorganisation specialist based at the firm's Leeds and Sheffield offices, will be working closely with the IFT national leadership to raise the profile of the institute in the region's business community.

IFT is the independent professional body that represents those responsible for funding, structuring, negotiating and executing turnaround of under-performing organisations.

n Law firm DWF has further boosted its Leeds office with the appointment of two new partners. Andrew Breckenridge, who specialises in finance and banking disputes, joins from the Salisbury law firm Parker Bullen where he spent seven years as head of litigation. Alan Herbert, who has specialised in property disputes for more than 20 years, joins from Shulmans in Leeds.

Clarion Solicitors has expanded its corporate and commercial team with the appointment of a fourth partner, Matthew Hattersley. He joins from Eversheds where he spent 13 years in the firm's commercial team, specialising in commercial contracts.

Shepherd Construction has appointed Andrew Rammell as commercial director. Mr Rammell will be responsible for commercial activities at Shepherd, which will also include management of strategic supply chain partnerships within the business.

The former commercial director for Taylor Woodrow replaces Sean Smylie who moves to a new executive board role of legal and contracts director.