Fair trade expert named as non-executive director on the board of Engage Mutual

With almost 20 years’ experience in executive positions, Mr Chandler is chief executive at leading fair trade organisation Traidcraft. Previously general secretary at SPCK (the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge), he also spent nine years with Barclays, where he held a number of strategic planning and general management roles.

Elsewhere, Wakefield-based industrial services company Deborah Services Limited (DSL) has appointed Peter Hughes as group business development director. Mr Hughes will have responsibility for developing new business opportunities for DSL, with a particular focus on growth into international markets.

Mr Hughes previously worked for six years in the same role for Cape. Last month, former Cape chief executive Martin May was appointed as chairman of DSL, and as a non-executive director of DSL’s parent company Siteserv.

Meanwhile, professional services firm Towers Watson has announced two senior appointments to its North of England and Scotland Defined Contribution (DC) consulting team at Leeds.

Martin Knight returns to Towers Watson from AON Hewitt, where he was a senior consultant and part of the DC leadership team. In addition, Andrew Cashmore, who brings over 20 years of pensions’ experience to the company, joins from Buck Consultants where he worked for the last 15 years as senior benefits consultant.

And, search marketing agency Blueclaw has expanded its team with three senior appointments.

Mike McDougall, Sean Walsh and Joel Turner have joined the 32-strong team at Leeds-based Blueclaw as head of search, head of social and head of PR respectively.

Mr Walsh joins Blueclaw from Freestyle Interactive, while Mr McDougall arrives from Canada after a five-year stint working in the North American marketplace. Mr Turner joins from PR agency Tinderbox Media.

Roger Gibbeson has been appointed general manager of Electronics Yorkshire, the not-for-profit organisation which provides testing and training for electronics-related industries.

In the legal sector, a new senior company commercial solicitor has been appointed to Harrogate law firm, Newtons Solicitors.

Scott Simmons previously worked in Gibraltar carrying out corporate and trust law work. He joins a five-strong commercial law team.