Appointments: KBL boosts team; Head of media at Manchester City Council; and more…

NORTH West law firm, KBL Solicitors has appointed Dave Jones as business development consultant.

Mr Jones joins KBL Solicitors from RBS where he held the position of commercial banking director, with responsibility for South Lancashire.

Philip Stephenson, managing partner at KBL, said: “We are excited at the opportunity of working alongside someone as highly regarded and well known as Dave. It will enable us to strengthen our position as one of the leading law firms in the North West, we are in no doubt he’ll be a great asset to the firm”.

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MANCHESTER City Council has appointed Smyth Harper, currently acting deputy director of communications at Greater Manchester Police (GMP), as head of media.

Mr Smyth, 33, started his career at the Belfast Telegraph in 1999. He worked as a local government reporter for the Manchester Evening News in 2001 and has also worked for the BBC. In 2006, he was appointed head of press at GMP.

He will be responsible for managing the city council’s in-house media team, which is part of the newly created communications directorate.

Mr Smyth will take up his new role on September 1.

Sara Tomkins, director of communications for Manchester City Council said; “We are delighted that Smyth Harper is joining our team as Head of Media. Smyth brings with him a wealth of experience both as a press officer and journalist and he will play a key role in the City Council’s new communications division.”

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CHEADLE- based charity, The Seashell Trust, has appointed Mark Geraghty as chief executive and principal, following the retirement of Hilary Ward.

The Seashell trust provides education and residential care for people with communication difficulties.

Mr Geraghty completed his B.Ed Degree at Matlock College of Education in Derbyshire and in the early 1980s was seconded to Manchester University, where he qualified as a teacher of the deaf.

He has experience working with deaf children as a peripatetic teacher at Derbyshire County Council. He also held the position of head of services with Gloucestershire LEA and was appointed by Oxfordshire LEA in 2002 to lead and manage their SEN Support.

Tony Snape, chairman at the Seashell Trust, said: “We are really looking forward to Mark joining us. His experience and drive will be a great asset to the charity as we grow and diversify”

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CHESHIRE-based Zeus PR has appointed Helen Jones as an account executive.

Ms Jones joins the company from ASDA’s corporate communications, where she was involved with the national store role out programme and retail sustainability.

Anthea Fosti, managing director of Zeus PR, said : “We see Helen as a great asset for Zeus PR. Our experience already lies strong within the retail sector, and we believe that Helen’s expertise will add to our already impressive portfolio of accounts.”

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SMOKE control firm Interactive Special Projects has appointed Andy Baker to run its new office in Leicester.

It is the first time the company, which manufacturers smoke control and ventilation systems, has expanded out of its Trafford Park headquarters.

Andy joins from Colt International where he was area manager. In his new role as senior regional consultant Andy will be working with the construction industry, architects, engineers and approving bodies to offer technical support.

Interactive Special Projects director Bryn Maddick says: “With the launch of the southern operation, Andy becomes a key part of the company’s expansion. He will move further into new areas that have great potential for future growth.”