News in Brief: Tuesday March 25

HARROGATE independent motor retailer Nidd Vale Group has been granted the Mitsubishi dealership for the area – bringing the number of franchises which the company now has on its Leeds Road site to five.

Sales manager for the new franchise is Jamie Taylor, who has been with Nidd Vale since December 2003 and was previously assistant sales manager for Nidd Vale Vauxhall.

Mark Doran, who has been with Nidd Vale for 10 years, becomes the Mitsubishi service technician.

Nidd Vale will sell the full range of Mitsubishi cars, including the Shogun 4×4, the L200 pick-up and the new Lancer, which was launched in February.

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CONSTRUCTION and management consultancy Turner & Townsend has appointed director, Steve Hanson to lead their Health, Safety and Environmental Services business in Yorkshire, the North West and Midlands.

He joins from Eurosafe UK in York and was previously with EC Harris in Leeds.

Mr Hanson has worked with clients ranging from the Highways Agency and Network Rail to major retailers including Woolworths, Next and Virgin.

Based at Turner & Townsend's Leeds office, Mr Hanson will now be charged with growing the business, strengthening the company's expertise in current market sectors and developing Health and Safety training solutions for clients.

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DEALMAKERS Strategic Corporate Finance has appointed corporate financier John Jackson as an associate director.

The appointment strengthens the largest team of specialist dealmakers in South Yorkshire.

Mr Jackson joins the company from Punch Taverns the UK's leading pub company where he was Corporate Finance Manager. Prior to joining Punch he was Corporate Finance Manager at the Spirit Group (at the time the largest independent managed pub group in the UK).

In his seven years in the pub industry, he completed in excess of 30 M&A and financing projects having a total value of over £15 billion.

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INDIA'S largest private sector bank ICICI Bank UK has opened its ninth British branch in Leeds.

Members of the Leeds business community attended the high profile launch of the branch, and Councillor Andrew Carter, leader of Leeds City Council inaugurated the branch.

Deepak Varghese, head of retail banking of ICICI Bank UK, said: “Leeds is known as a hub for several ethnic communities. Its diversity and multi-cultural community will be attracted especially to our money transfer service, which ultimately results in their families getting more money because of the value we provide.”