New appointments: Barclays, Clarion, Hitachi Capital and Crooks Commercial Solicitors

HITACHI Capital Consumer Finance has strengthened its UK motor finance operation as it looks to grow it into a £300m businesss.

The Leeds-based consumer lender has moved Mark Baird from its retail division to lead Hitachi Motor Finance and appointed Nigel Stansfield, who has more than 10 years experience in the motor sector at Barclays Partner Finance and Citroen Financial Services, as strategic relationship manager.

Gerald Grimes, managing director at Hitachi Capital Consumer Finance, said: “The motor finance sector is an integral part of our overall business plan to continue to develop and expand our £1.1bn lending facility, using our existing finance expertise and infrastructure, combined with Mark and Nigel’s specialist market knowledge and leadership.”

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BARCLAYS has appointed Neil Bradburne to its South Yorkshire team as a relationship director and will be responsible for businesses with a turnover of more than £5m in the Doncaster and South Yorkshire region.

Mr Bradburne, who has over 22 years banking experience, joins from Yorkshire Bank where he was managing partner for the Doncaster region.

Andrew Marsh, corporate director at Barclays in South Yorkshire commented: “Recruiting talent from both within Barclays and externally is key to our expansion plans in South Yorkshire and Neil’s experience will be a huge asset for the customers and his team. Doncaster  and South Yorkshire is a fantastic place to do business and we will be looking for further growth throughout 2013 and beyond.”

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LEEDS law firm Clarion has appointed Laura Foley as an associate in its private client team.

Before joining Clarion, Laura gained experience with Gordons in Leeds where she was a trainee solicitor working in the private client team.

Prior to that, she spent two years as a senior sales negotiator for a national estate agent. In her new role, Laura will specialise in private client matters including advising on wills, probate, trusts, deputyship applications and administration, and enduring and lasting powers of attorney.

Laura is the latest lawyer to join Clarion, becoming one of 30 new members of staff recruited over the last 12 months. The firm now has a 100 strong team including 17 partners.

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SPECIALIST law firm Crooks Commercial Solicitors has appointed commercial property expert Claire Murphy.

After training with City of London law firm Clifford Chance she moved to Leeds and has worked in Yorkshire for the last 17 years.

At Wakefield-based Crooks Commercial Solicitors she joins commercial lawyer Michael Crook and employment specialist Nicholas Wilson.