New faces

BT GROUP marketing and brand director Tim Evans, and Karen Witts, the chief finance officer of BT Wholesale, are joining the board of BT Scotland as non-executive directors.

Mr Evans is responsible for the direction and effectiveness of BT brand and marketing strategy across BT. Previously, he has served as brand director of BT Cellnet, director of marketing for BT Consumer, and most recently, as marketing director of BT Business.

Mrs Witts joined BT's Worldwide division in 1999 and held senior finance positions there and in the UK-based business, before spending two years as group controller. She was appointed chief finance officer of BT Wholesale in February 2005. In addition to her BT Wholesale role, Mrs Witts is part of the leadership team responsible for the delivery of BT's world-leading 21st Century Network programme and is responsible for the £10 billion investment case to support the network transformation.

Iain Robertson, chairman of the board, said: "The deployment and take-up of broadband services throughout the country is integral to BT Scotland's strategy and these two appointments reflect that priority.

"Now that plans are in place for the completion of Scotland's broadband network, the focus must be on increasing the public's awareness of the benefits and advancing the current take-up rate of 18 per cent of the market. Tim and Karen are ideally placed to help us in this challenge."

Napier University has appointed Dr Peter Easy as vice-principal of academic quality and customer service, making him the first appointee to the university's new senior management team when he takes up his position in September 2005. Currently working as a higher education consultant, Dr Easy's most recent post within the sector was vice-principal and deputy vice-chancellor at the University of Gloucestershire - a position which he held from 2001-2004. With some 25 years' experience in academia, he brings to Napier a wealth of knowledge and experience in academic policy and planning, teaching and learning, research, quality assurance and enhancement and academic administration. Professor Joan Stringer, principal and vice-chancellor, said: "I am delighted that Dr Easy is joining us in September. It has been well documented this year that Napier is restructuring in order to achieve our goal of becoming the leading modern university in Scotland within five years and that we advertised for three new vice-principals to lead the changes which we need to implement.

"Dr Easy is the first of those three to be appointed."

Susan Duff, partner at law firm Pagan Osborne, has been appointed as regional area co-ordinator for the Solicitors for the Elderly (SFE). Ms Duff is joining SFE as the regional area co-ordinator for Edinburgh and will bring her 16 years of experience in offering legal advice to elderly clients to the role. Pagan Osborne provides a variety of specialist legal services from its offices in Edinburgh and Fife. She is the resident expert on elderly legal matters amongst a team who specialise in the area.

Property consultant GVA Grimley has appointed Craig Timney as a partner in its Scottish valuation team. Mr Timney, who joined the firm as a senior surveyor in 1997, will play a leading role in the growth and development of the valuation practice throughout Scotland, as well as building on his close relationships with the major UK property lenders.

Andy Carswell, partner in charge of GVA Grimley in Scotland, said: "Craig is a highly respected member of our valuation team and has been instrumental in the development of the Scottish business. As a partner, he will further develop his role in taking the firm forward, during this period of expansion in Scotland."

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