On the move - Stewart dances to a new tune at EMI.

Marie-Louise Clayton is to join Venture Production, the independent oil and gas production company, as group finance director. Clayton, the former FD of the primary food division of Associated British Foods, replaces Mike Wagstaff, who was promoted to chief executive.

David Blain has joined eg Solutions, the operations management provider, as financial director and company secretary. Blain previously held the same role at Drew Scientific Group, a manufacturer of analytical systems for laboratories.

Atradius, the credit management company, has appointed Delfin Rueda as its chief financial officer. Rueda joins from JP Morgan, where he was senior vice president of the financial institutions group, and built relationships with European banks.

Camden Council’s finance director, John Mabey, is to retire at the end of March 2005. Mabey joined the Council in 1972 as a management accountant and moved through the ranks until his appointment as director in 1996. Councellor Jane Roberts, said: “I hope he enjoys his retirement after so many years of hard work.”

Daryl Paton is to take over from Simon Ashdown as chief financial officer of Hemscott, the online financial news and information service. Paton was previously CFO and commercial director of Telco Global Group.

BT Wholesale has promoted its financial controller, Karen Witts, to chief financial officer succeeding Hanif Lalani, who has become BT group finance director. Prior to joining BT in 1999, Witts was corporate risk manager for European investment bank Paribas.

Stephen Purse, finance director of Management Consulting Group, a provider of consulting and professional services, is to leave the board. He is succeeded by Mark Currie, who joins from KPMG, where he was partner. Currie has experience in transaction support services for global clients and building KPMG’s private equity practice. Purse, a former FD of listed nursing homes group Westminster-Healthcare, will join law firm Clifford Chance as finance director.

Mike McGill has assumed the new post of chief financial officer of the Scottish Rugby Union, replacing Graham Ireland, who was the SRU’s finance director.

Andy Longstaffe, the FD of Medical Solutions, the bio-materials resources and laboratory software development company, is to step down from the board following a placing and open offer in January. Longstaffe is succeeded by Neil Johnston. Previously at drug company Pharmagene, Johnston has also worked with PwC in the biotechnology sector.

Coal-fired power station Drax Group has appointed Gordon Boyd as finance director. Boyd was previously finance director of BE Generation, the manufacturer of nitrogen generators.

Adrian Povey has been named group finance director of Mount Street Holdings, the residential property services group. Povey, who takes over from Tim Watson, brings with him experience of mergers, acquisitions and international business development.

Public Recruitment Group has promoted its finance director, Darren McLaney, to group managing director. Succeeding McLaney is Nicholas Williams, formerly group financial controller with CPP Group, the insurance and financial services company.

Peter Walsh, currently finance director and general manager of Chelsea Building Society, has been promoted to the board as deputy chief executive. Walsh joined the company in 1979 as internal auditor. In his new role, he will be responsible for treasury, risk management, assurance and co-ordination of the society’s business planning.

Mike Brocklesby has been appointed chief financial officer of online business network company Soflow. Formerly chief financial officer of uDate.com, Brocklesby was responsible for the company’s financial function and its public reporting requirement.

Magazine group Haymarket has appointed Jeremy Duckworth as group finance director, replacing David Fraser, who retires after 37 years with the publisher. Duckworth is currently finance director of Williams F1 racing team.

WILink chief financial officer Nigel Burton stepped down from the company’s board on 31 December 2004 after deciding to pursue opportunities in the energy sector. Nigel is succeeded by WILink chief financial controller Philip Cole, who joined the company in June. Prior to joining WILink, Cole held a number of senior finance positions in marketing and business services companies, including the role of finance director of madaboutwine.com.

Ron Robson will become the new finance director of Scottish brewer Belhaven in March. Robson joins from ARR Crab Transport and will replace David Morrison, who will retire after a month-long handover.

Move of the month
Microsoft chief financial officer John Connors is leaving the company to join Ignition Partners, a venture capital firm based in Bellevue, Washington.

Connors, who has spent 16 years at Microsoft, five of which were as CFO, has guided Microsoft to its first-ever dividend, ended employee stock options and orchestrated the biggest ever cash payout to shareholders by a US company. Since Connors took up the post of CFO in 1999, Microsoft’s annual sales almost doubled to nearly $37bn in its latest fiscal year, while cash in the bank more than tripled to $64bn.

In 2003, Connors also implemented a new financial reporting structure, creating CFO positions in seven Microsoft operating divisions, giving them more autonomy and control over their targets.

Connors will stay on for a period to assist the new CFO. Microsoft, which normally recruits CFOs from within its own ranks, says it will be looking at both internal and external candidates.

– Appointments and announcements can be faxed to us on (020) 7316 9250 or emailed to [email protected].