A PROMINENT businessman has moved back to education, following his appointment as chairman of the governors at the region's largest college.

LEO FINN, who retired as chief executive of Northern Rock earlier this year, succeeds Laurie Caple as chairman of the governors at Newcastle College.

Before moving into finance, Mr Finn was a teacher in the Royal Army Education Corps and has a lifelong interest in educational issues.

Commenting on his new role, Mr Finn, who has been on the board of governors at the college since 1995, said: "There are nearly 30,000 students at Newcastle College who will form the basis of tomorrow's workforce.

"If the North-East is to prosper, it is the responsibility of colleges such as ours, in conjunction with local businesses, to meet their educational needs and ensure we retain their skills within the local economy."

* KEITH PROUDFOOT is the Institute of Chartered Accountants' first northern regional manager.

The 48-year-old heads the institute's new regional business centre in Newcastle, serving the interests of 2,800 chartered accountants in the North-East and Cumbria.

Prior to taking up his new role, he was finance director at Darlington-based Sandersons Property Group.

* Housing contractor Frank Haslam Milan has promoted DAVE MELLOR to the position of commercial director.

He joined the company as a quantity surveyor at its Doncaster office in 1996, before being promoted to regional quantity surveyor after a move to the Sunderland office. Two years later he was promoted to commercial manager, a position he held until his latest promotion.

* Nissan has appointed ANDY PALMER as deputy managing director of its European technology centre, based in Cranfield, Bedfordshire.

He joined Nissan from Rover in 1986 where he worked as chief engineer (transmissions) following the completion of his MSc. He replaces Ian Milburn, who has decided to take early retirement following 11 years with Nissan.

* IAN TALLINTIRE, 47, has been appointed managing surveyor with project and cost consultants Faithful & Gould. He joins from Sunderland University where he was technical services manager for ten years. Based in Newcastle, Mr Tallintire will be responsible for stock transfer initiatives as well as working on education sector projects.

* Taxation specialist ANDREW MOORBY has joined Newcastle-based Tait Walker as a tax partner. He joins the company from Ernst and Young.