The Newcastle office of project managers and cost consultants Faithful & Gould has promoted MIKE FOGGON to regional director.

Formerly associate director for the office, Mr Foggon will be responsible for its continued development as well as supporting the corporate strategy of the company in the region as well as on a national level.

He is working on cost advice for schemes such as the London Olympics and the Newcastle and Gateshead Pathfinder Projects.

* North-East Construction Company the MMP Group has appointed a new commercial manager to help to drive the expansion of its Construction Division.

STEPHEN FORSTER, from Darlington, has worked in the construction industry for more than 25 years, and brings to MMP experience in the fields of design and build, healthcare construction and fabrication.

He joins MMP from his previous role as senior project surveyor with a major international contractor involved in PFI.

* Outdoor clothing specialist Berghaus, based in Sunderland, has appointed MARTIN JONES as head of footwear.

Mr Jones joins the company from Adidas, where he was advanced projects manager, in Nuremburg, Germany.

He joins the company with the specific remit of further developing the footwear category and his first task is to recruit further specialist footwear designers to strengthen the overall product team.

* Personal injury law firm Irwin Mitchell (IM), based on Grey Street, Newcastle, has strengthened its team with the appointment of three assistant solicitors.

Twenty-nine-year old PAUL BROWN joins the neuro-trauma team along with EMILY SUNDERLAND who brings more than nine years' experience in personal injury to the position.

Both will operate closely with managing partner John Davis.

Recent graduate LUCY HINDMARCH, from Durham, will specialise in work place injuries and industrial diseases, working alongside Irwin Mitchell partner Roger Maddocks.