NEWCASTLE Building Society has promoted KRIYA PATEL to a newly-created position of third party Internet manager as demand for its IT services grows.

The 32-year-old will oversee delivery of the society's Internet services and computer systems which it provides to business partners, including Bradford & Bingley.

Mr Patel joined the Newcastle in 1997 at the Leicester branch. Within six months, he had risen to assistant branch manager, and within 18 months was running the branch.

In 2001, he moved up to Newcastle to take on a more technical role.