Leadership organisation Common Purpose has appointed a programme director for its Wear region.

VIV ASHBY succeeds Paul Brannen, who has joined lender HSBC.

Ms Ashby is a graduate of the Tees common purpose course in 2000 and Leeds and South Yorkshire profiles programmes.

Ms Ashby returned to the North-East from Leeds in 1999, initially joining BT as corporate relations manager and then progressing to strategic development manager for the Tees Valley. For the past four years she has been communications manager at O2.