DAVID THOMAS has been appointed as loan executive at fund management firm NEL.

Mr Thomas, from Durham, joined the company two years ago and was responsible for assessing companies that were seeking investment from NEL.

He will be the first port of call for the managers of small and medium-sized businesses and advisors looking for investment from one of NEL's divisions. He will be based in Stockton.

He said: "My new position is a much more hands-on role than I previously fulfilled and places me closer to the centre of the investment process, assessing investment applications as they come in and working with the applicants right through the evaluation process.