Grainger gives FD keys to the big office

Andrew Cunningham has landed himself the top spot at residential company
Grainger, taking a promotion from finance director to chief executive. Under
Cunningham’s stewardship the company posted a 20% rise in sales and secured two
new credit facilities totalling £615m in the last financial year. It wasn’t all
good news however, as the company portfolio value dropped 4% due to the
recession and outgoing chief exec Rupert Dickinson had to step down due to ill
health.

Cunningham, who has already been with the company for 13 years, previously
worked in the Nairobi office of Deloitte Haskin & Sells.

As firms ready themselves for December’s Climate Summit in Copenhagen, PwC
has promoted Malcolm Preston from UK head of climate change to global head of
sustainability. Preston isn’t the only one beefing up the firm’s environmental
offering.

Dr Celine Herweijer, a climate change scientist who has worked for the UN,
will head up risk modelling and adaptation in the sustainability division.

KPMG has named Blair McCallum as partner in the European Operational Strategy
group. He was most recently a partner at 3i and has considerable knowledge of
the car industry having worked in the operational function at Rover and Toyota.

McCallum co-authored the book ‘Journey to Lean: Making Operational Change
Stick’.
Target has recruited Richard Frett as head of its Reading office. Previously a
BDO partner in audit based in Reading, Frett will be charged with developing and
building the client base in the area.

John Fairbrother and Lila Thomas make partner at insolvency specialist
Begbies Traynor. Thomas has worked for the firm since 1993, joining as a junior
and climbing the corporate ladder.

Fairbrother, also promoted from director, has served at Begbies since 2001
when the firm acquired Huntington Moore.