PETER Atkinson, of York accountants Atkinsons, has been elected president of York Society of Chartered Accountants.

Peter, a former finance director with Yorkshire Post Newspapers, qualified with local York firm Barron & Barron before moving to Ernst & Young. He has also worked with most of the top newspaper companies in the UK.

As well as being a specialist business adviser, he is also a motivational speaker and has developed The Finance Mix, an interactive CD ROM which seeks to demystify finance for non-financial people.

He has also published a range of articles for the finance and technical press.