A NEW woman will be at the helm of an expanded inward investment service covering York and North Yorkshire.

Imelda Havers has been appointed chief executive of york-england.com

She takes over from Frances Done, the former chief executive of the Manchester Commonwealth Games organising committee.

Mrs Done's six months' brief, to oversee the transition of the York Inward Investment Board into an organisation with a geographically broader remit, is now successfully completed.

Mrs Havers, who is married with two children, has a background in sales and marketing in a range of private sector companies.

Most recently she was project manager of St John's Urban Village - a major regeneration initiative in Wolverhampton.

She has also had ten years' experience as a qualified management consultant, working in both public and private sector organisations.

Steve Galloway, City of York Council leader and chairman of york-england.com, said: "I'm delighted to welcome Imelda to York. She offers a unique combination of experience in both public and private sectors coupled with a track record of success in delivering innovative regeneration.

"I am confident that she will continue the high standards of support provided by her predecessors in a post which will continue to be at the fulcrum of economic development activity in the city."

Mrs Havers said: "I'm really looking forward to continuing the highly-respected work of york-england.com in York and taking on the exciting new development which Frances Done has so capably started to expand our inward investment service to North Yorkshire."

Updated: 10:35 Tuesday, October 21, 2003