Altrincham-based multidisciplinary consulting engineers, Clancy Consulting, has appointed Jane Saynor as its first woman board director.

Saynor, who leads the HR function at the firm, is also the first non-engineer to join the Clancy Consulting board. She joined the company in 2002 to establish the HR role and also chairs the north west region of the Technical Apprenticeship Consortium, an issue which she is particularly passionate about.

Commenting on her elevation to the board, Saynor said: “The invitation came as a delightful shock. I have always felt involved in the Clancy business from the very start and my collaboration with the board has increased over the years, so I have always felt valued and respected by them all. With our different skills we make a great team.”

Also joining the main board is Chris Acton. After assisting the business with its venture into the Middle East, Acton has now assumed a key role working to develop the structural engineering team in Altrincham.   

Alan Bramwell, chief executive of Clancy Consulting, commented: “The appointment of Jane and Chris will add additional skills that will strengthen the capability of the board, whilst also recognising the significant and important contribution both have made to the business over many years. We are pleased to have made a number of promotions from 1 April, all from within the business, as part of the continued development of Clancy Consulting.”

At the firm’s Altrincham office, Nick Riding becomes a divisional director, after ten years with the business building up the geo-environmental department. In Liverpool, James Gendall is also promoted to divisional director in the structures team. Gendell has been with Clancy for over 10 years and has played a leading role in the technical advancement of the office, delivering a number of high-profile projects.

In the firm’s building services division in Reading, Andrew Childs becomes an associate, after several years building the team and client base in the south east. In the central business support team, Lucy Brown becomes finance director and company secretary, having joined the business 12 months ago as head of finance.