Week ending 5 April 2013

Francis Clark has promoted Brian Harvey to partner in its agricultural team working with rural businesses. The South-West firm has also appointed four to director level. Lucinda Coleman (Business Recovery), Helen Lewis (Tax Technical), Bob Meier (Energy & Renewables) and Richard Staunton (VAT) have all joined the firm.

Nathan Bostock has been lined up to become the Royal Bank of Scotland's next finance director. Replacing the incumbent Bruce van Saun, the former Abbey National FD, Bostock, is currently head of restructuring at the part-nationalised bank and has been since 2009.

PwC partner Jim Bichard is to assume the role of London Market Insurance leader at the Big Four firm. Replacing Gavin Phillips, Bichard has been at the firm for 16 years and will have responsibility for the firm's activities across all lines of service - Audit, Tax and Advisory - to the Lloyd's, London Market and major broker markets.

Aberdeen-based Hall Morrice has appointed Robert Bain to managing partner. Bain, who made partner when his practice merged with Hall Morrice in 1997, will take on the newly created role at the firm.

Peter Clements, Georg Roderburg and Alexander Schwahn have all made tax partner at Freshfields. Clements joined the firm from law school and has been named as one of Tax Journal's '40 under 40' to look out for in 2012/13.

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