With the departure of Chris Heard as head of First National Building Society's British subsidiary, Mortgage Trust, Tony Ward (no relation to the famed Irish out-half) has taken over at the helm. He will require little time to learn the ropes in his new role at Mortgage Trust until this week he was the company's deputy managing director. Mr Ward joined the company in 1990 from Kleinwort Benson Investment, where he was head of treasury. He was also group treasurer of Mortgage Funding Corporation.

According to the First National, he has been responsible for all funding, securitisation, accounting and financial control functions, as well as credit and new business activities at Mortgage Trust.

But in this era of executive bonding through paint-war games and rugged outdoor pursuits, at least some of Mr Ward's staffers will be breathing sighs of relief. Far from hang-gliding or abseiling, their new boss lists more gentle hobbies among his interests. These include classic cars, calligraphy, silversmithing and fly-fishing.

Married to Liz, Mr Ward has a new daughter, Charlotte, aged 7 months.

A change of course is under way at the recruitment agency, Marlborough International, but not just with the flotation on the Developing Companies Market. The firm said this week it had signed revised contracts with all of its key personnel, that is, its directors and senior management.

With the departure of computer division head John Doupe, who said that unacceptable terms had been included in his contract, the company has now turned to Denise Airlie.

The new manager of Marlborough Computing is an old hand at the company; Ms Airlie joined the computing division in January 1994 as a recruitment consultant. She also holds diplomas in business studies and personnel management. Prior to her appointment as manager, she was a senior consultant in the computer division.

Onwards and upwards for Paul Mooney, currently Alcatel's manager for image communications, who has been scooped up by head office in Paris. The Irish end of the company regards the move as something of a coup; traditionally, Alcatel only promotes within France.

"Head office has come to the view that Ireland is becoming so IT-focused that the skill-sets are found only here," one insider said. Mr Mooney will become Alcatel's global video-conferencing marketing manager. The company has about 200,000 employees around the world.

Joseph O'Hanlon, well-known in the world of insurance, is to take up a post as senior consultant at RM Henry & Co. He is a specialist in transit and storage insurance, and is said to know the frozen meat and livestock industries inside out.

Until his retirement, Mr O'Hanlon was chief executive of Jardine insurance brokers, formerly Consolidated Insurance Brokers. This company was founded by HD Henry, the father of Richard Henry, who is now managing director of RM Henry & Co.