Hays names Bodycote man as new chairman

15th Jul 2010 09:30

Alan Thomson, chairman of thermal processing company Bodycote, is to succeed Bob Lawson as chairman of recruitment firm Hays.Thomson will join the Hays board as a non-executive director on 1 October and take over from Lawson as chairman on 10 November after the company's annual general meeting.As well as being chairman of Bodycote Thomson is the senior independent director and chairman of the audit committee at platinum refiner Johnson Matthey, and is also a non-executive of French power generator Alstom.Thomson was group finance director of technology outfit Smiths Group between 1995 and 2006.Hays's chief executive, Alistair Cox, welcomed the appointment saying Thomson "has had a long and successful career across a variety of sectors and will bring considerable experience to the board."