AN IT organisation pushing to increase skills across the region has unveiled senior appointments to maintain its growth.

Dynamo North East says Neil Hemming, Giselle Stewart and Stuart Lynn have been made vice chairmen.

The trio have replaced Bob Paton, Dynamo’s founder vice-chairman, who has stood down after he was made interim chief executive of the North East Local Enterprise Partnership (NELep).

Dynamo has developed the UK’s first IT apprentice hub, alongside Newton Aycliffe-based training company Baltic Training Services, to put North-East students through courses and get them into paid full-time 12-month placements.

Bosses hope the scheme could eventually be rolled out nationally.

Mr Hemming is a managing partner at business software company Sap, with Ms Stewart managing corporate affairs for Ubisoft in the UK, and Mr Lynn chief technology and chief information officer at Sage.

Mr Hemming, who also sits on NELep’s innovation board, said: “It is an honour to be invited to be a vice-chairman of Dynamo and to be enlisted to help the region develop an even more sustainable IT sector providing high quality jobs for the North-East.”

Charlie Hoult, Dynamo chairman, welcomed the trio and paid tribute to the work of Mr Paton, who is also managing director of IT firm Accenture’s Newcastle delivery centre.

He added: “Bob has worked tirelessly for Dynamo and for the greater good of the North-East’s IT sector.

“He is well-respected in the region’s business community and beyond, and his knowledge and influence will be crucial in his new role at NELep, particularly with the Northern Powerhouse.”