THE retired chief executive of Durham County Council has been appointed to lead its job creation organisation.

Kingsley Smith, who retired from his post last week, has been named chairman of the County Durham Development Company (CDDC) -the authority's overseas promotion and business development division.

He will succeed Bernard Robinson, who is standing down after four years.

Mr Smith, 58, has worked closely with CDDC during his time at the helm of the county council, and was behind its creation in 1987.

CDDC heads the business development and tourism promotion of the county and administers the county council's financial incentives scheme, designed to help businesses set up and expand in the county.

Since its creation, it has helped more than 4,000 companies in the county, offered more than £19m in business grants and helped create 46,000 jobs.

Mr Smith chaired the East Durham Task Force for ten years following the closure of the county's last deep coal mines in the early 1990s with the loss of 25,000 jobs.

By 2000, it had achieved its objective of creating 10,000 jobs.

He also chaired the Fujitsu task force when the company closed its semiconductor plant in Newton Aycliffe with the loss of 550 jobs.

Virtually all staff found alternative employment, with the plant being sold as a going concern to Filtronic.

CDDC has also announced other board-level changes, with five new directors.

John Cuthbert, the managing director of the Northumbrian Water Group, MetroCentre creator Sir John Hall, and Sir Paul Nicholson, the Lord Lieutenant of County Durham and former chairman of the Vaux Group, have all accepted invitations to join the board.

James Ramsbotham, the vice-chairman of the Esh Group, and Richard Tonks, founder of the Savers health and beauty store chain, will also become directors.