Beckett gets Queens Moat job

STANLEY Metcalfe has become re- acquainted with Michael Beckett, his former colleague at Ranks Hovis McDougall, who was yesterday appointed a non-executive director of Queens Moat Houses, the troubled hotels group.

They worked together on the board of RHM three years ago. Mr Metcalfe, now chairman of Queens Moat, was at the helm and Mr Beckett was a non-executive. Queens Moat said this had no bearing on Mr Beckett's appointment.

Mr Beckett, former managing director of Consolidated Gold Fields and chairman of Ultramar, was on the shortlist for non-executives last July, a couple of months before Mr Metcalfe became chairman.

Richard Jewson, who left Meyer International last year after a disagreement about his roles as chairman and chief executive being split, is also becoming a non-executive at Queens Moat. He holds other non- executive posts at Anglian Water and Eastern Counties Newspapers.