Business briefs: Kingfisher poaches Witts | HSBC | Sigma Capital

B&Q-owner Kingfisher, Europe’s largest DIY retailer, has named Scots-born Karen Witts as its new finance director.

Witts, aged 49, takes up the new role in October, joining Kingfisher from telecoms group Vodafone, where she is chief financial officer for Africa, the Middle East, Asia and Asia Pacific.

Witts, from Kirkcaldy, takes over from Kevin O’Byrne, who is becoming chief executive of the B&Q business. The new FD lists her out-of-work interests as pilates and rollerblading.

HSBC continues its Scottish expansion

HSBC continued its expansion into Scotland yesterday by opening a £1.2 million branch in Dumfries, creating 14 jobs in the town.

It is the bank’s fifth new outlet north of the Border since it announced in March 2010 a £9m strategy to develop its Scottish branch network.

HSBC said it had chosen the location to best serve nearly 3,500 customers it already has in the Dumfries and Galloway area.

Sigma’s Sutherland on high speed board

Sigma Capital, the Edinburgh-based investment firm in which Sir Tom Hunter holds a 22 per cent stake, has confirmed that Duncan Sutherland, the chairman of Sigma’s urban regeneration division, has been appointed as a non-executive director of HS2.

Sutherland was appointed to the body in charge of delivering a high speed rail network by the Secretary of State for Transport, Justine Greening.