Mark Lejman takes charge at Cosalt offshore unit

THE chief executive of safety equipment and services group Cosalt is to take temporary charge of its Aberdeen-based offshore division after its former head Calum Melville was suspended and then resigned.

Cosalt said yesterday that Mark Lejman will take over the role of interim chief executive of the division in addition to his group responsibilities.

The Grimsby-based company confirmed that the internal review into operating practices at the division which led to Melville's suspension is expected to be completed by mid-October.

"We are confident that the business and accounting procedures are robust and the management continues to provide the same level of support and service to all of our customers," Cosalt said.

Following his suspension, Melville, who is also a director of Dundee FC and Grampian Industrialist of the Year, issued a statement saying he had resigned as a director of the company to "protect" his reputation after raising concerns about the way the firm was run.

His brother Stuart, who is the operations director of the offshore unit, was also suspended.

The Melvilles had joined Cosalt after the company acquired their GTC safety business in 2007 in a deal worth up to 30 million. The operation then became Cosalt Offshore. It now operates a pan-North Sea network with 300 personnel based in Aberdeen and a further 110 at two other operations.