Clifford had been running consultancy Bartons, part of Richmond Capital Partners, for the last year and before that he worked for FPC Greenaways, William Caple and BPC.

Orchestra chief executive Brian Dickerson said Clifford was his first choice for the job and that he started exploratory talks with him two months ago.

I knew he was a good market name and after getting to know each others personalities we found we both share an understanding of the marketplace, he added.

Clifford, who joins on Monday (17 November), will answer directly to Dickerson and work alongside Phil Westoby, Orchestras regional managing director for the East. He replaces John Pembrook, who will leave the firm at the end of the year to pursue other business interests in a change of direction.

The Orchestra Group was created in May this year, following TeCmails acquisition of Inchbrook last year (PrintWeek, 12 April 2002).

Story by Rachel Barnes