The appointment of a new board at Healthcare Locums (HCL) represents a “new beginning” for the leadership of the healthcare recruiter, according to an HCL spokesperson.

Today HCL appointed three executives to its board including group chief executiveStephen Burke. Previously a managing director of Michael Page UK and a main former board director of Michael Page International, Burke was most recently a non-executive board director for Matchtech Group.

Colin Whipp also joins the HCL board as interim chief financial officer and chief restructuring officer, along with Andrew McRae, who continues as managing director of Healthcare Australia Holdings.

A spokesperson for HCL told Recruiter: “It is a new board — a new beginning in the executive direction of the company, with three executive directors and two non-executive directors, which is a good haul to have.

“We have an ex-Michael Page director joining us as CEO. The finance director has a lot of turnaround experience, which will work for Healthcare Locums. HCL has had a torrid time but it is now turning the corner.

“It is still a good business. It just needs good management to lead it and that’s what we have announced today. Structurally and operationally the business is performing well but until very recently it did not have a board to man-manage and run the company.

“You have two non-executives in Peter Sullivan and David Henderson, whose first task was to get the right people in. They have taken their time to do that and they have brought in these three executives, all with skills in key areas, which take the business back in the right direction in terms of senior management. Until today it was devoid of executive direction other than that put in by non-execs.”

In a statement, HCL adds that it is in the final stages of appointing an additional independent non-executive director and will update the market in due course.

HCL promises a comprehensive update to shareholders by the end of June this year, including 2010 financial results, details on current trading and the outcome of the ongoing investigations into accounting irregularities. It adds that its priority is to ensure that the suspension of the company’s shares from trading on AIM is lifted as soon as possible.