Employment and skills specialist the Employability and Skills Group (esg.) has appointed Diane Herft as HR group director.

Herft has joined the company’s senior leadership team and will report to the group’s chief executive, Gavin Freed. She will lead on the group’s national HR function and will work closely with esg.’s operations around the country to deliver on the company’s people strategy.

Herft was previously in charge of HR strategy for the Nestor Healthcare Group, providing HR services to the firm’s 81 branches.

Group chief executive Gavin Freed says: “With our stronger operational position in the market presented by the Work Programme results and our newly combined skills provision, we have decided to further strengthen our senior management team with the appointment of a new group HR director.

“She will provide us with the HR expertise that a company of our size needs to ensure the ongoing development of its people to support our growth ambitions.”

I am delighted to be joining esg. at such an important point in its development. Its people are at the core of what esg. does and I’m looking forward to helping to harness, support and develop the talent that’s already evident throughout the business