• Recruitment firm Acorn has appointed Louise Bevan as the director of operations for the public sector. The new role has been created to support further growth within its public sector division. Bevan was formerly a manager with Blue Arrow, developing a specialism for working on large-scale public sector projects during her time in the recruitment industry.

• Cognitive Talent Partners (CTP) has expanded its business operations to cover UK & Europe. With a strong presence in the US and Asia, the firm is now looking to extend its executive search services to UK and European markets, starting from London. Nevin Agrikli joins as global client partner to establish the office, based in London. She will report to partner & head of US operations Abba Manchanda.

• Cushon, the fintech pension and savings provider, has appointed Jo Bean as chief people officer. Bean joins Cushon’s leadership team with more than 20 years’ experience in HR, having held senior HR positions at Samsung Electronics UK and more recently at Thomsons Online Benefits.

• Frontline Recruitment has appointed Lorna Turner as marketing specialist and Clare Talbot as contract manager for its Castle Donington office. Talbot returns to the recruitment industry after working in healthcare and Turner joins as a recent graduate.

• Heidrick & Struggles has appointed Cecilia Nelson-Hurt as its new chief diversity officer, effective immediately. Nelson-Hurt joins from L'Oréal USA where she was vice president for diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). In her new role she will lead the company's DEI strategy and deliver long-term, sustainable programmes and initiatives.

• Recruitment platform Inploi has appointed Chris Nelson as non-executive director. Nelson has more than 35 years’ experience in the recruitment industry. He has previously been CEO of Pure Recruitment Group and a director at Michael Page.

• Executive search firm Leathwaite has welcomed Chris Smith. Based in London, Smith will co-lead Leathwaite’s global HR practice, while also steering and accelerating the firm’s strategy of ongoing diversification outside its core markets of financial & professional services.

• Legal recruitment consultancy Realm Recruit has appointed Sarah Cortez as junior consultant and Chloe Whittaker as junior PA. Cortez will be working with principal consultant Kelly Reid within Realm’s private client division. Whittaker previously worked in an administrative role within the NHS and will be working within Realm’s support division.

• Rowan Executive Search has appointed Sara Jackson as associate director, Lexi Graty as senior consultant, Jennie Adamson as executive researcher and Molly Chalfont Pollard as business support executive.

• Finance recruitment firm Rutherford Cross, part of the Livingston James Group, has appointed Hazel Wynn and Derek Lauder as directors within its business. Wynn and Lauder have spent a number of years with Rutherford Cross based out of its Glasgow office where they headed up its senior interim finance offering. As part of their new director roles, Lauder will now lead the interim business across Scotland, while Wynn continues to manage the Glasgow operation with a new personal focus on permanent senior finance roles.

• Technology talent advisory Solution Performance Resourcing has hired James Hill who joins the team as a principal consultant, and joins with a wealth of expertise and experience.