COLCHESTER: Kent Blaxill appointed Phillip George as its non-executive chairman. Mr George succeeds Simon Fanshawe and is Kent Blaxill's second non-family chairman.

Simon Blaxill, managing director said: "Phillip, with his extensive business experience and commercial legal skills, is the ideal person to take Kent Blaxill forward in the next decade. We were looking for someone who could provide a balance between family and business interests."

Mr George is currently also a non-executive director of Essex Cares and formerly a managing partner at Birkett Long solicitors.