Doyenne of Yorkshire business community joins Directorbank

Sarah Grünewald, one of Yorkshire's foremost businesswomen and the driving force behind a number of major corporate deals with UK-wide implications, is to join Leeds-based executive search company Directorbank.

"My role will be to tackle the plc market and place non-executive directors in public companies. While it is a departure from the venture capital route this will continue to remain Directorbank's primary strength," said 40-year-old Ms Grünewald, who has three children aged 10, seven and six.

She joins from Arthur Andersen in Leeds where she was partner in charge of the corporate finance team, with regional responsibility for plc advisory relationships in the North and Midlands.

Directorbank's chief executive, Jonathan Hick, said Ms Grünewald would be placing non-executive directors into public companies from a database, which gives instant access to some of the UK's top business people. He described her appointment as "one of the biggest things" to have happened at Directorbank since it was established four years ago.

"We have been looking at the corporate market for some years and Sarah is someone we have admired and respected because of her connections and the esteem in which she is held, both in Yorkshire and the City. Directorbank has now got one of the brightest and best known corporate financiers in the North who brings a tremendous depth of experience to the business."

Ms Grünewald joined County Bank (later NatWest Markets) as a graduate trainee in 1983 and became head of the Leeds office in 1996. Two years later she was appointed director of global corporate finance with Arthur Andersen where she headed a highly successful and formidable team, which was responsible for a number of high profile coups.

"I had been in corporate finance for 20 years and was looking to make a career change," said Ms Grünewald. "I have watched the growth and success of Directorbank from its very beginning and am now looking forward to what I know will be a stimulating and exciting role within it."