COLIN Meakin has been appointed chief executive of Longwood-based accountancy software specialist Liquid Accounts.

Mr Meakin was a founder of Birstall-based ICM, which was successfully floated on the Stock Exchange in the late 1990s before being acquired by Phoenix IT Group plc in 2007.

He left Phoenix and formed a private consortium, raising £1.8m to acquire Concorde Excel Holdings, which he successfully turned around and used as a vehicle for a buy and build strategy to create the £10m turnover Concorde IT Group.

Liquid Accounts chairman Richard Doyle said: We have been looking for the right candidate to take this business forward and take advantage of the exponential growth opportunity for some nine months and I am delighted we have been able to recruit Colin.

Mr Meakin takes over from Chris Eccles, who was recruited as sales and commercial director and latterly acted as interim chief executive. Mr Eccles remains a supportive shareholder in the business.