The Recruitment & Employment Confederation (REC) has appointed Ed Bates as a regional director for REC Wales.

Bates, who takes over from Philippa George, was until recently business development manager at Swansea-based Totec Recruitment. Totec operates throughout the UK and Europe in sectors including oil & gas, renewable energy, construction, transport and logistics.

Bates has worked in the employment, recruitment and welfare-to-work industry for just over a decade. His experience includes working with small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), as well as multinational Fortune 500 companies in a wide range of sectors.

In the unpaid post, he will build links with politicians, business bodies and other stakeholders in Wales.