AN organisation set up to support and promote the professional service sector in York has expanded its board with three new appointments.

The trio of new directors joining the York Professionals board have been welcomed in a bid to ensure greater representation of key professional services sectors in the fields of finance and education.

Joining the board are Marie Johnstone of Barclays, Adrian Widdowson of Garbutt & Elliott accountants and Julia Massey of City of York Council.

York Professionals chairman Rachel Goddard, said: “We have a really strong team of board directors and very much rely on their goodwill as each plays a strong role in delivering the core objectives of York Professionals.

“All our directors are professionals in their own right, which is our strength, and so juggle the day job with the commitments of being a board director.”

York Professionals represents the professional services economy comprising seven key sectors including business support, creative & digital, finance, legal, marketing, people and property.

More than 20 per cent of businesses in York are in professional services sectors, which accounts for more than 21,000 of the city’s workforce.