LATE NEWS

Dell has strengthened its team of directors with two appointments, following the return to the US of the acting vice president for UK and Ireland.

Susan Larson will be replaced by Brian McBride, who has just resigned as vice president for sales at Lucent Technologies subsidiary Lannet.

He leaves the networking firm on 30 October.

Dell has also performed a coup de grace by head hunting Peter Blampied, former general manager for small and medium business at archrival Compaq, in the midst of a climate of high-level resignations from the manufacturer.

Blampied, who resigned from Compaq last week after more than five years' service has been appointed by the vendor as its marketing director for preferred accounts.