Skipton-owned Connells Group has appointed Helen Charlesworth as group chief executive of the estate agent, which runs 1,200 branches nationwide.  

Skipton Group, which also owns Skipton Building Society, says Charlesworth has led firms across various sectors including retail, hospitality and estate agency.   

Charlesworth left the Stonegate Pub Company — which owns the Be At One, Slug and Lettuce, and Walkabout bars – in May after eight years as managing director.  

Skipton says she led the pub business “through excellent profit growth, completing a number of successful acquisitions”.  

Earlier in her career, she was managing director of estate agency Your Move, which owns around 300 UK branches, for two years, leaving in 2014.  

She also worked for Pizza Express for six years, leaving as operations director in 2012

Charlesworth will join Connells in September, subject to regulatory approval.  

She replaces David Plumtree who stepped down as Connells chief executive after 35 years at the business in June.  

In the interim, the firm was led by chief finance and commercial officer Richard Twigg, who will return to this role.  

Skipton Group chief executive Stuart Haire, says that he “looks forwards to working with her to help Connells onto even more exciting successes”.  

Charlesworth adds that she welcomes “getting back into estate agency”.