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Consultant McBains Cooper has undergone a shake-up, creating a northern regional business and introducing three divisional boards below the main board.

The move follows a period of growth at the group, and Michael Thirkettle, its chief executive, said the new structure was intended to lay the foundations for further regional expansion.

The northern business will bring together the Manchester, Birmingham and Scotland offices. It will be headed by Michael Lawless, the former director of the Manchester office, who joined from Gleeds last year.

Lawless said he expected turnover across the northern region to double during 2007/08. He said: 鈥淲e will be looking at expanding into the North-east and Scotland within the next two to three years.鈥�

Mike Paul, who also joined from Gleeds two weeks ago, will head the Manchester office.

Three divisional boards focusing on strategy, finance and operations have also been introduced.

Last August McBains Cooper made a bid for Currie & Brown but withdrew it two months later. It also made an offer for Dearle & Henderson before it was bought by Erinaceous.

It is thought McBains Cooper has drawn up a shortlist of three targets, although Thirkettle declined to name them. He said: 鈥淲e are also still looking to make an acquisition. But I won鈥檛 be pressured to make a hasty decision.鈥�

The firm recently announced a 57% rise in pre-tax profit to 拢1m for the year to 30 June 2006.

鈥� McBains Cooper this week announced it has won a contract with Oakmayne Properties to redevelop British Land鈥檚 former HQ into luxury apartments, and a contract with Londonewcastle for a 拢14m mixed-use development on Grand Union Canal in Camden, north London.