Midlands-based IT and communications company Pinnacle Technology Group has appointed Gavin Lyons as its new executive chairman with immediate effect.

The 38-year-old comes to Pinnacle from IT security specialist Accumuli PLC where he has been the chief executive since 2012 and where he spearheaded a successful buy-and-build strategy that saw the company sold to NCC Group plc for £55m in October. Mr Lyons previously held senior posts at SAP, Trend Micro, Xerox, Compuware and The Caudwell Group.

James Dodd, Pinnacle’s non-executive chairman, will remain on the board until the company’s AGM in March while he transitions his responsibilities to Mr Lyons.

Pinnacle – which has offices in Glasgow, Stoke-on-Trent and Northampton – offers a wide range of IT managed services and solutions including managed support services, unified communications and collaboration and IT security.