Linda Andrews, one of the driving forces behind the fast-growing Scottish information technology firm Maxima Holdings, is to resign from her post as finance director on �health grounds�, the company said yesterday.

Linda Andrews, one of the driving forces behind the fast-growing Scottish information technology firm Maxima Holdings, is to resign from her post as finance director on "health grounds", the company said yesterday.

A spokesman for the Hillington, Renfrewshire-based company said: "She has an illness that is not life-threatening, but the stress of work is making it worse."

Andrews, who steps down on July 1, will be replaced by John Taylor, 47, who will join the company on the same day.

Taylor, who has worked with the bank of Scotland in structured finance, was previously finance director of Alfred McAlpine Business Services, the support services business of Alfred McAlpine.

Maxima, which told investors earlier this year that its trading was "robust" and its profit was in line with market expectations, said Andrews will remain with the business as corporate finance director on a part-time basis.

The company, which installs and manages IT systems for customers including Balfour Beatty, Caledonian MacBrayne and Orange, has blazed a trail of acquisitions, snapping up 10 companies since it first sold shares to investors almost four years ago.

Maxima was formed out of the software and IT subsidiary of engineer Weir Group.