A chartered accountant has been given a global role by his professional body.

Fluent French-speaking Bob Webb, of Menston, has been named as the first chairman of the international brief by the Institute of Chartered Accountants. He already has extensive overseas experience in Zaire, Belgium, France and Hungary.

He is responsible for looking after the interests of 15,000 ICA members in 130 countries around the world.

He said: "Through e-mail, we now have the means of reaching out to a large, disparate group of chartered accountants working overseas.

"The international focus provides a link for two-way communications, so the needs of these members can be represented."

A serving ICA council member, Mr Webb is a former president of the West Yorkshire Society of Chartered Accountants. He was a partner at Price Waterhouse in Leeds for 14 years.