Paul Murray, a senior independent director at market research giant Taylor Nelson Sofres and a non-executive of the even larger French consumer electronics conglomerate Thomson, has agreed to lend his weight to the board of AIM-listed marketing minnow Tangent.

Tangent’s chief executive, Nick Green (nephew of media tycoon Michael Green), is thrilled to have pulled off such a significant human resources coup. He enthuses that Murray ‘brings with him tremendous experience and know-how in the Plc arena’.

‘Tangent has an exciting blueprint for the future of our industry. I look forward to working closely together with Paul as we deliver our strategy,’ says Green.

Tangent has won shareholder approval to raise £6.1 million for its proposed acquisition of Newcastle-based direct marketing expert Ravensworth Ltd.

Murray will join the board as a non-executive director to provide experience to the board of relatively embryonic Tangent, which reversed onto AIM in 2005. As well as his present directorial roles, he has held positions as finance director of Carlton Communications (David Cameron’s former employer) and as corporate development director at oil and gas company Lasmo.