The Institute of Leisure and Amenity Management (ILAM) has announced the appointment of Iain Hook as its new chief executive.

Hook has previously worked at chief officer level at Mansfield District Council and the London Borough of Hackney.

A Fellow of ILAM, Iain is also treasurer and a former chair of the Chief Cultural and Leisure Officers Association (CLOA) and a senior director of the London Marathon.

He said: “It is a great honour to be joining the institute at such an important time, not only with the current merger proposals but with the many opportunities facing the leisure industry.”

He will take up his post on 5 September and replaces Lloyd Conaway, who has acted as interim chief executive since October 2004. Conaway is leaving to take up the position of director of the Bedfordshire sports partnership.