Wilson Bowden has appointed Jane Aikman group finance director.

Aikman will join the housebuilder and developer on Monday, taking over from Graham Brown. Brown will remain an executive director to aid the transition.

Aikman joins from communications company Pressac, where she has been group finance director since 2004 and acting chief executive since 2005.

The appointment has been made at a time of increasing speculation about the future of Wilson Bowden. In July the company revealed that it had appointed NM Rothschild to undertake a review on behalf of David Wilson, founder and chairman, and his family.

At the time, rumours of a possible sale, or the separation of its housing and development businesses, caused the share price to jump 5% to £14.50.

The company has struggled in the current housing market and in March announced a drop in pre-tax profit for the year to 31 December 2005 to £224m from £259m the previous year.

Wilson said: “I am pleased to welcome Jane Aikman to the board of Wilson Bowden. She brings wide-ranging industrial experience coupled with strong financial skills to the group.”