NEW director general of the AA is John Maxwell, corporate development director of the Prudential Corporation. The appointment ends national newspaper speculation that former junior transport minister Steven Norris, who is to stand-down as an MP at next year's General Election, was the front-runner to take over the helm from Simon Dyer, who died earlier this year.

Maxwell, who trained as a chartered accountant, is expected to join the AA before the end of the year. Until then Frank Thackwray, managing director of the AA's core business, membership, continues as acting director general.