IRISH computer company CBT has appointed the former president of Apple computers in the US as its president and chief operating officer. Mr James Buckley, who was president of Apple Americas and a senior vice president of Apple Computer Inc, will report to Mr Bill McCabe, the chairman and chief executive of the CBT Group.

The company which is listed on the technology based Nasdaq stock exchange in the US has alliances with Microsoft, Oracle, Netscape and Cisco, among other groups.

According to Mr McCabe, Mr Buckley has a "unique set of skills and experience which will be of enormous help to CBT as it moves into the next stage of its development".