British Gas general counsel Melanie Rowlands has left the company to rejoin vacuum technology producer Edwards Group as a legal consultant.

Rowlands, who completed a three-year stint as legal director, company secretary and HR director at Edwards between 2007 and 2010, rejoined the company in April after two years as GC at the energy giant.

She took on the top legal role at British Gas in 2010 from Adrian Morris, who became associate general counsel for BP's global refining and marketing division.