Marketing Lancashire has significantly strengthened its board by appointing a raft of new directors all with a passion for the development of the county.
In the latest wave of recruitment, the fabulous five will now join a team of 9 existing high-profile business and political leaders with one position remaining. The directors are all North-West based and bring a wide range of expertise to Marketing Lancashire.
The organisation works collaboratively with both local authority and private sector partners from across the county to communicate investment opportunities and to showcase the county’s strengths as a place to invest, work, live and study in, as well as a premier destination for visitors.
The five directors are:
Liz Moss, Chief Executive, Heritage Trust North West, which operates over 30 heritage properties across the North West of England. Liz brings a proven track record in engaging visitors with special places with a cultural heritage focus within the rural landscape and urban settings, and in growing commercial activity within the visitor economy.
Eddie Nelder, Director at Choice Hotels, which operates a portfolio of five hotels in Blackpool and the Lake District. The business employs 420 people and has 538 rooms, welcoming over 30,000 guests a year. Eddie joined the family-run business at the age of 13, accompanying his father to work, and has learned the hospitality trade from the bottom up.
Malcolm Ireland, Partner and Head of Leisure & Licensing at Harrison Drury & Co has extensive experience in the hospitality industry from the age of 14 and became a full time Chef following his A Levels. After qualifying as a solicitor in 2008 he now heads up the Leisure Sector team and provides legal advice on alcohol and the regulated entertainment.
Mark Allanson, Pro-Vice Chancellor, Edge Hill University joined Edge Hill in August 2014. Before his role at Edge Hill he was the Higher Education Funding Council for England’s Regional Consultant for the North West. His expertise encompasses a number of senior university roles including UK & International Student Recruitment.
Wayne Wild is an investor in various start-up businesses in the domestic property construction, estate agency, commercial property development, sports pitch hire, beauty therapy and mental health therapy sectors. As Chair of Darwen Town Deal, Wayne has led the board to be awarded a £25m central government grant matched with private and council funding to a combined total investment of £116m, which will be spent on nine capital infrastructure projects over the next 5 years.
Andrea Challis, CEO of the Partington Group and the Interim Chair of Marketing Lancashire said: “I am delighted to welcome such a fantastic contingent of new Directors to the Marketing Lancashire Board, and I am looking forward to working alongside them to help guide and support the work of the organisation. I have no doubt that the mix of skills and experience they have will be of real benefit to Rachel and the team, and I would like to thank them for the commitment and dedication that they have already demonstrated since joining in October. I believe exciting times are ahead.”
County Cllr Mike Goulthorp, Vice-Chair of Marketing Lancashire said: “I am really looking forward to working alongside all the new directors, who bring such a depth of experience with them.
“Lancashire is a fabulous county, with so much to offer and so much to be proud of. With such a dynamic board of directors, I am sure we will continue to build on all the great work the organisation does, such as the inspiring Ambassador programme, to ensure Lancashire is very firmly on the map.”
