THE Institute of Directors (IoD) in the North-East has re-organised its local sub-committee structure and appointed two new local sub-committee chairmen to support new regional chairman Graham Robb.

The IoD will function through two local sub-committees reporting to its regional committee. The new sub-committees will cover the areas of each of the region’s two Local Enterprise Partnerships.

Mr Robb also is supported in his role as chairman of the North East Regional Committee by vice chairman Nicki Clark, chief operating officer at BE Group, an independent business services group that specialises in business information, events and commercial development programmes.

She has responsibility for the Group’s operations and leads on development and implementation of new key initiatives. Her previous experience has been in international sales, marketing, new product development in the Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) sector, retail banking and business consultancy.

BE Group’s services are designed to help businesses to become more productive, profitable and competitive.

The Tees Valley sub-committee will be chaired by Paul Barron, Director of Executives Online, which delivers professional business services solutions in interim and permanent executive recruitment.

The North Eastern sub-committee will be chaired by David Cliff, owner of Gedanken, a North East-based consultancy providing a rare blend of personal development, business and executive coaching, staff counselling, mediation and management consultancy skills.

Mr Robb, said: “Business has got used to the new LEPs and likes stability. We are organising our local sub-committees in areas which reflect the footprints of the two Local Enterprise Partnerships serving the North East and we hope to engage our members in these areas as we make our representation more relevant to the current structure that has been adopted by local councils and the Government.

“Our two new local chairmen are well-connected and experienced business leaders, who will represent IoD members effectively in the areas served by their sub-committees.

I’m delighted they are giving up some of their valuable time to support the Institute of Directors.”