Key regional chairmen appointed
TWO of Yorkshire’s top industralists have been appointed chair of key industry organisations Business Link Yorkshire and the CBI’s Yorkshire & Humber Council.
Tony Pedder – chairman of engineering company Sheffield Forgemasters International – has been named as chairman of Business Link Yorkshire.
Helen West, chief executive officer of Business Link Yorkshire, said: “We have three critical goals – to help more businesses grow and develop through using our services, to win and retain the support of our many partners in the region and ensure the quality of information and support to businesses.
“Tony’s breadth of experience in all these areas means he brings credibility, expertise and local knowledge to our board. It is a great compliment to attract someone of Tony’s calibre to lead us.”
Mr Pedder is chairman of Sheffield NHS Primary Care Trust and deputy chairman of regeneration company Renaissance South Yorkshire Ltd. Last year he was appointed a deputy lieutenant of South Yorkshire.
He said: “I see my new role as a fantastic and exciting challenge to help achieve the greatest possible success for the region’s entrepreneurial businesses. My own broad business background means I will bring different approaches and skills to complement the great work being done by Helen and her team.”
Lindsey Parnell, CEO and President of InterfaceFLOR, has succeeded Ian McIntosh as chairman of the CBI’s Yorkshire & Humber Council.
Mr Parnell joined Coopers & Lybrand for three years as a consultant moving to Firth Carpets in 1996 as production director.
In 1997 the company was bought by Interface and a year later he was promoted to vice-president of operations for Interface’s modular floor covering operations in the UK before being promoted to senior vice-president of operations for the entire European modular flooring operations.
He went on to become president and chief executive officer of the European modular division of Interface Inc in 2002.
InterfaceFLOR’s UK Headquarters and factory are based in Shelf, Yorkshire.
Mr Parnell said: “I am delighted to take the Chair of CBI Yorkshire & Humber Region and working with CBI member companies. There are a number of major challenges facing businesses at the moment and I hope that during my tenure I can continue to demonstrate to members and the broader business community that sustainability positively impacts growth and the bottom line.”
