Member Article

Alison Thain joins CBI North East Council as vice chair

Social housing boss Alison Thain OBE will become the new vice chair of the CBI North East Council.

President of the CBI, Sir Mike Rake made the announcement, which will see Alison take up duties as deputy to the chair, Heidi Mottram OBE - chief executive of Northumbrian Water.

Alison will succeed Heidi in September 2014.

Alison has been a member of the North East Council since 2010. She has worked in the Tees Valley for over 20 years, and is chief executive of the Thirteen Group, a housing association Group of five partners; Erimus Housing, Housing Hartlepool, Tees Valley Housing, Tristar Homes and Thirteen Care and Support, formed in April 2014 following the merger of Fabrick and Vela Homes.

The Group has over 32,500 homes, a turnover of £150 million, an asset base of almost £1 billion and ambitious plans to improve the housing, community facilities and life chances of its residents and customers

The CBI North East Council forms part of the CBI’s national policy making committee, signing off all CBI’s public policy positions.

The Council also plays a vital role in promoting the interests of businesses in the North East and ensuring the region’s business voice is heard in Westminster, Whitehall, Brussels and beyond.

Alison also holds a number of non-executive directorships throughout the North East, including Tees Valley Unlimited, the sub-regional LEP. Alison is also Vice Chairman of Darlington Building Society. She was awarded the OBE in 2004.

Alison said: “I am really excited to have been appointed Vice Chair of the North East Regional Council.

“The next 12 months in particular are vital for business in the run up to the general election and I’m looking forward to working with the current chair, Heidi Mottram, and Dianne Sharp and Liz Mayes in the CBI North East team to make sure our business voice is heard in national and regional policy debates.

“I am passionate about the potential of this region and look forward to working with our members here to ensure all parts of the region benefit from the economic upturn.”

Across the UK, the CBI speaks on behalf of 190,000 businesses of all sizes and sectors which together employ nearly 7 million people, about one third of the private sector-employed workforce.

With offices in the UK as well as representation in Brussels, Washington, Beijing and Delhi, the CBI communicates the British business voice around the world.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Tom Keighley .