Dr Gerard O’Hare appointed to board of Invest NI

Enterprise Minister Arlene Foster has announced the appointment of local business man Dr Gerard O’Hare to the Board of Invest Northern Ireland. Dr O’Hare joins several other prominent Northern Ireland business men in the new role – which starts on 1st April 2012 – and will run for three years. The appointments were made in accordance with the Code of Practice of the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments, Northern Ireland and Board Member’s annual remuneration is currently £11,633.

Dr Gerard O’Hare CBE, is well known in the Newry and Mourne area as a highly successful business man. He is currently Chair and MD of Parker Green International, a property company with an extensive portfolio of Irish, UK and International developments. He is also a visiting professor at the University of Ulster, School of the Built Environment and the prestigious Harvard Graduate School of Design, USA and was awarded an honorary Doctorate of letters for his involvement in and dedication to the championing of public private partnerships and urban regeneration.

Dr O’Hare has also had an involvement in a range of local activities in the Newry and South Down area. He chaired Tall Ships Belfast and is currently on a number of boards such as Belfast Harbour Commissioners, Business in the Community and the NI Princes Trust. He is also Honorary Consul of the Republic of Latvia to Northern Ireland.

Foster said, “I want to congratulate the Board members on their new appointment. The economic downturn means it is more essential than ever that we have strong and effective Board members who are equipped with all the skills and knowledge needed to help Invest Northern Ireland to grow innovation, exports, productivity and employment, as well as supporting wealth creation throughout Northern Ireland.”

Foster continued, “I am confident that the experience and drive of the newly appointed Board members will prove vital as we continue to rebuild and re-balance the Northern Ireland economy.”

Foster said that all appointments are made on merit and political activity plays no part in the selection process. However, the Commissioner for Public Appointments requires the political activity of appointees (if any declared) to be published. None of the new appointees carried out any political activity in the past five years.

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Posted by Emma Taylor on Apr 7 2012. Filed under Business, News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry