The Department for Infrastructure has announced four reappointments and one extension to an appointment term for members of the Board of Northern Ireland Water.
Belinda Oldfield, Marie-Thérèse McGivern, Patrick Larkin and Maurice Bullick have all been reappointed to serve for a second term. Peter McNaney’s second term has been extended until 31 March 2024.
Northern Ireland Water (NIW) is responsible for the delivery of water and sewerage services across Northern Ireland. The NIW Board provides independent judgement on issues of strategy, performance, governance and executive appointments.
The reappointments are effective from 1 February 2024 and will be for a period of up to four years.
Notes to editors:
- The reappointments have been made in accordance with the Commissioner for Public Appointments for Northern Ireland Code of Practice.
- Northern Ireland Water (NIW) is established as a government owned company (The Department for Infrastructure (DfI) is the sole shareholder). It operates under a Companies Act. The articles of association state that the Board shall consist of no more than 10 Non-Executive Members including the Chair.
- The Board currently has a membership of a Chair, five Non-Executive Members and four Executive Members. The Non-Executive Members currently receive remuneration of £18,000 per annum.
- All appointments are made on merit and political activity plays no part in the selection process. However, the Commissioner for Public Appointments for Northern Ireland requires the political activity of appointees to be published. All five appointees have declared that they have not undertaken any political activities.
- The decision on these reappointments was taken by the Department for Infrastructure’s Permanent Secretary under The Northern Ireland (Executive Formation Etc) Act 2022.
- A joint competition to appoint a Chair and one Non-Executive Member of NI Water is currently being arranged.
Biographies
- Peter McNaney CBE has served on the NI Water Board since 2015. He is Chair of the Audit Committee and nominated Senior Independent Director. He is a solicitor by profession and previously served as Chief Executive of Belfast City Council for 13 years, retiring in 2014 and was Chair of the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust until April 2023. Mr McNaney brings the following skills and knowledge to the NIW role, corporate governance, performance management, developing and delivering strategy, working in partnership/stakeholder engagement and organisational change.
- Ms Belinda Oldfield is a Fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE). She has 30 years experience in the water industry in Scotland, stepping down from Scottish Water in 2022. Ms Oldfield is a Non-Executive Director with Highlands & Islands Enterprise (HIE) for which she receives remuneration of £10,000 per annum; a Non-Executive Director of the Scottish Government for which she receives remuneration of £13,300; and is a member of the University of Strathclyde Court. Ms Oldfield brings the following skills and knowledge to the NIW role: extensive regulatory experience, corporate risk management, governance; development and delivery of strategy, transformation and change management, stakeholder engagement and partnership working.
- Mr Patrick Larkin has served as a NI Water Non-Executive Member since 2020. He is an Engineering Graduate from Queen’s University Belfast. Since 2010 he has been Chief Executive of Mutual Energy Ltd. He was previously Chief Executive of Premier Power, a subsidiary of the BG Group and owner of Ballylumford Power Station and spent time in Engineering and Commercial roles in the Company. Mr Larkin brings the following skills and knowledge to the NIW role, utility regulation, corporate governance, and performance management, developing and delivery strategy and working in partnership/stakeholder engagement.
- Mr Maurice Bullick is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland and is currently Finance and Compliance Director of Belfast Harbour Commissioners. He is Honorary Treasurer and Council Member of the British Ports Association and a former co-opted member of the NI Water Audit and Risk Committees. Mr Bullick brings the following skills and knowledge to the NIW role, corporate governance and performance management, developing and delivering strategy, working in partnership/stakeholder engagement and financial management.
- Dr Marie-Thérèse McGivern retired as Principal and Chief Executive of Belfast Metropolitan College in March 2020. Prior to that she was Director of Development at Belfast City Council from 1999 - 2009. She is Chair of Maritime Belfast until Nov 2024. She also Chairs Visit Belfast and the Employability and Skills Board for the Belfast Region City Deal. She is a non-Executive Director of the Strategic Investment Board for Northern Ireland for which she receives £11,100 per annum and Invest Northern Ireland for which she receives £13,025 per annum. Dr McGivern brings the following skills and knowledge to the NIW role - corporate governance and performance management, developing and delivering strategy and outcomes, working in partnership, stakeholder engagement and organisational change.
- All media queries should be directed to the Department for Infrastructure Press Office at: press.office@infrastructure-ni.gov.uk
- The Executive Information Service operates an out of hours service for media enquiries only between 1800hrs and 0800hrs Monday to Friday and at weekends and public holidays. The duty press officer can be contacted on 028 9037 8110.
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