Supporting local enterprise takes a broad mix of experience, ideas and connections. In this new series, we’re introducing the people on the East Belfast Enterprise board and sharing the experience they bring to our work.
We begin by welcoming our new Chairman, Glyn Roberts, and new Director, Kellie-Ann Hoey. Between them, they bring extensive experience in business representation, communications, responsible business and community engagement.
Glyn Roberts: Experience at the heart of local business
Glyn has spent much of his career representing businesses and helping their voices be heard. He has been Chief Executive of Retail NI since January 2008, following seven years as Head of the Federation of Small Businesses in Northern Ireland.
His experience brings a valuable perspective on the challenges facing local businesses and the role they play in thriving towns, high streets and communities.
Alongside his work at Retail NI, Glyn has held a range of positions across business, education and the community sector. He chaired the NI High Streets Taskforce Policy Committee and is a board member of Ashton Community Trust. He also served as Chairman of Colleges NI from 2014 to 2017, was a member of the South Eastern Regional College Governing Body and held the role of Vice-Chairman of the Northern Ireland Assembly and Business Trust from 2011 to 2012.
Earlier in his career, Glyn worked in public affairs and charity communications, as well as managing a community work programme for people experiencing long-term unemployment in West Belfast.
He holds a degree in Political Science from Ulster University and completed Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government Leaders for Tomorrow Programme in 2008 and the US State Department International Leadership Programme in 2007.
We’re delighted to welcome Glyn as Chairman and look forward to the contribution his business and community experience will make to East Belfast Enterprise.
Kellie-Ann Hoey: Connecting business, people and purpose
Kellie-Ann joins our board with more than 20 years’ experience in communications and corporate responsibility.
As Group Communications & Responsible Business Director at SHS Group, she leads strategic communications, reputation management, stakeholder engagement and the Group’s Responsible Business agenda. Her work brings together how a business communicates, the relationships it builds and the contribution it makes beyond its day-to-day operations.
In 2023, Kellie-Ann was named Business in the Community Northern Ireland’s Responsible Business Ambassador. She also chairs BITC NI’s CR Leaders Forum and plays an active role on both GroceryAid’s Northern Ireland Committee and the Chartered Institute of Public Relations Northern Ireland Committee.
Kellie-Ann holds a Combined Social Policy degree and a Master’s in Management from Ulster University, alongside a Postgraduate Diploma in Advertising, Marketing and Public Relations from Queen’s University Belfast.
Her experience in responsible business and stakeholder engagement will bring a useful perspective to our board as we continue supporting enterprise in East Belfast.
Please join us in welcoming Glyn and Kellie-Ann. Over the coming articles, we’ll introduce more of the people helping to guide East Belfast Enterprise.
Front row, left to right: Duncan Graham, Jonathan McAlpin (Chief Executive) and Tori Shaw.
