The Board

Nichola Robinson - Chair

Sourcing Director, Bombardier Aerospace

With over 22 years experience in Aerospace Supply Chain Nichola is currently is a member of the leadership team at Bombardier Aerospace Belfast.

Nichola leads a team of sourcing professionals with responsibility for the planning and execution of sourcing strategies, managing the introduction of new programmes, work transfer processes and low cost country development.

Her leadership responsibilities also include Value Engineering within Bombardier Belfast, where she leads a team of engineering and sourcing professionals who develop and implement innovative concepts.

A graduate in Management Operations from University of Jordanstown, she also has a professional coaching qualification, and is a member of the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply.

Anne Clydesdale - Vice Chair

Leadership Consultant

Anne Clydesdale has been a leading figure in the world of learning and development in Ireland for the past 31 years. She was Director of Training and Corporate Development for B.I.C. Systems for eighteen years. Following the sale of the company to BT in 2004, she went on to work in PwC before joining Queen’s University to establish the William J Clinton Leadership Institute. By 2018, when she retired from Queen’s, Anne had successfully developed the Institute to be N Ireland’s premier provider of high-end executive education.

Anne has run a number of businesses during her career and has sat on a number of boards and advisory committees in both the public, private and third sectors. She brings significant experience in Finance, Marketing, PR and corporate governance. She continues to work in the field of executive coaching and training consultancy.

Relevant Qualifications include:

BA Hons Modern Languages, Diploma in Strategic Marketing (London Business School). Prince II Accredited Practitioner; Diploma in Executive Coaching (AoEC); 360 Degree Assessor using Human Synergistics 360 Tool;

Imelda McMillan - Chair

Staff Partner, O’Reilly Stewart Solicitors

After graduating from Law in 1987 Imelda spent two years in community work in West Belfast as a project co-ordinator. Subsequently, in 1989, she became a trainee solicitor to Garrett O`Reilly of O`Reilly Stewart Solicitors, Belfast and graduated from the Institute of Professional Legal Studies in 1991.

In 2000, Imelda became a Partner in O`Reilly Stewart Solicitors and was appointed Staff Partner with responsibility for all personnel matters within the firm.

She is Head of the Property Department and specialises in Reconstruction of Title, house building developments, apartment schemes including site acquisitions and all aspects of property law. Imelda was also the Senior Vice President of the Law Society for 2012/2013.

Andrea McIlroy Rose - Head of the Belfast Office, Pinsent Masons

Andrea McIlroy-Rose is a Real Estate Partner and Head of the Belfast Office at international law firm, Pinsent Masons.

Andrea leads the Belfast property team and in addition she is head of the firm's UK retail property team. Andrea acts for clients in both Northern Ireland and England and has been named as a “Leader in the Field” for real estate for over 10 years in the Chambers Guide to the Legal Profession and Legal 500 directories. She specialises in development and investment work and has been involved in a large number of the major developments in NI including the new HQ buildings for Allstate Insurance and Concentrix, the recent acquisition of Belfast International Airport and shopping centres such as Victoria Square, Junction One and Bloomfield In the last week Pinsent Masons has been named “ Law Firm of the Year” at the Lawyer Awards 2018

.A mother of two teenagers, Andrea has a special interest in diversity and inclusion and since 2013 has been the international chair of the firm's female networking group, Female Futures whose membership spans all of the 24 Pinsent Masons offices. She is a regular speaker at corporate events on diversity issues and the promotion and empowerment of women and is very much looking forward to working closely with the Board of Women in Business to help achieve their objective to equip women with the business skills they need to succeed and have a positive impact upon the lives of all of its members.

Angela Moore - Managing Director, Ravensdale Capital Investments LLC, Washington, DC

Angela is extremely experienced in the business world and she holds an MBA, with areas of expertise in marketing and finance.

She is a major shareholder in a whiskey distillery in the USA and through Ravensdale Capital has financed many technology start-ups.

She is currently Chair of the North American Board of Friends of the Lyric, a Board member of American Ireland Fund and is also a member of the Advisory Board of Crescent Capital, Belfast and the Irish Global Economic Forum.

Joris Minne - PR Consultant, JPR

Joris is an award-winning PR consultant who trained at the National Geographic Society as a journalist in Washington DC.

After a successful 10-year career in business journalism in London and Madrid, he returned to Northern Ireland to join the PR industry in 1992.

As PR consultant, trustee of Belfast’s top arts centre, and strategic adviser, Joris has helped facilitate the creation of major new capital investment projects including the MAC, HMS Caroline and Kilkeel Regeneration. He is skilled in all aspects of public relations including crisis communications management, profile building, corporate communications, reputation protection and consumer PR.

Joris speaks French and Spanish, writes a weekly food column for the Belfast Telegraph and is a regular commentator and reviewer for the BBC.

Mairead Mackle - CEO of HCIL

The driving force behind the HCIL ethos and vision, Mairead is an award winning, female entrepreneur. HCIL is a leader in care, support and housing solutions with a 1,200 strong team across Ireland. In an era of emerging technologies, Mairead recently founded 'iCare Digital', a progressive solution focused on improving the delivery of social care for the future.

Alongside her many business interests, Mairead is a loving mother to seven children... after all, multi-tasking does tend to be a women's prerogative. Despite the demands of business, Mairead has made it her priority to fulfil her passion for philanthropy and giving back to her community, highlighted in the number of charities & mentoring initiatives she is involved with. As a founding member of iCare in 2010, the fantastic work of the charity is close to Mairead's heart.

Mairead is also the founder of EVOLVE, a women's network that inspires and supports strong female leadership across the community. She is also a founding partner of LIFT Ireland, which focuses on character and value-based leadership for future generations.

A finalist in Ernst and Young Entrepreneur Of The Year® Award, Mairead has been recognised for her innovation in Business and recently received a National Special Recognition Award for her commitment to family business and impact on the local community. HCIL has also been recognised as an industry leader in both business and CSR winning several prestigious industry awards. It is also one of the first companies in NI to achieve the Gender Diversity Award.