Board of Directors
The Board is responsible for overseeing the Chamber's day to day operations. It meets monthly, approves the business plan and monitors performance against targets set in the plan. It receives reports from Senior Managers and the Chief Executive.
Current Board Members (click on each name for more information):
The Earl of Derby DL (President)
Neil Scales (Chair) - Merseytravel
Vincent Owen (Vice-Chair)
David Wade Smith
Michael J Prince
Brian McCann
Dougal Paver
Ian Pollitt
John Sutcliffe
Jack Stopforth - Chief Executive, Liverpool Chamber of Commerce
Sue Weir
Earl of Derby RL, President
Lord Derby (Edward) was born on 10th October 1962. Continuing a long family tradition, he was educated at Eton and was then commissioned into the Grenadier Guards (1981 - 1985) before attending the Royal Agricultural College, Cirencester.
In November 1994, he succeeded his uncle as the 19th Earl of Derby and, the following October, married the Hon. Caroline Neville, daughter of The Lord Braybrooke. They have three children: Henrietta, Edward and Oliver.
He joined Robert Fleming & Co Ltd in 1987 where he worked in the private client investment management business and became Head of Private Banking. He still spends some time in London, where he continues his investment banking interests on a part-time basis, as Chairman of Fleming Family & Partners Trustee Company Limited.
Most of his time is spent running the Knowsley Estate which is part agricultural and part commercial. It also includes Knowsley Safari Park, with over 500,000 visitors each year; and Knowsley Hall, which is rapidly becoming one of the best known stately homes for its event business. In 2007 Knowsley opened the longest and highest contious belay aerial walkway in Europe as a new attraction adjacent to the Safari Park. During Liverpool's Capital of Culture year Knowsley Hall became the first stately home and Liverpool's first establishment to be awarded 5 Star status.
Lord Derby was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant of Merseyside in 1999 and has become increasingly involved in recent years with some 100 organisations predominantly in the North West. In 2008 he was made an honorary Doctor of Laws by University of Liverpool and in 2009 he was awarded an honorary Doctor of Business Administration degree by University of Chester; he is their first and only DBA.
He is President of the Liverpool, Knowsley and Sefton Chambers of Commerce; President of the Liverpool Cathedral Centenary Fund and Patron of the Friends of Liverpool Cathedral; sits on the finance committee of the National Museums Liverpool; Local Area Patron of the Prince's Trust; President of the Royal Philharmonic Society and Liverpool College and Feoffee of Chetham's Music School. He also sits on the development board for University of Liverpool and is President of the Equine Appeal.
In addition, he is Life President of the Rugby Football League; a Director of Haydock Park Racecourse and a Trustee of the Aintree Racecourse Charitable Trust. His golfing interests are reflected in his Presidency of the Formby and Royal Lytham & St. Anne's Golf Clubs and his Vice-Presidency of The Professional Golfers' Association.
His extensive list of patronages reflects on the one hand, the centuries-long ties his Family has with this area and, on the other, his interest in some of the smaller, local charities in the more deprived parts of Merseyside.
Aside from his young family, Lord Derby enjoys food, wine and sport, and pursues an active interest in racing with his Stanley House Stud in Newmarket, and a great mare, Ouija Board, who was twice Horse of the Year. In 2007 he published his first book, Ouija Board, A Mare in a Million and has horses in training with Ed Dunlop, Sir Mark Prescott & Michael Bell.
Neil Scales, Chairman
Merseytravel, which controls assets of £1 billion, owns and operates the Mersey Tunnels. It is also the franchising body for the Merseyrail Electrics Concession and is unique in controlling a 25 year franchise for the locally controlled railway, managed on a devolved basis, with a record for delivering high quality service, running trains to 67 stations across the region.
Merseytravel also owns and operates the famous Mersey Ferries and associated tourism attractions, contributing more than £34 million a year to the region's tourism economy.
Under Neil Scales' leadership Merseytravel has been transformed into an award-winning learning organisation with the establishment of Merseylearn, a leader in its field and is the first PTA/PTE to achieve the ISO 14001
Before joining Merseytravel Neil Scales was an independent transport and engineering consultant working for the World Bank on projects across Europe. Educated at a technical school, he has a BSc in engineering, an MSc in Control Engineering and Computer systems, an MBA and is a Fellow of the three major engineering institutions.
Neil is Chair of pteg, the organisation that represents PTEs in England to government and is the elected President of European Platform on Mobility Management (EPOMM) which are a network of governments in European countries that are engaged in mobility management. Amongst his other responsibilities, he chairs ACT TravelWise which promotes sustainable travel, is a board member of the Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership and until recently, after nine years Chaired ITSO, the Integrated Smartcard Organisation
He was elected Chair of Liverpool Chamber in 2010
Vincent Owen
Vincent is a Fellow of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors.
He has held fellowship in two divisions of the RICS for 13 years, is an Associate of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, the managing partner with Owen Richmond LLP and Vice Chair of the Liverpool Chamber of Commerce.
Most of Vincent's spare time is spent either on the golf course or on his road bike.
Vincent is married to Una with two daughters, Jennifer and Charlotte and can be contacted on either 0151 515 3210, 07811 325278 or vincent.owen@owenrichmond.co.uk
David Wade Smith
David was born in Yorkshire and began a career in retail in the 1980s. He played an instrumental role in the strategic development of independent retailer Wade Smith, culminating in its sale to Arcadia Group in 1998.
He is the founder and Chairman of Livesmart Ltd, a provider of web-based lifestyle solutions, delivered via 'smart' ticketing, loyalty and membership products.
A Board Member at Liverpool Chamber of Commerce since 1994 and Chairman of the Board from 2005 to 2008, David has played a primary role in the regeneration of Liverpool. In addition to his work with the Chamber of Commerce, he has served as Chair of Tourism for Merseyside at The Mersey Partnership from 2005 to 2009.
David is also a founding member of the Board of Liverpool Vision. He served on the successful Board of the Liverpool bid team for European Capital of Culture, and has served as a Board member of TATE Liverpool and the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Society.
In December 2010 David was appointed as Business Advisor to the Cabinet of Liverpool City Council. This is a new and unique role, designed as part of a number of measures, for the local authority to work closer with the business community.
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Michael J Prince
Michael is a partner with legal firm DLA Piper Rudnick Gray Cary, based in their Liverpool office.
He is Chairman of the North-West Corporate group operating out of the Manchester and Liverpool offices. He has more than 25 years' experience as a corporate lawyer including five years as legal adviser to 3i Group PLC. He advises private and public companies on corporate and corporate finance issues, particularly private equity and development capital, London Stock Exchange public issue work, takeovers, mergers, acquisitions and disposals. He also advises on joint ventures (UK and international).
Michael is experienced in many sectors including transport, retail, property development, house building and construction, distribution and logistics, football clubs, chemicals, banking, insurance, stockbroking and financial services. He writes regularly for the media and speaks at conferences on corporate issues. He also acts as a non-executive director for a number of companies.
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Brian McCann
Brian McCann is an Economics Graduate of Liverpool University and a Chartered Accountant.
His business Vanguard Corporate Finance is one of Merseyside's leading Corporate Finance Advisory Firms and specialises in working with privately owned companies on acquisitions, business sales and raising finance.
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Dougal has spent his entire career in PR consultancy advising businesses across the economic spectrum, from ambitious SMEs up to major national and international brands such as M&S Simply Food and Shell.
He has a particular specialism in regeneration and works alongside major developers and contractors such as St Modwen Properties Plc and Grosvenor to provide PR and public affairs support around their major schemes.
Dougal has an acknowledged commitment to Liverpool and a detailed understanding of the political and economic dynamics that drive the city forward. He contributes via his membership of the board of Liverpool Chamber of Commerce and his role as a fundraising patron for Claire House Children's Hospice. He lives in Liverpool 8 with his wife, Helen, and two young children and counts various outdoor pursuits as his principal hobbies. He can't decide whether his season ticket at Everton FC is a hobby or a curse. Ask him at the end of each season.
Ian is a chartered Surveyor who works for Peel Holdings Limited, as a Development / Investment Surveyor and is currently responsible for the project management of Liverpool Waters and the management of all none operational land formerly managed by Mersey Docks and Harbour Company including the Cammell Laird site in Birkenhead.
He is Chief Executive of The Princes Dock Development Company and is also a Director of The Eldonian Group Limited.
Born in Liverpool, Ian has worked in local authority , Civil Service and prior to Peel's acquisition of Mersey Docks and Harbour Company, spent 16 years working within MDHC's Estates Department.
John Sutcliffe is a Chartered Engineer and Chartered Surveyor. He is Managing Director of Sutcliffe, a multi disciplinary practice in Liverpool which he founded in 1985. Prior to founding his own firm John worked for a number of other major consultancies including a 2 year period in Perth and Melbourne, Australia. John is a past Chair of the North West Group of the Association of Consulting Engineers and chairs the Construction and Development Committee at the Chamber. He is also Chair of the trustees of the 24/7 Theatre festival and takes a keen interest in the arts. Leisure time is usually on the golf links or walking the fells of the Lake District.
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Jack Stopforth, Chief Executive, Liverpool Chamber of Commerce
Jack joined the Chamber as Chief Executive in March 2005. Before that he was managing director of the Cumbria Inward Investment Agency for eight years. He was born in Liverpool and spent his early career as a development economist in London. He returned to work in Merseyside between 1978 and 1997, first as Chief Economic Adviser to Merseyside County Council and latterly (1986 to 1997) as owner manager of two public affairs, public relations and advertising companies.
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Sue Weir
Sue Weir is chief executive of Liverpool based health insurance group Medicash. She joined the organisation in 2004 as finance director until being appointed to the role of chief executive in 2008. Sue has re-established Medicash as one of the largest healthcare cash plan providers in the UK.
She also heads up the third party servicing company that currently provides back office services for two national companies.
Sue is a trustee of several charitable trusts, in addition to being a Regional Councillor for the CBI and is an Executive Member of the British Healthcare Association.
Prior to this, Sue was finance director of the Merseyside Special Investment Fund (MSIF). During her time with MSIF, the funds under management grew from £20m to £133m.
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