THE chairman of the Institute of Directors visited the Isle of Man yesterday to meet senior government officers and politicians and to official confirm the partnership between the local branch of the IoD and the Isle of Man Business Centre.
Dr Neville Bain was also on the Island to promote the role of the IoD within the Manx business community which it is hoped will lead to an increased membership of the Institute in future.
Meetings were held with a number of people during his one day visit, including Treasury Minister Anne Craine and Financial Supervision Commission chief executive John Aspden. The meetings were said to be “positive”.
However, the main reason for the visit of Dr Bain was to formalise the partnership established by the local branch of the IoD to use the Isle of Man Business Centre in Circular Road, Douglas as the headquarters of the local branch.
Sally Bolton, chairman of the local branch of the Institute, said, “This day marks an exciting new development for the Institute of Directors on the Isle of Man. We now have for the first time a permanent physical presence that can be identified as headquarters.”
She also thanked Anthony Long and his fellow directors at Capital International for their vision in creating the facilities for the Island’s business community. “We are proud to have our new home within these wonderful facilities,” she added.
Membership of the IoD in the Isle of Man is now approaching 250 and Sally Bolton hoped the visit of Dr Bain and a new recruitment campaign would further strengthen membership in the near future.
“It is important for all of us who work on the Isle of Man to promote the Island and its business services in a highly professional way and demonstrate that we can compete with the best in the rest of the world,” she added.
“These wonderful new facilities are a small step on the way to achieving those ends.”
Dr Bain was born and educated in New Zealand and has worked internationally in various senior finance and general management roles. His main career was with Cadbury Schweppes plc where he occupied roles as finance director, commercial director and managing director in different countries over a period of 27 years.
His final role was as managing director of worldwide confectionery and finally as deputy CEO and finance director. He then joined Coats Viyella, the international textile, clothing and fashion company, as CEO for over 5 years.
Since 1990 Dr Bain has had a portfolio of roles involving non-executive directorships, consulting in governance and board evaluation and making investments in business. Past posts have included directorships with Royal Mail Group (chairman), Scottish & Newcastle plc and Hogg Robinson Group (chairman).
As well as being the current chairman of the IoD, Dr Bain is chairman of two substantial pension funds, non-executive director of Blocon (pharmaceutical products) and Provexis, a small Aim listed company in the UK.
He is the author of five books covering general management, good governance, utilising people effectively and his latest book, published in September 2010, “The Effective Board.”
