Gillian McAuley, Chief People Officer at Eakin Healthcare and Past President at Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NI Chamber) has been appointed to the board of British Chambers of Commerce (BCC).
She was chosen as a non-executive director after an extensive selection process carried out by the Nominations Committee over the summer.
She formally took up the role at the BCC’s Annual General Meeting, in London, on October 16, 2024.
She replaces Sean Ramsden, who has stood down from the board after serving his maximum of two full terms.
Sarah Howard, Chair of the BCC, said:
“I would like to extend my sincere thanks to Sean Ramsden for his dedication and invaluable contributions to the BCC since 2016. His expertise and insights have greatly shaped and supported our work.
“We are excited to welcome Gillian and look forward to working closely with her as we continue to drive the BCC’s mission forward. Her broad chamber experience, legal acumen and long and varied business career should prove strong assets for the board.”
Speaking about her appointment, Gillian McAuley said:
“I am delighted to have been appointed to the Board of BCC and look forward to serving alongside businesspeople from across the UK Chamber network. It is especially pleasing to be a voice for Northern Ireland on the Board, which has such an important role to play in shaping the direction of this very influential business organisation. At a time when we are resolutely focused on helping businesses to rebuild confidence and seize opportunities to innovate and grow, I look forward to supporting BCC in its mission.”
Gillian was born in Northern Ireland but emigrated to Canada as a child and lived there until 2001. She started her working life in Canada as a Barrister and Solicitor specialising in employment law.
Since returning to Northern Ireland, she has worked in a number of senior HR roles within electricity utilities for 14 years with Viridian Group (now Energia) and animal nutrition with Devenish Nutrition for seven years.
She is currently at medical device manufacturer Eakin Healthcare, which is headquartered in Comber, Northern Ireland.
Gillian has served on the People Committee at Ulster University for over three years and has recently been appointed to the Ulster University Council. She is a Fellow of the Institute of Directors (IoD) and has served on the Board of the NI Hospice and the NOW Group in the past.
She was the President of NI Chamber from 2022-2023.
