Agri-industry boss Lockhart named as new chairman of CBI NI
THE appointment of the head of agri-business giant Fane Valley Cooperative to a top CBI NI role will help the organisation as Brexit progresses, it has been claimed.
Trevor Lockhart was announced as the new CBI NI chairman at a dinner in the Culloden Hotel last night.
CBI UK president Paul Drechsler attended the dinner to congratulate Mr Lockhart on his new role.
Mr Dreschsler said last night: “We’re delighted to welcome Trevor as the new chair of CBI Northern Ireland.
“Trevor is a real leader both within the agri-food sector and across the Northern Ireland business community.
“He has extensive experience of working with partners across the UK, Europe and the island of Ireland and I know that this expertise will be a huge asset to the organisation as we progress with crucial Brexit negotiations.”
Mr Lockhart said that with talks to take place on trade relations after Brexit, “there has never been a more important time for businesses in Northern Ireland to be heard”. He added: “Decisions made now will have an enormous bearing, not only on our future prosperity, but also on our place in the global economy.”
He said he also wanted to address other challenges facing the economy, including driving productivity. His predecessor David Gavaghan, the founder of Aurora Prime Real Estate, is now CBI NI vice-chairman.