‘Outstanding leaders’ welcomed on board as directors of LLEP
APPOINTMENTS ‘UNDERSCORE COMMITMENT TO EQUALITY’
LEICESTER and Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership has announced the appointment of Rani Mahal, Anne-Marie Hunt and Sonia Baigent to its board.
Confirming the new recruits, the LLEP said it had found three “outstanding local business leaders who will bring experience and a unique perspective to its decision-making processes”.
LLEP chairman Kevin Harris said: “I wholeheartedly welcome Rani Mahal, Anne-Marie Hunt and Sonia Baigent to the LLEP board of directors.
“Their appointment will galvanise our ability to champion Leicester and Leicestershire as an outstanding region in which to live, to work and to invest.
“That all three of the new board members are women underscores the LLEP’s commitment to equality of representation at all levels of our decision-making processes.
“Rani, Anne-Marie and Sonia’s appointments double our number of female board members, joining Karen Smart, managing director of East Midlands Airport; Emma Anderson, director of Freeths Solicitors; and Verity Hancock, principal and CEO of Leicester College.
“All six women are outstanding local business leaders, offering unique and valuable perspectives as we continue our work to improve the economy of our incredibly diverse region.”
Rani Mahal
Rani started out in advertising and telecommunications, moving into management in the textiles sector, and, more recently, in property development.
Her family-run company, Midland Corsetry, supplies several high street retailers.
She is vice president of the Leicestershire Asian Business Association (LABA), where she has championed the contribution of women, running business networking events and helping the local business community engage with national government.
Rani said: “As a local business leader with over 40 years’ experience in developing and managing a family-run business, I will assist with the strategic direction of the LLEP.
“My skills in governance, scrutiny, equality and diversity gained as a charity trustee and local councillor will enable me to be a critical friend to the board and bring about a more balanced approach to the decisionmaking processes.
“Leicestershire has been my home for over four decades, so I am very familiar with the region.
“I represent women at local, regional and national level as vice president of LABA, and female business leaders across Leicester, Leicestershire and beyond.
“I want to be instrumental in bringing about investment, shaping the future economic direction and delivering business growth in Leicester and Leicestershire.”
Anne-Marie Hunt
Anne-Marie studied law and psychology at De Montfort University before joining NatWest Bank as a trainee in 2000. She has held many positions within the bank, both in Leicester and across the wider East Midlands.
In 2018, she was appointed director of commercial banking in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland – a role which sees her heading up a team of commercial bankers who look after 500 SMEs across the region.
Her team supports a local homeless charity through volunteering and fund-raising, helps school pupils through the NatWest’s Moneysense programme, and young people through her work with The Prince’s Trust.
Anne-Marie said: “I have strong local connections as a result of my time spent within the Leicester and Leicestershire business community and look forward to being a voice for the LLEP to benefit local businesses and to helping shape the region’s strategy.
“Small and medium enterprises play a huge role in all our lives – they are the backbone and lifeblood of our local economy.
“I aim to be a strong voice for SMEs in Leicester and Leicestershire and represent their interests as we develop a strategy to take our city and the wider region forward.”
Sonia Baigent
Sonia is a qualified accountant and licenced insolvency practitioner who has provided business consultancy advice and support to SMEs for more than 15 years.
She is experienced in advising businesses on all manner of challenges, and assisting with growth plans, strategic direction, and succession planning.
She also runs her own business and has experienced first-hand the opportunities and challenges they can face, giving her a comprehensive understanding of the issues faced by SMEs in Leicester and Leicestershire.
Sonia said: “This is both a challenging and exciting time for our region and the businesses within it.
“I am excited to bring my passion for Leicester and Leicestershire together with my experience and knowledge as a business adviser to represent the SMEs that make up such a large proportion of our local businesses.
“I look forward to playing a key role in developing strategies to enhance growth and investment in these SMEs, and to positively represent a significant sector of the business community that is served by the LLEP.”