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IoD appoints James Cain as North Yorkshire chair

The Institute of Directors (IoD) has appointed Harrogate Spring Water boss James Cain OBE as branch chair for North Yorkshire.

He will be supported by newly appointed vice-chair Caroline Pullich, who leads the Yorkshire Business Banking team at Barclays.

Former North Yorkshire branch chair Jon Geldart has stepped down from the role after being appointed UK Director General of the business leaders’ organisation.

James and Caroline will work alongside a committee of business leaders to ensure that the views of local businesses are represented within the IoD’s influential, national policy voice.

James started his career at Asda Wal-Mart, where he became the youngest ever general manager, responsible for a mega-distribution centre employing 1,200 staff. Under James’ leadership, Harrogate Spring has become Britain’s number one premium water brand. Ethical water brand Thirsty Planet, launched in 2007, has now raised over £2m for Third World water projects via charity Pump Aid.

Caroline Pullich heads a team of around 60 people who service the complex banking needs of 6,000 SME clients. She has more than seven years of experience with Barclays, prior to which she spent more than two decades with NatWest. Caroline also holds positions with Leeds Chamber of Commerce, Bradford Producer City, Bradford Breakthrough and Maggie’s the Cancer Charity.

James Cain said: “I’m honoured to be appointed to this prestigious role and look forward to continuing Jon’s excellent work within the branch region. North Yorkshire stretches across a vast area and is home to a fantastic array of market-leading businesses and entrepreneurial leaders.

“I’m looking forward to raising the profile of North Yorkshire business and ensuring that members feel engaged and inspired during these challenging and uncertain times.”

Caroline Pullich said: “Having actively participated in the IoD community for some time now, I am looking forward to taking my involvement to the next level. The IoD offers agenda-setting events, valuable advice and an influential policy voice but we need to develop this further to ensure the organisation stays relevant and reflects the diversity of the modern business world.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Richard Abbott .