Bill McGinnis CBE - Northern Ireland Adviser on Employment and Skills
Bill McGinnis has just been appointed Northern Ireland Adviser on Employment and Skills. He holds an MSc from the University and is a board member of a number of public and private sector organizations. Among the posts he has held are Chairman of the Learning and Skills Advisory Board of the Department for Employment and Learning; board member of Invest NI; member of the National Employment Panel and the Sector Skills Development Agency. He is a former President of the Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce.
Mr McGinnis has wide experience in the promotion of exports by Northern Ireland business. He began his business career in export marketing with Sperrin Metal Products, the County Londonderry-based manufacturer of racking, shelving and storage systems. He represented Sperrin Metal in the Arabian Gulf and subsequently held a number of the most senior posts at the company, including Chairman and Managing Director, before setting up his own business in 2000.
He was awarded an OBE in 1997 for his services to Northern Ireland industry and a CBE in the 2004 Birthday Honours list.
