Economy Minister Dr has appointed Mr Colm
McKenna to serve as Interim Chair of the Governing Body of
Northern Regional College. He has been appointed from
9 September 2025 for a period of up to 12 months.
Commenting on the appointment, Minister Archibald said:
“Our local further education colleges are central to the
delivery of skills and learning to people across the north. I am
pleased to appoint Mr McKenna to the post of Interim Chair at
Northern Regional College and wish him well as he takes up this
role.”
The appointment has been made in accordance with the Code of
Practice issued by the Commissioner for Public Appointments
for Northern Ireland (www.publicappointmentsni.org/).
Notes to editors:
1. Northern Regional College (NRC) is one of six further
education colleges in Northern Ireland sponsored by the
Department for the Economy (DfE). Colleges are non-departmental
public bodies of DfE, which are established under the Further
Education (Northern Ireland) Order 1997. Each governing body
(GB) is responsible for securing the efficient and effective
management of the college, the provision of suitable further
education to its students and determining the college's strategic
direction. In delivering college services, the GB takes into
account the educational needs of the business sector and the
local community.
2. Mr McKenna has been appointed following a recent competition
process.
3. Following a long and successful career in Financial Services,
which included leadership positions in Corporate Treasury,
International Banking, Trade Finance and Marketing, Mr McKenna
retired from the industry in 2008. He is a former Chair of
the NI Public Sector Chairs Forum and the NI Confederation for
Health and Social Care. He has served as Chair and Non-Executive
Director across a range of large public sector organisations
including Chair of South Eastern HSC Trust (2008-2019), Chair of
the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (2014 – 2019), Chair of
the NI Food Advisory Committee and Board Member for the NI Food
Standards Agency (2016 – 2022). He also served as Non-Executive
Director and/or Chair of Audit Committee at the NI Assembly
Secretariat (2010 – 2016), NI Courts and Tribunal Services (2011
– 2019), ILEX URC Ltd (2010 -2016) and the NI Policing Board
(2018 – 2022). Mr McKenna was a Department for the Economy
Non-Executive Director from 2017 until February 2023 and served
as Interim Chair to the Board of Invest NI until February
2024. He does not hold any other public appointments.
4. The post of GB Chair is remunerated at a rate of £20,000 per
annum, plus travel and subsistence allowances which are payable
at Northern Ireland Civil Service rates in respect of activities
carried out whilst fulfilling their duties.
4. All appointments are made on merit and political activity
plays no part in the selection process. However, the
Commissioner for Public Appointments for Northern Ireland
requires the political activity of appointees (if any declared)
to be published. Mr McKenna has not undertaken any political
activity in the last five years.
