Industrial Development Advisory Board
Four valued members of the Industrial Development Advisory Board (IDAB) have been reappointed for an additional term by Greg Clark the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.
The IDAB advises government on strategically important investment projects to support businesses undertaking major capital investments to increase competitiveness and productivity as well as create additional employment, boosting the local and national economy.
Details of the re-appointments
Nicky Foulston
Nicky Foulston has been appointed for a further 3 years to the board. Nicky is CEO of the City Law Firm Resenblatts and was named Veuve Businesswoman of the Year in 1997 when she was Chief Executive of Brands Hatch Leisure plc she was, and remains, the awards youngest ever recipient. Nicky became Chief Executive of Brands Hatch in early 1990 when the business was valued at 6 million and built it into the largest organiser and promoter of motor sport in Europe; in 1996, she floated the business and the London Stock Exchange; and in 1999, she sold the business for over $195 million to Interpublic, the US marketing giant.
Nicky has since run a private family office with private equity investments in the USA and Europe and was originally appointed to the Industrial Development Advisory Board in 2014.
Sybella Stanley
Sybella Stanley has been reappointed for a further 3 years and is Director of Corporate Finance at RELX Group plc where she manages RELXs global mergers and acquisitions programmes. Before joining RELX in 1997, Sybella was a member of the mergers and acquisitions advisory teams at successively Citigroup and Barings. Sybella is also a non-executive director of Tate & Lyle plc and The Merchants Trust plc and is a member of the Somerville College Oxford Development Board.
Hugh Brown
Hugh Brown has been appointed for an additional 2 years and is currently a Senior Advisor to Adam Street Advisors. Prior to this he was the UK Senior Advsior to Anchorage Capital, a $13 billion hedge fund based in London and New York. Hugh was also previously Global head of PWC Corporate Finance and has also led their corporate restructuring and debt advisory practices. Hugh has advised on many mergers and acquisitions transactions and has 30 years experience in advising government, corporate and venture capital organisations.
Gillian Wilmot
Gillian Wilmot is reappointed for an additional 3 years and is an experienced Chairman and Non-Executive Director following an executive career as a Marketing Director then a CEO. She was recognised for governance excellence in the 2014 Sunday Times Non-Executive Director Awards. Gillian runs Board Mentoring which works with CEOs and directors of leading UK and international companies. She was appointed to the Industrial Development Advisory Board in 2012 and is on 4 other boards from energy to retail, leisure and technology. Gillian is Chair of SportsCoach UK and is committed to bringing more under-represented groups into coaching.
Further information
The appointments are part time and unpaid.
To find out more about the board, including its current membership visit the