North East BIC strengthens board with four strategic appointments
The North East BIC, a leading provider of flexible workspace and business support services, has recently appointed four new board members in collaboration with Jim Allcroft. This milestone comes at a pivotal time in the organisation’s evolution, as it looks to expand its regional impact and support the next generation of entrepreneurs across Sunderland, Washington, and Darlington.

The recruitment brief called for experienced non-executive directors with expertise in areas such as digital transformation, business growth and marketing. The process focused on identifying candidates who not only brought sector credibility and strategic insight, but who also shared the BIC’s commitment to inclusive economic development and innovation in the North East.

The appointment of Andrew Marsh, Kevin Howell, Laura Middleton and Sophie Milliken MBE reflects this ambition. Their combined experience spans senior roles in commercial growth, AI-led innovation, SME development, and Marketing—bringing new energy and diverse perspectives to complement the BIC’s existing leadership team.

These appointments position the BIC strongly as it continues to deliver high-impact programmes, champion collaborative working, and unlock further value for the region’s business community.

“The North East Business Innovation Centre Limited (‘BIC’) as a not-for-profit organisation has successfully encouraged and supported the growth of start-up sme’s for the last 30 years. The European support has ended with Brexit and the public sector funding allowing us to provide support has diminished. We are embarking on our own scale-up to work in partnership and support the public sector to add value to the regional economy by increasing the number of sme start-up’s and supporting their growth. This requires an innovative approach to do more for less, with our excellent team.

We needed to enhance the strength and diversity of our board. This was not just about recruitment – it was about finding the right people to help to shape the next phase of the BIC’s growth. Working with Allcroft Associates allowed us to think strategically about the board’s composition and attract exceptional business leaders from across the North East.

Jim has a wealth of experience but has recently started his own venture, and in line with our ethos of encouraging start ups in the region, we decided to back this new venture   . Jim  brought a clear, structured process that gave us confidence at every stage—from initial scoping through to interviews. He listened carefully, challenged our thinking in a constructive way, and never lost sight of our purpose or values.

The result is an addition to our board of excellent regional leaders and entrepreneurs ready to support our mission. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Jim to any organisation looking to strengthen its leadership.”

Kevan Carrick, Chair, North East BIC

Paul McEldon OBE, CEO, North East BIC