Tina McKenzie (politician)

Tina McKenzie
Born 1973 (age 44–45)
Belfast, Northern Ireland
Residence Belfast, Northern Ireland
Alma mater University of Ulster
Occupation
  • Group Managing Director of Staffline Ireland
  • Chair, Federation of Small Businesses NI
  • Managing Director of PeoplePlus NI
  • Group Managing Director of Diamond Recruitment Group
  • Honorary Consul of Finland in Belfast
Children 3
Website staffline.co.uk

Tina McKenzie (born 1973)[1] is a business executive and former politician from Belfast in Northern Ireland.

Early life

McKenzie grew up in Belfast during the height of the Troubles in the 1970s[2]. Her early life was spent visiting her father, Harry Fitzsimons, in prison[3], after he was imprisoned for being a member of the IRA.[4][5][6]

After graduating from the University of Ulster, McKenzie started her career co-ordinating job-skills programmes for the rehabilitation of ex-offenders, working with NIACRO, Extern, and the Probation Board for Northern Ireland (PBNI). After a move to London she progressed in the corporate world across the United Kingdom and internationally,[7] becoming a successful Sales and managing director with experience in logistics, financial services, health and social care,[8] agrifood and banking.

Political life

McKenzie returned to her native Northern Ireland in 2013 to set up Staffline Group (Ireland).[9] Shortly after her return she joined newly formed political party NI21 and was appointed its first chair. McKenzie described herself as believing in the maintenance of the union of Britain and Northern Ireland, principally for economic reasons.[1]

NI21 selected McKenzie as their candidate for the European election of 2014,[10] proposing to support the region in Europe and promote jobs and economic growth.[11] She also stood for Belfast City Council in Balmoral.[12] She received more than 10,500 first-preference votes in the European election, however did not meet the threshold for election.[13]

On the night of the election the majority of the party resigned, including McKenzie,[14] following allegations of misconduct made against party leader Basil McCrea.[15] Shortly after, McKenzie announced she was leaving politics on the grounds that she was disillusioned.[16]

Business life

McKenzie has worked for more than 20 years in the human resource, recruitment and employment support sectors.[7]

In her current role McKenzie is managing director of Staffline Group (Ireland) a recruitment and employment support business, comprising Staffline Recruitment, PeoplePlus NI and Diamond Recruitment.[17]

McKenzie is the Honorary Consul for Finland in Belfast.[18] She is also a Non-Executive Director for the Centre for Democracy and Peacebuilding.[19] In 2018 McKenzie was appointed the Chair of the NI Policy Forum for the Federation of Small Businesses in Northern Ireland.[20] [21] In January 2018, McKenzie gave evidence to the House of Lords European Union Select Committee on the impact of Brexit on businesses in Northern Ireland.[22]

McKenzie previously held the position of Regional Director (Northern Ireland) for the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC), the governing body of the recruitment industry.[23]

In addition to being an active member of several business networks such as the Institute of Directors,[24] Queen's University Chief Executives' Club, Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce, Business in the Community,[25] Northern Ireland Business Assembly Trust and Women in Business,[26][27] McKenzie is a member of industry associations such as the Northern Ireland Food & Drinks Association, the Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce & Industry, and the Irish Business and Employers Confederation. She has previously held positions including being a board member of the NI Chamber of Commerce (2006–2008) and of the Recruitment and Employment Confederation's (REC) Health and Social Care Sector Group (2011).

McKenzie is regularly invited to speak at conferences and to attend events as a guest hosted by organisations such as the British-Irish Chamber of Commerce, the British-Irish Association, the Federation of Small Businesses and the Northern Ireland Retail Trade Associations (NIRTA).[28]

McKenzie's contribution to the local economy and the local business sector has been recognised by stakeholders across the island,[17][29][30] as she is frequently asked to contribute to crucial discussions impacting the local economy. McKenzie is a regular contributor to discussions hosted by the BBC, Ulster Bank and UTV amongst others,[31] and as such has helped shape local understanding of the labour market and the contributions the business sector makes to the local economy.[25][32][33][34][35]

McKenzie is also a contributor to the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Framework and is frequently consulted on the health of the labour market in Northern Ireland. McKenzie's role in promoting a people-focused approach to business and the economy has also seen her become a business mentor for Women in Business NI and a contributor to the REC's recent report on progression in low-pay work, where she promoted the value of jobs in the retail, hospitality and care sectors.[36]

Business achievements

In 2015 McKenzie was awarded the "Outstanding Management and Leadership" award by Women in Business Northern Ireland.[37]

She has also been shortlisted for UTV's "Business Personality of the Year" Award.[38] Under her direction, Staffline Group in Ireland also won the Fast Growth Business of the Year award from UTV/Business Eye.[39]

In 2016 McKenzie was appointed as the European Ambassador for Women's Entrepreneurship Day, to harness the voices of each of the participating European countries through their individual appointees.[40]

In 2017, Tina McKenzie was named Director of the Year (Mid Market Company) by the Institute of Directors.[41]

Most recently, Tina McKenzie has been appointed as the Honorary Consul of Finland in Belfast; tasked with promoting economic, political, academic and cultural relations between Finland and Northern Ireland.[42]

Personal life

McKenzie is married and the mother of three children.[43]

References

  1. 1 2 Dunn, Kerri. "On The Record". Lisburn's 98FM. |access-date= requires |url= (help)
  2. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrVO5Oc-v3M
  3. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrVO5Oc-v3M
  4. ↑ Liam Clarke, "Unionist chief Tina McKenzie's father was IRA terrorist", The Belfast Telegraph, 6 November 2013
  5. ↑ Personal morals do have a place in politics, says NI21 candidate, The News Letter, 13 May 2014
  6. ↑ Quakers lose prison visitors contract, The Irish News, 17 December 2015
  7. 1 2 Creeth, Barton (7 April 2014). "Tina at Home: Talking Politics At The Breakfast Table Of NI21 Candidate For Europe, Tina McKenzie". Off The Record NI. Archived from the original on 8 December 2015.
  8. ↑ "87% of care staff work on contract from choice – highest of any sector". MyNewsDesk.
  9. ↑ Canning, Margaret (14 October 2015). "Diamond Recruitment snapped up by UK employment agency". The Belfast Telegraph.
  10. ↑ Murray, Gemma (7 April 2014). "NI21 chair Tina McKenzie to stand in Euro elections". Newsletter.
  11. ↑ "Tina McKenzie selected as NI21's European election candidate". BBC. 7 April 2014.
  12. ↑ "Vote 2014: Belfast council candidates". BBC. 15 May 2014.
  13. ↑ Dr Nicholas Whyte. "The 2014 European Election". Ark.ac.uk. Retrieved 2017-07-21.
  14. ↑ "McKenzie quits amid NI21 crisis". UTV. 22 May 2014.
  15. ↑ McBride, Sam (23 May 2014). "NI21 implodes amid allegations against Basil McCrea". Newsletter.
  16. ↑ "NI21 European candidate Tina McKenzie quitting politics". BBC. 22 May 2014.
  17. 1 2 "Diamond: One of NI's biggest employment agencies sold to Staffline". BBC. 13 October 2015.
  18. ↑ http://www.irishnews.com/business/2017/12/12/news/tina-mckenzie-appoints-to-honorary-finnish-consular-role-1208146/
  19. ↑ http://democracyandpeace.org/tina-mckenzie/
  20. ↑ https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/business/northern-ireland/new-head-of-policy-appointed-at-fsb-36570587.html
  21. ↑ https://www.businessfirstonline.co.uk/articles/first-new-fsb-policy-chair-nearly-two-decades/
  22. ↑ http://parliamentlive.tv/Event/Index/1c44dae9-afc1-4e41-8b43-047669788d2a
  23. ↑ "REC welcomes new Regional Director for Northern Ireland". The Recruitment & Employment Confederation.
  24. ↑ "Ambitious Woman" (PDF). IoD. June 2015.
  25. 1 2 "Steps 2 Success launches in the Northern region". Business in the Community. BITCNI.
  26. ↑ "NIABT MEMBERS". NIABT. Northern Ireland Assembly and Business Trust.
  27. ↑ Grosman, Eva. "Female Business Experts Mark Women's Entrepreneurship Day With Special Mentoring Breakfast". Centre For Democracy and Peace Building.
  28. ↑ "NIIRTA Launches Economic Five Point Plan For Europe". NIIRTA. Northern Ireland Independent Retail and Trade Association.
  29. ↑ Calder, Tina (20 November 2015). "Women's Entrepreneurship Day celebrated in Belfast". Newsletter.
  30. ↑ Grosman, Eva. "IS A SUSTAINABLE ECONOMY IN REACH IN NORTHERN IRELAND?". Northern Ireland Foundation. Archived from the original on 27 November 2015.
  31. ↑ "MAC Question Time, In Partnership with Ulster Bank". The Mac Live. Mac. Archived from the original on 27 November 2015.
  32. ↑ "Tackling poverty and assessing the impact of proposed welfare reform in Northern Ireland". Community NI. Policy Forum For Northern Ireland.
  33. ↑ "Policy Forum for Northern Ireland Keynote Seminar: Tackling poverty and assessing the impact of proposed welfare reform in Northern Ireland" (PDF). Policy Forum For NI.
  34. ↑ "Committee for Employment and Learning" (PDF). Hansard.
  35. ↑ Walker, Gavin (16 December 2014). "Steps 2 Success launches in the Northern region". Business First Online.
  36. ↑ "What progression looks like for low-paid workers today" (PDF). REC. Recruitment & Employment Confederation.
  37. ↑ "WINNERS ANNOUNCED AT 2015 WOMEN IN BUSINESS AWARDS". Woman in Business. Woman in Business Northern Ireland.
  38. ↑ "UTV Shortlist". Business Eye. 2015.
  39. ↑ "UTV Business Eye Awards - Shortlist". Utvawards.businesseye.co.uk. Retrieved 2017-07-21.
  40. ↑ "'More women needed' in Northern Ireland boardrooms". Belfast Telegraph. Retrieved 2017-07-21.
  41. ↑ Gareth McKeown. "Female leaders the big winners at IoD awards". The Irish News. Retrieved 2017-07-21.
  42. ↑ "Martina McKenzie is the new Honorary Consul of Finland in Belfast". http://www.finemb.org.uk/. External link in |website= (help)
  43. ↑ Staff, UTV (7 April 2014). "McKenzie to run for NI21 in Europe". UTV.
Party political offices
Preceded by
New position		 Chair of NI21
2013–2014		 Succeeded by
Olive Buckley
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