Tina McKenzie (politician)

Tina McKenzie
Born	Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK
Residence	Belfast, Northern Ireland
Alma mater	University of Ulster
Occupation	Managing Director of Staffline Ireland Director Northern Ireland - Recruitment & Employment Confederation Managing Director of PeoplePlus NI Managing Director of Diamond Recruitment Group European Ambassador for Women's Entrepreneurship Day
Children	3
Website	www.staffline.co.uk

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

Early life

McKenzie is the daughter of former IRA paramilitary Harry Fitzsimons.^[2]

After graduating from the University of Ulster, McKenzie started her career coordinating 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,^[3] becoming a successful Sales and Managing Director with experience in logistics, financial services, health and social care,^[4] agrifood and banking.

Political life

McKenzie returned to her native Northern Ireland in 2013 to set up Staffline Group (Ireland).^[5] 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,^[6] proposing to support the region in Europe and promote jobs and economic growth.^[7] She also stood for Belfast City Council in Balmoral.^[8] She received more than 10500 votes, more than double the number received by the Conservative Party Candidate. ^[9]

On the night of the election the majority of the party resigned, including McKenzie,^[10] following allegations of misconduct made against party leader Basil McCrea.^[11] Shortly after, McKenzie announced she was leaving politics on the grounds that she was disillusioned.^[12]

Business life

McKenzie has worked for more than 20 years in the human resource, recruitment and employment support sectors.^[3]

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.^[13]

McKenzie holds the position of Regional Director (Northern Ireland) for the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC), the governing body of the recruitment industry.^[14]

In addition to being an active member of several business networks such as the Institute of Directors,^[15] Queen’s University Chief Executives’ Club, Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce, Business in the Community,^[16] Northern Ireland Business Assembly Trust and Women in Business,^[17][18] 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).^[19]

McKenzie’s contribution to the local economy and the local business sector has been recognised by stakeholders across the island,^[13][20][21] 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,^[22] and as such has helped shape local understanding of the labour market and the contributions the business sector makes to the local economy.^{[16][23][24][25][26]}

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.^[27]

Business achievements

In 2015 McKenzie was awarded the "Outstanding Management and Leadership" award by Women in Business Northern Ireland.^[28]

She has also been shortlisted for UTV’s "Business Personality of the Year" Award.^[29] Under her direction, Staffline Group in Ireland also won the Fast Growth Business of the Year award from UTV/Business Eye. ^[30]

McKenzie was UK Leader of the Year in 2001 at Premiere People. She was a judge on the Contact Centre Best People Awards in 2007, and is an alumna of the Senior Executive Programme of INSEAD. McKenzie has achieved the IiP Award in the Staffline Group, and has completed the Leading Effective Boards programme at Queen’s University Belfast, and studied Business Management at the IESE Business School at the University of Navarra and the Tias Business School at Tilburg University.

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.^[31]

Personal life

McKenzie is married and the mother of three children.^[32]

References