New Chair appointed at ICC Belfast

Suzanne Wylie OBE has been appointed as new Chair of the Board

ICC Belfast, Waterfront Hall and Ulster Hall has announced the appointment of Suzanne Wylie OBE as the new Chair of its independent Board of Directors. She will replace outgoing Chair, Steve Daniels, who served on the Board from 2018 and has completed his term as Chairman.

Suzanne Wylie OBE is the Chief Executive of NI Chamber.

Suzanne was formerly Chief Executive of Belfast City Council, from 2014 to 2022, the period in which the riverside extension to the Waterfront Hall was completed and Belfast’s International Convention Centre (ICC Belfast) was launched.

Announcing her appointment as Chair of the Board, Rob McConnell, CEO of ICC Belfast, Waterfront Hall and Ulster Hall, said,

The Board warmly welcomes the appointment of Suzanne Wylie, who will bring deep and valuable insights on business across Northern Ireland.

"She is a highly respected figure in this region and brings with her a wide network of public and private sector linkages. Suzanne understands the tourism and cultural landscape here, she has connected this place to national and international markets, and she has worked at the highest level of civic leadership.

“Suzanne is joining a strong, experienced and diverse Board which is committed to driving this business forward for the benefit of the city and the wider region."

She will be leading the Board in the delivery of our visionary new five year business plan, which sets out ambitious growth plans for the delivery of a potential £90.5million economic impact for Northern Ireland.

"I am confident that Suzanne will bring the strategic leadership needed to support exciting business growth from conferences, conventions and live entertainment in our venues.”

Suzanne Wylie OBE said,

“I’m honoured to have been appointed as Chair of ICC Belfast, Waterfront Hall and Ulster Hall – landmarks and iconic venues that are significant economic engines for the region."

Having been involved at the time of the completion of the convention centre, and understanding the very special role and heritage of the Ulster Hall and Waterfront Hall, I hold a particular passion for driving forward the new strategy and growth plans.

"I have watched from afar for the last number of years as ICC Belfast, in particular, has grown and flourished as a business. I’m looking forward to this opportunity to work along with my colleagues on the board and across the management team to steer the whole organisation towards even greater success.”

Mr McConnell also paid tribute to outgoing Board Chair, Steve Daniels, who has been with the company since 2018. He said,

“I would like to put on record the Board’s deep gratitude to Steve Daniels, who has steered the organisation through some fast-paced years of growth, and leaves a lasting legacy for Belfast and Northern Ireland. He also provided steadfast leadership through the extremely difficult period of the pandemic."

Under his chairmanship, ICC Belfast, which is still a relative newcomer to the business events industry, has won multiple international conference, convention and event awards, putting Belfast on the map.

"Steve was heavily involved in steering our new five year business plan and I know he has every confidence that Suzanne will lead its delivery forward with passion, wisdom and intelligence.”

Other non-executive members of the BWUH Ltd board are: JulieAnne Clarke, Consultant Solicitor at law firm Elliotts Legal, previously Elliott Duffy Garrett, Richard Ramsey, Professor of Practice, Economics & Policy, Queen’s Business School, Wilton Farrelly, Asset Services Director at Choice Housing and Patricia Burns, Chief Financial Officer, Belfast City Airport, along with Gerry Lennon, Chief Executive of Visit Belfast and Leo Callow, founder of Callow Events, who both joined the Board in September 2025.