Northern Ireland business leader Tina McKenzie MBE named in POLITICO`s UK ‘Power 40’

Northern Ireland business leader Tina McKenzie MBE, who is the CEO of Staffline Ireland and UK policy chair for the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), has been named in POLITICO`s inaugural UK ‘Power 40’.

POLITICO have named 40 top influencers who they believe most effectively set the agenda in politics, public policy and advocacy in the UK.

POLITICO states that “McKenzie is a big-hitter at the Federation for Small Businesses, and along with her colleague Roger Pollen, was a key voice lobbying both London and the EU to iron out the problems in the operation of the Northern Ireland protocol.”

Tina McKenzie has been named in 20th place on the list just behind Mick Lynch, general secretary National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers, who is in 19th place. Others named on the list include former Prime Minister, Tony Blair, Money Saving Expert founder, Martin Lewis, Match of the Day host, Gary Lineker and a swathe of others who work at the centre of Westminster politics, journalism and beyond.

Following the announcement, Tina McKenzie, said: “I am delighted to have made it on to the list at number 20. Well done to everyone who was named. I take this as an endorsement of the strong and dedicated team behind me at FSB who are continuously working to effectively represent the interests of millions of small businesses across the United Kingdom; to help create the environment for businesses to grow and thrive and ensure that entrepreneurship is at the heart of the Government’s economic agenda.”

POLITICO states: McKenzie is just one of the highly-effective Northern Ireland business lobbyists who have become familiar figures in Westminster post-Brexit.

"McKenzie is a big-hitter at the Federation for Small Businesses, and along with her colleague Roger Pollen, was a key voice lobbying both London and the EU to iron out the problems in the operation of the Northern Ireland protocol. Stuart Anderson, from the Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Colin Neill of Hospitality Ulster, and Declan Billington, chief executive of leading animal feed manufacturer Thompsons, are also well-known in Westminster for pushing the Northern Ireland business cause.”