Chris Hunt is Director General of the UK Petroleum Industry Association (UKPIA), Gareth James is Works General Manager, BP Acetyls Hull and Paul Londesborough is the Vice President and Site Director of GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceutical. Together they will support and advise Cogent on its remit to boost business performance through the development of skills at every level.

Joanna Woolf, Cogent’s CEO said: “We are delighted to welcome Chris, Gareth and Paul to the Cogent SSC Board. These appointments provide us with extensive experience in our industries and specific expertise in the downstream, chemicals and pharmaceutical industries.

“While the Cogent industries are diverse, they share many common skills and recruitment challenges, and the combined experience of our new Board members will be invaluable in supporting the development and promotion of new standards and qualifications as well as helping us in our task of boosting the careers attractiveness of these vital industries. Our new Board members will also provide critical input into our longer term strategic positioning.”

Chris Hunt

Chris Hunt is Director General of UKPIA. Chris joined UKPIA in 1997 and has many years of experience at a senior level within the downstream oil industry, heading up Elf's retail operations in the UK prior to joining UKPIA. Chris also has responsibility for a number of UKPIA Committees including Legal and Retail.  Chris has always been a strong believer in pan-industry dialogue and collaboration.

Chris started his working life as an electrical engineer firstly with the London Electricity Board then joining a company which manufactured and installed television studio lighting. He made a career change in the late 70s, moving into accounting. He progressed through the 80s in a variety of accounting posts, eventually running the sales and marketing operation of a US multinational business unit. In 1989 Chris joined Elf Oil UK Ltd and was promoted through the organisation to head its retail division from 1995-7.

Chris was elected Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts in 1997.

Gareth James

Gareth is the Works General Manager of the BP European Acetyls site at Saltend, Hull. This is one of the major UK chemical manufacturing facilities and includes the largest acetic acid plant in Europe and largest Ethyl Acetate plant in the world. He has worked for BP for 27 years in a variety of manufacturing, technical and commercial roles.

He graduated from Nottingham University in 1978 with a BSc in Chemical Engineering and subsequently gained an MBA from Warwick University.

Gareth is also the Chairman of Cogent’s Chemical Industry Advisory Council, and the Chairman of the Hedon-based Sirius Enterprise Agency and Grimsby-based Humber Chemical Focus. He is also a member of the Advisory Boards for Hull University Business School and of the Hull and East Riding of Yorkshire Common Purpose Charity.

Paul Londesborough

Paul is the Vice President and Site Director of the GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceutical Secondary Manufacturing Site at Barnard Castle.  The site is a global supplier, but the USA is its single biggest customer. There are approximately 1,200 staff on site, and production is focused on Sterile liquids in vials and syringes, inhaled liquids, creams, ointments and antibiotics.

Paul has a Chemical Engineering Degree from Loughborough University and is a Chartered Engineer with 28 years experience within GlaxoSmithKline in primary and secondary manufacturing and engineering roles. Previous roles include Site Director, Leader Global Manufacturing Strategy, Director Corporate Engineering and Leader European Manufacture Restructuring.

Paul is a member of the North East Process Industry Cluster (NEPIC) Leadership Team and was recently elected deputy Chairman of NEPIC. He was previously Chairman of the NEPIC Manufacturing and Productivity Team.