Search for new Chester Renaissance chairman draws blank

Chester Renaissance, the regeneration agency for the city centre, has failed to find anyone suitable to take over as chairman for the organisation after a recent recruitment campaign.

Rita Waters, chief executive, said she was disappointed by the quality of applicants and not one person had been invited for interview.

She believed the best people for the job tended to be already employed in similar high-profile non-executive positions elsewhere and were not available.

An advert had run in regional and national media and the deadline closed on 11 June with interviews due to take place this week.

The post is due to become vacant later this year when current chairman Shane Flynn, former chief executive of credit card company MBNA Europe, was to have stepped down. Flynn will now remain in place until a successor is found.

Waters wants a replacement from the private sector with leadership experience at board level within high-profile organisations, able to form strong alliances and working relationships with a range of stakeholders both public and private sector.

A fee of £10,000/year is payable and the chairman would need to be available for no less than two days a month.

The organisation's recruitment committee will meet shortly to decide on a plan of action.