TheCityUK, the industry-led body representing UK-based financial and related professional services, has appointed Gary Ennis, as its new Chair for Northern Ireland. Gary is a founding partner of the global insurance broker Lockton’s operations in the UK, and the leader of its Belfast office.
He will join a network of TheCityUK Chairs across the UK and will focus on promoting and advocating for the industry across Northern Ireland.
As TheCityUK Chair for Northern Ireland, Gary will support TheCityUK’s programme of engagement and policy development in Northern Ireland. This includes leading engagement with local policymaker and stakeholders and contributing to TheCityUK’s cross-UK work and policy advocacy.
Miles Celic, OBE, Chief Executive Officer, TheCityUK, said, “I am delighted that Gary has joined our UK-wide network of Chairs. His extensive experience across insurance and risk management, and his deep roots in the Northern Ireland business community, will add enormous value to our work. We look forward to working closely with him to champion the industry in Northern Ireland, strengthen key partnerships with local stakeholders, and help connect the Northern Irish financial and related professional services ecosystem with other thriving UK financial hubs.
“Financial and related professional services are a major national asset, employing almost 2.5 million people in the UK—two thirds of whom are based outside London and accounting for over 5% of Northern Ireland’s employment. The industry is a key enabler for job creation and economic growth right across the country.”
Gary Ennis, TheCityUK Chair for Northern Ireland, said, “I am honoured to take up the position of TheCityUK Chair for Northern Ireland. Northern Ireland has a strong and growing financial and related professional services ecosystem, with expertise spanning insurance, banking, professional services and fintech. I look forward to working closely with TheCityUK team, its members and partners to champion the industry’s contribution to jobs and investment, strengthen engagement with policymakers, and support closer collaboration with other financial centres across the UK.”
Northern Ireland has a strong reputation in financial and related professional services, particularly in sectors such as banking, accountancy and legal services. In the decade to 2023, the annual average growth rate of employment in the industry was 3.8% – the fastest of any UK region or nation – providing jobs for 43,000 people in 2023 (latest available data). Belfast is the dominant financial centre, with around half of all industry employment across the nation. Northern Ireland also delivered a 3.2% annual average increase in GVA over the same period. The industry contributed £4.1bn to the economy in 2023, or 8% of Northern Ireland’s total national GVA.
Gary is a Founding Partner of Lockton Companies LLP in the UK – the UK arm of Lockton, the world’s largest privately owned insurance broking and risk management firm. He has led Lockton’s Belfast office since 2006, serves on Lockton’s UK P&C Retail Executive Committee, and has been Chairman of Lockton Insurance Brokers Ireland Limited since 2019.
TheCityUK’s network of Chairs are based in some of the UK’s most prominent financial and related professional centres. They support TheCityUK’s work to promote the contribution of the industry and the high-value, high-productivity jobs it creates across the whole of the UK and help to progress engagement with local stakeholders and businesses.