THE leader of Winchester Business Improvement District (BID) is standing down after seven years’ service.

Catherine Turness, executive director, is moving on to become executive director for The BID Foundation and Institute of Place Management.

Her successor will be Richard Sutherland, who will join the team on August 20.

Richard’s career has been focused on management, marketing and commercial Sales. He spent many years at a major out of home advertising contractor, latterly working internationally for the airports division.

Wanting to spend more time with his young family, he left the corporate worldand took on mainly business development and BID consultancy assignments.

More recently in 2015, he joined Marketing Birmingham, now the West Midlands Growth Company, with responsibility for the commercial partnership and business expansion support programmes and support across inward investment, tourism and business events activities.

He is now returning to Hampshire having lived in the Meon Valley when younger.

During her time at the Winchester BID, Catherine implemented many projects notably the marketing of the city's as the nation's "Christmas capital" on the back of the Christmas market and ice rink in front of the cathedral.

She started her time at Winchester BID as projects and operations officer, was promoted to BID manager in summer 2015, before being appointed as executive director in 2017.

She then led the BID successfully through ballot in November 2017, securing a third term of five years for the organisation.

She said: “It has been a great privilege to work for Winchester BID and serve the needs of its members since 2011. Having been involved with the BID from its first term, I have thoroughly enjoyed helping to shape its changing remit.

"This has afforded me the opportunity to work with a plethora of businesses and partner organisations, who I would like to thank for embracing my collaborative nature towards project delivery. Winchester has a lot to be proud of and I shall especially miss its quaint and charming character, but look forward to sharing its successes and using the knowledge I have gained to equip me in my new challenge, to represent the needs of those working in the ever-diversifying place management industry.”

Ken Macartney, chairman of Winchester BID, added: “We wish Catherine the best of luck in her new role and we hope to see more of her as she leads two important, national industry organisations.”