The Manx Development Corporation is an exciting new company which operates at arm’s length from Isle of Man Government, with a remit to make a long-term contribution to urban regeneration and brownfield development in the Isle of Man.

Following approval by Tynwald, the Manx Development Corporation has been developed by Isle of Man Treasury and the Department for Enterprise and, following an open recruitment process, the appointment to the board have now been made.

The new team brings together a wealth of professional, managerial and board level experience spanning property development and regeneration, concept to turnkey construction, strategy and business planning, financial and risk governance, stakeholder relationship management, ESG and sustainable design.

OUR VISION

That the Island’s urban landscape will be perceived by its residents as vibrant, safe, of high design quality and environmentally efficient, and a key contributor to increased inward investment and recognition as a top International Business Centre.

OUR PURPOSE

To be a catalyst for the positive transformation of the Island’s urban landscape for the benefit of all Manx Citizens.

OUR BOARD MEMBERS

Sean Gilbert is the Chair of the Manx Development Corporation.

Sean has spent 40 years as a developer and contractor in the property sector dealing with the regeneration of brownfield sites throughout the UK but mainly in the Midlands covering all sectors from residential to commercial and leisure. He has worked in partnership with a range of enterprises, from SMEs to companies listed in the FTSE 100.

Sean brings to the Board a wealth of experience and knowledge, from concept through to completion, ranging from commercial refurbishment of large industrial units, design and build of manufacturing facilities and logistics/distribution units through to constructing and developing new car showrooms, petrol forecourts, pubs and retail parks. Throughout his career Sean has dealt with acquisitions and disposals of both trading businesses and property portfolios.

Sean now holds several non-executive positions from estate agency in the UK to a global shipping company. He has been an Isle of Man resident since 2006.

"As soon as I saw the advertisement for Chair the Board of the Manx Development Corporation, I knew that this could be my way to give to the Island the benefit of my experience of over 40 years in the construction, development and regeneration sector. I moved to the Isle of Man in March 2006 and I am very proud to call it my permanent home. With not being part of the construction industry on the Island, or allied to any professional or political groups, I can bring a fresh pair of eyes to each urban and brownfield site development proposition and ask questions without any preconceived ideas. It is a privilege to have this opportunity to be part of the regeneration story of urban and brownfield sites across the Island."

Laura Jones, Non-Executive Director of the Manx Development Corporation

Laura is a qualified architect and the island’s only registered RIBA client adviser.

After a successful career in the UK, Laura returned to the Island with her family in 2017. She launched LJA, an architectural consultancy, to provide design advice and technical guidance to public sector and private clients, with the majority of her clients located off-Island.

In her role as client adviser for an academy trust on a new £30million all-through school development in the South-East of England, Laura provided extensive feasibility studies, brief generation and technical design guidance. Previously Laura worked at a large local authority in the UK as a client-side architect, positioned at the heart of a small team responsible for a significant public sector estate. In this role Laura advised on many high value construction projects and developed an expertise in strategic, inclusive and community design, often in urban regeneration and brownfield development settings.

Prior to working in local government, Laura was a Senior Lecturer & Head of Year at the Leicester School of Architecture. She often draws on her strong academic background; having been awarded a BA (Hons) & BArch (Hons) in Architecture, an MA in Architectural Design with Distinction, and an Advanced Diploma in Professional Practice in Architecture.

Laura is the MDC’s Non-Executive Director responsible for oversight of property development, major contracts, joint ventures & industry sector relations.

"The Isle of Man and its urban landscape is very important to me, as I have live here much of my life. The time I spent in the UK has benefitted me professionally; providing opportunities to expand my knowledge of contemporary sensitive design, urban regeneration & brownfield site developments whilst gaining insights into innovations in the built environment. I am committed to ensuring that Manx Development Corporation lives up to its Vision and Purpose, ensuring that it is a catalyst within our Island’s towns and brownfield sites for creating vibrant, accessible and sustainable environments to live and work."

David Peach, Non-Executive Director of the Manx Development Corporation

After training as a Chartered Accountant with KPMG in the Isle of Man, David gained more than 25 years’ executive experience in financial services, most recently at Zurich International as its Chief Financial Officer.

David has held board level roles in insurance, banking, trust and fund management companies across a number of different jurisdictions. He has first-hand experience of property development focused business cases in the UK, Ireland and mainland Europe as well as of negotiating significant joint venture partnerships.

David is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales and a Fellow of the Association of Corporate Treasurers. He has a degree in Economics from the University of Warwick.

As a non-executive Director and Chair of the Audit & Risk Committee of the Manx Development Corporation David is responsible for oversight of financial governance and reporting, internal control, audit and risk. He will also act as the Company Secretary.

In addition to his role at Manx Development Corporation, David is also a non-executive director of several insurance companies.

Outside of work David is a keen runner and cyclist, and is a trustee of the Isle of Man Scout Association.

"I am a Manx native, passionate about the Isle of Man and conscious of the challenges it faces both locally and internationally. I believe that the Manx Development Corporation has a very real chance to make a significant difference to the Island over the coming years and I am looking forward to contributing directly to its growth and success."

Dane Harrop, Managing Director Isle of Man Development Corporation

Dane Harrop’s name may well be familiar due to his captaincy of the Isle of Man Team for the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne in 2006, having previously represented the Island in swimming events since 1993.

With construction in the family blood, Dane took a slightly different pathway than his builder father to reach his current level of experience and expertise in the built environment. Dane was recruited by the Kier Group in 2002 and he has enjoyed 19 years of multiple career progression. This has culminated, in recent years, in a series of leadership design and build roles across large-scale capital, high profile projects including the Storyhouse Theatre in Chester, Shakespeare North near Liverpool, Manchester Aquatic Centre and Theatr Clwyd in North Wales.

Within his role of resourcing construction projects from tendering, through preconstruction and construction stages, Dane has ensured that the focus has been on the delivery of sustainable design solutions. Over his career he has undertaken multiple projects where sustainability standards such as BREEAM were contractual requirements. Dane’s strong technical capabilities have been matched by a lead role in client management, line management responsibilities and in managing external teams of multidisciplinary consultants.

Dane holds an honours degree in Architecture from the University of Liverpool and an MSc in Sustainable Built Environment from Liverpool John Moores University.

"I returned to the Island last year to raise my own family, having worked in the construction industry in the North West of England for the previous 19 years. As a Manxman, I have always kept an eye on what is happening within the construction sector on the Isle of Man and I feel that the formation of Manx Development Corporation marks the beginning of an exciting new era for the Island. I knew that I could not miss this chance to be part of the transformation of the Island’s urban landscape, which will leave a positive legacy for our children."

For further information about the Manx Development Corporation, please visit: https://www.gov.im/about-the-government/departments/the-treasury/manx-development-corporation/