Built environment communications specialist ING has appointed Bill Hughes, formerly global head of capital markets at Legal & General, as a trustee of its employee ownership trust (EOT) and chair of its newly established advisory board.
Hughes succeeds ING founder Leanne Tritton, who is stepping down from the trustee board, following her transition away from an operational role in 2023.
ING’s EOT board will continue to be chaired by John McRae, director at Orms, with Rose Marshall-Gibbons, associate director at ING, serving as the employee representative trustee.
Hughes will also chair ING’s newly formed advisory board, which will provide ‘strategic challenge and guidance’ to ING’s leadership team. Joining Hughes on the advisory board are former JLL UK CEO Stephanie Hyde, managing partner at Greenwoods, and Ben Lucas, founder of Metro Dynamics.
Damian Wild, managing director of ING, said: “Bill’s appointment is a significant moment for ING. He is one of the most respected and well-connected figures in our industry, with an extraordinary understanding of investment, development and the forces shaping the built world. What makes this especially exciting is that Bill joins us at a pivotal point in our journey.
“As a fully independent employee-owned business, we’re focused on the future: growing our capabilities, investing in our people and strengthening our position in the UK and internationally. The creation of our advisory board gives us access to exceptional experience and insight, and there are few people better placed than Bill, Stephanie and Ben to help influence our next chapter.”
Hughes added: “I have followed ING’s growth and development over many years and have always admired its ambition, independence and specialist expertise. At a time when the built environment is becoming increasingly interconnected, communications, reputation and leadership matter more than ever. ING has built a unique position across investment, real estate, infrastructure, architecture, cities and culture, and I’m delighted to have the opportunity to support the business as it enters this next stage of growth.”
McRae said: “The role of the trustees is to ensure that the interests of employee owners remain at the heart of the business. Bill brings deep commercial experience, outstanding judgement and a long-standing commitment to the future of the built environment. His appointment is a major endorsement of what ING has achieved as an employee-owned business, and of the opportunities that lie ahead.”
Tritton added: “Having stepped away from day-to-day responsibilities at ING in 2023, I continued to serve as a trustee of its employee ownership trust. My tenure as a trustee has now come to an end, marking a significant personal milestone and the end of my formal relationship with the agency I founded in 1999. I will always be immensely proud of what we built together, and I’m excited to see ING continue to flourish under Damian and the team’s leadership. Bill’s appointment as a trustee speaks volumes about ING’s standing in the industry and brings further strength to its continued success.”
