NI Screen's Excellence Sees Board Boosted

A regional film agency has been given a fillip as a new face joins the organisation's board.

Stormont Culture Minister Nelson McCausland has announced the appointment of a new Vice-Chair to the Board of Northern Ireland Screen, Brian McMahon.

Revealing the news, Minister McCausland also highlighted the success of Northern Ireland Screen: "An enormous amount of progress has been made over recent years to develop the local screen industry.

"Northern Ireland Screen has been hugely successful in attracting major film and television productions such as Game of Thrones, Your Highness and City of Ember to Northern Ireland.

"This has brought a welcome boost to Northern Ireland's creative industries and demonstrated yet again the region's ability to compete on the world stage," he said, noting that, securing these productions "has created much needed jobs in the sector and highlighted our potential to be a leading centre for film and television production".

Mr McMahon is the Managing Director of the American Division of Flamingo International, an international consultancy company with offices in London, New York, San Francisco, Tokyo and Singapore. He has over 20 years experience in advertising, consumer research, and strategic planning.

Welcoming the new Vice-Chair, Minister McCausland said: "Brian's appointment to the Board is a very positive step and I am confident that his experience and skills will help us to build on Northern Ireland Screen's success.

"I am looking forward to working with Brian and the Board of Northern Ireland Screen to build on the progress that has been made to date," he said, adding that the appointment is from 1 April for a period of four years.

The Northern Ireland Screen Commission was established in 1997 and is primarily funded by Invest NI, the Department of Culture Arts and Leisure and the UK Film Council and it is delegated by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland to administer Lottery funding for film in Northern Ireland.

(BMcC/GK)