The NITHC Board is made up of members from across a number of public and private business sectors.
We want to provide integrated services which connect people, enhance the economy and improve the environment, enabling a thriving Northern Ireland.
Frank Allen - Chairman
Frank Allen has worked in infrastructure finance and operations over many years. He was Chief Executive of the Railway Procurement Agency during the implementation of Luas in Dublin and later chaired the Board of Iarnród Éireann/Irish Rail.
He advises the World Bank and national and municipal governments on urban transport investment in developing and transition economies. He chairs the Board of the Housing Finance Agency, a Government of Ireland agency that finances social and affordable housing. He had previously chaired the Board of Depaul Ireland, which provides accommodation and other services to people at risk of homelessness.
Having graduated from University College Cork and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, he spent the early part of his career as a Senior Investment Office with the International Finance Corporation, part of the World Bank Group. He was later Head of Infrastructure Finance at KBC Bank in the International Financial Services Centre in Dublin.
Edward Wills - Non-Executive Director
Edward Wills has a background in Transport, including experience of bus operations. He is currently employed by the UK based transport company the Go-Ahead Group which has a number of international operations. He has held senior roles within the UK and Ireland and has commercial experience.
Mike Brown - Non-Executive Director
Mike Brown has a background in Transport having held Senior Executive roles in London Underground and London Rail and in Heathrow Airport and, most recently, he was the Commissioner for Transport for London. He is the current Chair of the Delivery Authority to manage the Restoration and Renewal of the Houses of Parliament.
Manish Gupta - Non-Executive Director
Appointed as a Non-Executive Director in October 2024, Manish Gupta is the Director of Corporate Finance at Transport for London. Previously, Manish was a Partner at Ernst and Young in London. He has more than 30 years of global experience of working with public and private sector clients in the Transport and Infrastructure sector. Manish acts as the Treasurer and Board Member/Trustee for the UK arm of Pratham, a reputed Indian charity focussed entirely on improving the quality of education in India. Manish graduated as an Electronics & Telecommunications Engineer from IIT Kanpur (India) and did an MBA in Strategy and Finance from IIM Calcutta (India).
Gráinne McVeigh - Non-Executive Director
Grainne McVeigh is a former Director of Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering and Life Sciences at Invest Northern Ireland, she currently serves as Non-Executive Director on the Boards of the Consumer Council NI, NI Alternatives and the Armagh Observatory and Planetarium Management Committee.
Don Leeson - Non-Executive Director
Don Leeson has extensive experience in senior leadership roles in the public sector. Until retirement in Autumn 2024, he was Chief Executive of the Labour Relations Agency, having previously been Director of Corporate Services.
Prior to this, Don held key roles within the Consumer Council, NI Human Rights Commission and Equality Commission.
He has also worked for Investors in People UK and in the UK Civil Service in Westminster. Don chairs the boards of two charities, ESC Films and the Imagine Festival of Politics and Ideas. Don is a Chartered Fellow of CIPD. and won the IoD NI Director of the Year award for his EDI work in 2023.
Gerard Carlin - Group Chief Executive
Gerard Carlin took up the position of Group Chief Executive in July 2026.