Asda chief executive to chair investment pressure group

Roger Marsh, the senior partner at accountancy firm PricewaterhouseCoopers in Leeds, will become the organisation’s deputy chairman.

A Marketing Leeds spokesman said: “The pair will lead the board of Marketing Leeds as it widens its focus to include attracting new business and tourists to Leeds, while continuing its current profile raising activity.

“Marketing Leeds is being developed as a new force in promoting the city’s profile and potential as it acquires a wider brief for maximising what Leeds has to offer. It is taking on the additional brief for work previously done by Locate in Leeds, Visit Leeds and Conference Leeds.”

The spokesman said Mr Clarke and Mr Marsh would work closely with the new chief executive of Marketing Leeds, who is in the process of being appointed.

Mr Clarke and Mr Marsh will take up their posts when the current chairman, lawyer Nigel McClea, retires in October.

In July, it was announced that Deborah Green would leave her role as chief executive of Marketing Leeds in October. She said she wanted to “end speculation” surrounding the new job.

The “enhanced” Marketing Leeds is expected to become fully operational in early 2012.

The company is limited by guarantee, with a board of directors drawn from a cross section of the business community and the council.

A Marketing Leeds spokesman said none of the non-executives, including the chairman and deputy chairman, received remuneration. The new chief executive’s salary will be fixed by the board.