Bill Hughes joins ING as independent trustee and Advisory Board chair
Appointment of leader of L&G’s private markets transformation and former JLL UK CEO heralds next phase of growth for employee-owned communications consultancy
ING, the strategic communications specialist for the built world, has appointed Bill Hughes as a trustee of its Employee Ownership Trust (EOT) and chair of its newly established Advisory Board.
One of the most respected figures in UK real estate and investment, Hughes currently serves as chair of the Property Industry Alliance and was formerly global head of private markets at Legal & General, where he led a business responsible for more than £75bn of assets under management.
His appointment comes as ING enters a new phase of growth as one of the largest independent, employee-owned communications consultancies in the UK. As a trustee, 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.
In an additional role, Hughes will also chair ING’s newly formed Advisory Board, established to support the consultancy’s continued growth and evolution across its core markets: real estate; investment; architecture, design and engineering; cities, culture and place; and infrastructure.
Joining Hughes on the Advisory Board are Stephanie Hyde, managing partner at Greenwoods and former CEO of JLL UK, and Ben Lucas, founder of Metro Dynamics and one of the UK's leading voices on urban growth, governance and place strategy.
The Advisory Board will provide strategic challenge and guidance to ING's leadership team, drawing on expertise spanning investment, real estate, governance, business transformation, economic growth and place-led development.
Founded in 1997, with offices in London, Manchester and Singapore, ING advises many of the world's leading organisations operating across the built world, working at the intersection of capital, place and delivery. Its clients span investment, development, architecture, design, engineering, construction, cities and cultural institutions in the UK and internationally, including the likes of Royal London Asset Management, MIPIM, LandSec, Fiera Capital, Eric Parry Architects, Civic, Multiplex, Leeds City Council, Key Cities, the British Museum and the V&A.
The trustee and Advisory Board appointments reflect both the growing importance of strategic communications in shaping investment, development and placemaking outcomes, and ING's ambition to strengthen its position as the leading communications adviser to the built world.
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."
Bill Hughes, EOT trustee and chair of the Advisory Board at ING, said:
"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."
John McRae, Chair and Independent Trustee of ING's Employee Ownership Trust, 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."
ING founder Leanne Tritton said:
“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.”