David Barnes

Occupation: Chartered Accountant

Co-operative Businesses traded with in last 12 months Food

Skills and experience

I retired from practice as a Chartered Accountant in December 2016. I continue as a non-executive Director of Sunderland City Hospitals and am also Chair of AuditOne who are the principal body of Internal Auditors in the health sector for the North East. I have considerable knowledge in the health and educational sectors as a result of my appointment as a non executive director. I have chaired several Audit and Finance Committees.

Additional information

I am passionate about the North East in general and Sunderland in particular, having lived in the region all my life. I have always been involved in bodies which benefit the area and have devoted much time to them outside of my principal occupation as a Chartered Accountant in practice. I was a trustee of Ashbrooke Sports club and am proud to have been elected a life member. I was appointed Chair of Sunderland High School from 1983 to 1998 and as a result served on the Council of United Learning Trust (ULT) from 1985 to 2013. ULT is a national educational charity running schools in both the private and public sector (academies). I served on its Council as was Chair of both Audit & Finance. I was Chair of Sunderland Chamber of Commerce from 1984 to 1992, as a result I dealt with many others bodies dedicated to the financial wellbeing of the City. My involvement with the Chamber led to me serving on other bodies within the city, Business Link and Service network to name but two. I was involved with the setting up of the National Glass Centre and served as a trustee from 1998 to when it was absorbed by Sunderland University.

I have had an extensive involvement in industry as a financial consultant as well as holding a non-executive directorship with a large local manufacturing company which has several overseas subsidiaries. I was appointed in 1995 and retired in 2012. I have been involved in the health sector since 2007 when I was appointed non-executive director (and Audit Chair) of NHS South of Tyne & Wear until its replacement by Clinical Commissioning Groups. I have been a governor of Sunderland City Hospitals and now continue to on its Board as a non-executive director with the responsibility of chairing its Audit, Finance and Charitable Funds committees. I feel that my previous experiences continue to give me the opportunity to use them in connection with the Council of the Co-op. The experience covers several sectors and encompasses both local and national appointments. I support the values and principles of the Co-op and am a keen supporter of my local branch in Shiney Row, where I am well known as an example of the "little and often" policy!