Sean Royce

 The East Yorkshire branch committee of the Institute of Directors (IoD) has welcomed KC Commercial and Finance Director Sean Royce as one of two new members.

 Sean has joined the committee as Vice Chairman, replacing Andrew Hirst, who has taken on the role of Branch Secretary.

Sean is a Chartered Certified accountant who has held a number of senior financial and commercial roles at KC since joining the firm in 1989.  He serves on a number of other local business bodies, including the Hull and Humber Chamber of Commerce Council, the North Bank Local Enterprise Partnership sub-board, and the Hull Business Development Fund.

Sarah Longthorn, entrepreneur and director of fashion brand WedgeWelly is the second new member to be welcomed by the IoD committee.

Established in 2008, WedgeWelly came to national attention last year after Sarah and her fellow directors appeared on BBC’s Dragons’ Den, winning investment from business guru Theo Paphitis.

Sarah was recently shortlisted in the Yorkshire Post’s Excellence in Business Awards in the Entrepreneur of the Year category, and WedgeWelly is currently in the running to win the Smarta 100 business Awards, which recognises the most original and exciting small businesses in the UK.

Richard Tuplin, Chairman of the East Yorkshire branch committee, said: ”I am delighted at our new appointments which shows both bringing significant talent and skills sets to our committee but in different areas, and I am looking forward to working with them both.”