Nicoll appointed ATCM chairman

Published:  01 September, 2011

The Association of Town Centre Management  has appointed Alexander Nicoll as its non-executive chairman, succeeding Graham Chase

Nicoll is director of corporate responsibility at Capital Shopping Centres where he is responsible for the full range of CR activities carried on throughout all parts of the CSC group. He also advises on a range of corporate affairs issues.

Nicoll decided to join ATCM because of the importance of town centres. He said: "Town centres are enriched by the interplay between commercial, residential and cultural factors usually accompanied by history and a sense of place. The ATCM believes in the primacy of ‘partnerships’ to make our town centres vibrant and sustainable. In the current economic climate, the work of the ATCM and the many partnerships created and promoted by our members is of key importance."

He is currently working with the Chief Executive, Marin Blackwell, to review the vision for the association and is hoping to make it more influential in policy circles. Nicoll says, "The ATCM membership is wide-ranging in terms of skills, experience and contacts and as a whole ATCM has excellent links with local and national government and with other bodies who care about the vitality of our towns and cities. I plan to build on the success of the ATCM to support our members and promote their contribution to policy-makers in an era when ‘local’ has rightly been heralded as important but resources, either public or private, for urban improvements are tightly constrained."

Nicoll also served inLondonlocal government for sixteen years and was Lord Mayor of the City ofWestminsterduring 2006 – 2007. Other previous roles have included: Head of Internal Communications for the Archbishops’ Council of the Church of England and Deputy Secretary for Public Affairs for the Archbishop of Canterbury.