Nigriello to leave Unipart after 25 years

He will continue in his role as B4 Chairman and was recently announced as co-chair of Oxfordshire’s EarthTrust, the charity that promotes environmental conservation through land management, education, and land science.

Nigriello has been well-known in Oxfordshire for representing Unipart Group in many local organisations and networks. In 2007, he was appointed chair of Oxfordshire Economic Partnership, which later became Oxfordshire Business First. Last year, he led the merger of Oxfordshire Business First and B4 last year to connect around 2,400 local businesspeople. The merger resulted in a bursary to fund B4 membership for up to six startups companies.

Through Oxfordshire Business First, Nigriello and fellow director Paul Essery ran The Big Gig innovation programme for 10 years enabling over 60 organisations to benefit from Big Gig events. The two also ran a highly successful programme teaching storytelling techniques to business leaders.

Nigriello is also a founder member and non-executive director of the Ideas Network 2030, which examines long-term trends and their effects on our economy, politics, and society. He has also been a visiting industrial fellow at Oxford Brookes University and has advised several startup businesses in the county.

Passionate about promoting responsible business behaviours, Nigriello served as HRH the Prince of Wales’s Responsible Business Ambassador for the Southeast for four years and chaired the Southeast Leadership Board of Business in the Community for over 10 years. He also chaired the BITC Oxfordshire Schools Cluster, bringing together partnerships between businesses and local schools, and was a governor of Wheatly Park School. He has also been a member of the Oxfordshire Inclusive Economy Partnership and the Oxford Strategic Partnership.

Commenting on the announcement, B4 Chief Executive Richard Rosser said: “Frank has played an important role in the shaping of B4 as the premier business network in Oxfordshire and has been strongly supportive of our plans to expand nationally. We’re looking forward to his leadership on the B4 board as we continue to enhance our offerings to members.”