We chat with Sharon Appleby, Chief Executive at Sunderland Business Improvement District (BID) to find out more about her role in Sunderland.

Sharon Appleby’s journey to success is a tale of adaptability, resilience and a relentless drive to make a difference.
Inspired by a love of business and supercharged by her entrepreneurial genes, her story has taken her from classrooms and lecture halls in Newcastle to the worlds of banking and recruitment in London, before returning to her native North East for good and making her mark in the realms of communications, leadership and family business.

Navigating her way through diverse industries and roles between North and South, she accumulated a wealth of experience that, ultimately, led her to where she is today. An employment journey she believes has gifted her with the right tools to make a real difference in her work now.

“I think it’d be fair to say that I’ve always been ambitious and always harboured a love of business,” she recalls.

“My dad was an entrepreneur and ran his own business for more than 50 years. Witnessing that and getting to know the ins and outs of how businesses work definitely inspired me growing up.

“After finishing university in Newcastle, I travelled to London, where I found myself working at an investment bank. It wasn’t to last, though, and six months later I returned home. I worked for dad’s business for a while, before the allure of the Big Smoke called again and I returned to the capital – this time working in recruitment.

“I worked for a recruitment firm in Covent Garden, specialising in recruitment for investment banks and
building connections along the way,” she says.

“Soon after, I was approached by an American investment bank in Canary Wharf, where I looked after
a significant number of vacancies, before moving on to a small Malaysian stockbroker to run their office.

“My time in London was brilliant – it was an experience I’ll never forget and one that really did broaden my skillset, build my confidence and open doors – but, soon enough, I felt that pull to come back to the North East once and for all. I’m a true believer that the quality of life in our region is so much better.”

With her thirties before her and with her feet firmly back on home soil, Sharon rejoined her father’s business, bringing with her the sales, finance and marketing experience she had honed in London. Her efforts helped the family business grow until her father eventually sold it and retired.

As she continued to evolve professionally, she began working for Sunderland Housing Group – later rebranded as Gentoo – which served as a pivotal moment in her career.

“The company had just completed a significant stock transfer from Sunderland Council and was looking to ramp up its communications and marketing efforts. I was then offered a chance to help build the department from the ground up and it ended up being a fantastic chapter in my working life.

“Gentoo was way ahead of its time in terms of innovation back then and expanding into a leadership role allowed me to be involved in some really exciting projects and initiatives, including its re-brand into Gentoo and being a part of its Leadership Futures Team, which meant I had a say in how we developed the future leadership of the business, identifying necessary training and shaping the company culture to meet the challenges of the future.”

Sharon’s eventual departure from Gentoo coincided with her growing involvement with Sunderland Business Improvement District (BID), which was still in the early stages of its first five-year term. Having worked closely with the BID while in her marketing and communications role at Gentoo, she was intrigued by the opportunity to help shape its future – as well as the trajectory of Sunderland.

Soon enough, when a spot opened up on the board, fate stepped in and she found herself pulling up a chair as a senior member.

“As it turns out, Gentoo’s deputy chief executive became the CEO and no longer had the time to give to the BID board. I was asked to step in and the rest, you could say, is history.

“The first term is often about selling a vision and laying the groundwork, but it was clear that there was much more to be done at the time to realise that vision fully – and I was eager to make a difference.”

Today, Sharon makes a difference in all kinds of ways. As chief executive, she works alongside a small, but dedicated, team, as well as key stakeholders, consultants and freelancers, to deliver the BID’s objectives.

Her days are spent building relationships, from having discussions with the local authority about future plans to business breakfasts. She works closely with British Bids, for which she serves on the advisory board.

Her work also sees her co-chair the Coastal BIDs Group, for which she meets quarterly with various BID leaders to discuss how BIDs in coastal locations can impact positively on their towns and contribute to their improvement.

All this, plus serving as a director for the Sunderland Business Partnership and co-chairing the Sunderland Empire Theatre Trust, giving her a one-of-a-kind insight into some of the most exciting cultural happenings in the city.

“Building relationships with key stakeholders is a crucial part of my job – but it’s also my favourite part,” says Sharon.

“We as a BID are incredibly collaborative and really see the value in partnerships. For me personally, I love nothing more than getting together with like-minded individuals and thinking about the bigger picture and how we can drive change.

“There are around 335 BIDs across the country, give or take, and they have been in existence for 20 years now. Their importance is never lost on me. Aside from working with other BIDs and stakeholders, another big part of my role is lobbying nationally with government and shining a light on all the positives BIDs bring to their communities – and reiterating how much we need continued support.

“You might have to have challenging conversations along the way, but there’s definitely a way of working to get the best out of one another – regardless of who they are. If we work together and don’t
lose sight of our goals, together, we can achieve so much more.”

Sunderland BID’s goal remains unchanged: to create a vibrant city centre that offers opportunities for everyone – including both businesses and consumers. A vision that has only become stronger as Sunderland has evolved over the last decade.

In recent years, Sunderland has undergone significant positive changes, with new investments, businesses and world-leading infrastructure transforming the landscape. Sunderland BID has been at the heart of many of these changes, working hard to improve the look and feel of the city, enhance safety and security, boost culture and tourism and, ultimately, put Sunderland on the map as a destination to live, work and play.