Ian Barr is Managing Director of Astar Management Consultants Limited. He has operated at the highest level in a broad spectrum of industries. Ian was Group Human Resources Director at Scholl PLC from 1995 to 1998, a period which saw a major transformation of that global footwear and footcare business. Prior to that he was the Main Board Director responsible for Human Resources at NFC Plc, Europe's largest road transport and distribution company. Before that Ian was Personnel Director at Chloride Group Plc and he also held senior Personnel Management appointments in British Leyland.

Ian is Chair of the Employment Tribunal System Steering Board and a member of the CBI Equality Forum and has served on the CBI Employment Policy Committee and the CBI East of England Council. Ian served as a Commissioner to the Commission for Racial Equality from April 2002 to March 2006 and was acting Deputy Chair from August 2002 to February 2003. He was Chair of the Private Sector Committee where he had responsibility for the CRE's strategy for the private sector, and was the Commissioner responsible for the development of the CRE's Code of Practice on Racial Equality in Employment, which came into force in April 2006. Ian was a founder member of the Leadership Group for the "Race for Opportunity" campaign which established an industry wide initiative concentrating on equality of opportunity for ethnic minorities under the auspices of Business in the Community. He is also a Trustee and Treasurer of the Windsor Fellowship, an educational charity, which provides personal development programmes to young minority ethnic students to prepare them for future employment.

He has considerable experience in all aspects of strategic corporate human resource management in multi-national organisations including mergers, disposals and acquisitions, board remuneration, management audits and employee communication. He has also worked since 1998 as a consultant in organisational development advising major organisations on strategies for effecting change within both the public and private sectors.

He holds an Honours Degree in Industrial Administration.