Coats, the leading industrial thread manufacturer, has appointed Hongyan Echo Lu, also known as Echo, as the non-executive director of the company’s board. She will also join the Remuneration Committee and the Nomination Committee of the company. She will assume her role from December 1, 2017.

Most recently, Echo was the managing director of Homebase Ltd as part of Home Retail Group plc. Starting her career at Bristol-Myers Squibb in a series of HR roles, she spent ten years at Tesco plc in various senior leadership roles, including Asia HR Director, chief operations officer and property director. Overall, she has twenty years of experience in global HR, operations and general management.

Echo has also served as a non-executive director of Dobbies Garden Centres and also served as a Steering Committee Member of the Trestle Group Foundation, a non-profit organisation which supports women-led businesses in emerging economies.

“I am delighted that Echo has agreed to join the Coats Board. Echo’s direct managerial experience of global companies operating in markets in Asia, particularly North East Asia, will bring very pertinent additional local and regional insight. She also has practical knowledge of empowering women entrepreneurs in emerging economies which will bring invaluable perspective to the Board,” said Mike Clasper, chairman of Coats.

Echo completed her under-graduation in international economy and finance from Fudan University and post-graduation in industrial relations and human resources from West Virginia University. She is a native Mandarin speaker.