Warwick Science Park chief helms WMEB
THE chief executive of the University of Warwick Science Park has been named as the new chairman of the West Midlands Enterprise Board.
David Rowe, who succeeds industrialist Norman Price, will be charged with helping to close the £15bn West Midlands output gap.
He said his first task on appointment would be to make the region more enterprising by building up its core strengths.
Mr Rowe, a qualified electronic engineer, is keen to strengthen public and private sector partnerships, harness commercial relationships between academia and business and develop a strategy that will support both traditional sectors and new industries, such as healthcare technologies, low carbon manufacturing and creative.
“This is an important time for the Enterprise Board with potential cuts in public spending meaning that we have to work even smarter to deliver maximum impact to the region’s entrepreneurs and established businesses,” he said.
“It’s a major challenge but one that I’m relishing. I look forward to building on some hugely successful policy implementations like the four Centres of Expertise and the recently launched Young People’s Enterprise Partnership.”
His track record in the world of enterprise is impressive. At the University of Warwick he took a derelict piece of land and transformed it into a thriving 40-acre science park which has become home to more than 150 high-tech businesses employing more than 2,000 people.
In 2006 he was presented with the Queen’s Award in recognition of his approach to creating a supportive environment where specialist advice and access to finance was readily available.
He also holds a number of positions including chairman of the West Midlands Business Start Up and Incubation Committee and member of the Board of the UK Science Park Association.
“We’re just below the UK average when it comes to number of start-ups,” added Mr Rowe, whose career has taken in positions at Marconi, Chrysler UK and the UK Atomic Energy Authority.
“Getting more companies to launch is not necessarily the solution to the problem. I’d prefer to look at the situation differently and to increase the survival chances of new starts, so we have younger businesses growing and providing sustainable employment opportunities.”
He will also be working closely with other business support agencies to improve both growth sectors and traditional industries.
The Enterprise Board, which was set up by Advantage West Midlands, brings together a number of key organisations and private sector business leaders to advise the development agency on enterprise issues.
Debra Blisson, Director of Business Support and Enterprise at Advantage West Midlands, welcomed the appointment.
“David will be a dynamic, inspirational chair who understands the regional economy and has a passion for bringing enterprise to the fore,” she said.
“His experience will be crucial in shaping its ability to influence future regional economic enterprise strategy.”
