Rigby set to take reins at Coventry & Warwickshire LEP
ENTREPRENEUR businessman Sir Peter Rigby is on the verge of being appointed chairman of the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP).
He would replace DCS Europe chief executive Denys Shortt who resigned suddenly from the LEP chairmanship at the end of May.
Sources suggested Shortt’s decision was the result of friction between senior business figures on the partnership’s board and of a power struggle between the city council and the business elements within the LEP over its future direction.
Rigby, whose Birmingham-based Specialist Computer Holdings firm is the largest privately-owned IT company in Europe, attracted a unanimous vote to become chair of the LEP at its board meeting held in Rugby.
But he is reluctant to formally accept the post for two weeks until he sees how his nomination is received by the business community.
Rigby, whose companies own Coventry Airport and two hotels in the area, is also the man behind the Gateway scheme, which will see the redevelopment of land around the airport and the possible creation of 14,000 jobs. The scheme is one of the main economic priorities for the LEP.
Martin Yardley, managing director of the LEP, said: “Sir Peter has been involved with the LEP since its very early days and sees it as a key economic driver for Coventry and Warwickshire.
“That is why he became involved. Since that time the Gateway has been launched which the LEP believes has great potential to boost the economy of the area and become a development of key strategic importance.
“Everyone around the LEP board table has a vested interest in Coventry and Warwickshire – that is why they are involved. If that was not the case then they would not be board members.
“Sir Peter wants to be totally certain – for the good of the reputation of the LEP – that everybody is fully comfortable with the situation.”
“There is no question that the LEP has made great strides in the last 18 months and there was a clear view at board level that Sir Peter is the right man to take it forward for the good of the area.”
