Humber LEP appoints new board to help drive growth in region

THE Humber LEP has refreshed the private sector members of its board to help drive economic growth in the region.

The restructure has been made in response to the LEP’s expanding role, with new responsibilities and funding being channelled through it by Government.

Two new vice chairs, Mike Parker of Grimsby Institute and Tim Rix of JR Rix and Sons, join chair Lord Haskins to lead the new Humber LEP board.

Further appointments have been made to lead new sub-groups responsible for delivering key parts of the Humber’s growth agenda.

Mr Parker will lead a new Employment and Skills Board, responsible for developing and delivering an employment and skills strategy for the Humber in partnership with education providers. This will include taking forward the recommendations of the LEP’s Skills Commission and the Government’s response to Lord Heseltine’s review.  Mr Parker will be joined by three further board appointments Nina Stobart of Phillips 66, Tony Ogden, Immingham Site Manager of BOC UK & Ireland and Paul Sewell, managing director of Sewell Group.

David Kilburn, founder and executive chairman of Hull’s MKM Building Supplies is re-appointed to the LEP board and will continue to lead the Investment Board, responsible for allocating business funding and grants such as the Regional Growth Fund 3 and the LEP’s £7m Business Loan Fund.

Peter Aarosin, director of several companies including Goole-based Danbrit Shipping will chair a new Marketing Board, responsible for developing and implementing a consolidated Humber Estuary marketing and international trade plan.

Lindsay West, joint managing director of Hull firm, Garthwest, will chair a SME Support Committee, responsible for co-ordinating local business support provision.

Additional new board members are John Fitzgerald, port director of ABP Grimsby & Immingham and Gary Warke, chief executive of Hull College Group who chairs the Humber LEP Skills network. In addition, Peter Stephenson, founder and executive chairman of Able UK is re-appointed to the board.

Chair of the Humber LEP, Lord Haskins, said: “The role and expectations of Local Enterprise Partnerships have changed, partly in response to the new responsibilities coming from government, so we are adapting to fit.

“We have the right mix of talent in place now in the partnership to take on a crucial role in driving growth in the Humber.”

The partnership has secured the largest Enterprise Zone in the country along with £65m of Regional Growth Funding and has gained agreement on a five year plan for the Humber.

This momentum is being carried forward through the delivery of the plan for the Humber, along with opportunities including pathfinder work on Lord Heseltine’s proposal for new pioneering ways of economic development and negotiating City Deal status which would see powers devolved to the region.