The members of the new board that is set to carry forward business interests across Suffolk has been announced.
Suffolk Business Board has been established to replace the New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), which was dissolved into local authorities last month.
In April the county council announced Mark Pendlington as the business board's chair - he previously served as Suffolk High Sheriff until March 2024.
Over the past month, Mr Pedlington along with the head of the county council Matthew Hicks interviewed and selected the rest of the board, which was announced on Monday.
The 17-member board has representatives from business, education and local government along with people who bring experience in key Suffolk sectors including agri-food, retail, technology, ports and logistics, and the visitor economy.
This includes chief financial officer of Ipswich Town FC Tom Ball, chief executive of East of England Co-op Doug Field and manager of Associated British Ports Paul Ager.
Mr Pendlington said: "I am delighted to have been invited to chair the Board and to work with senior leaders from business, education and local government to create a new economic strategy for Suffolk.
"Our county is full of talent, ideas and innovation, and our job is to harness all of that expertise and experience to help secure a long-term sustainable future for our county in the competitive national and international economy."
The board will be supported by Suffolk County Council’s Economic Development team.
One of its key objectives in the first six months will be to define a refreshed economic strategy for Suffolk.
The full list of its members is as follows:
- Mark Pendlington, Suffolk High Sheriff
- Cllr Matthew Hicks, Suffolk County Council
- Doug Field, East of England Co-op
- Oliver Paul, Suffolk Food Hall
- Lisa Perkins, Tech East
- Peter Brady, Orbital Global
- Kelly Boosey, Oxford Innovation
- Leanne Gittins, LME Recruitment
- John Dugmore, Suffolk Chamber of Commerce
- Tom Ball, Ipswich Town Football Club
- Hannah Reid, Community Action Suffolk
- Paul Ager, Associated British Ports
- Gurpreet Jagpal, University of Suffolk
- Nikos Savvas, Eastern Education Group
- Cllr Richard Smith MVO, Suffolk County Council
- Cllr Andy Mellen, Mid Suffolk District Council
- Cllr Neil MacDonald, Ipswich Borough Council
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