A COUNTY Durham entrepreneur has been named as part of a regional leadership board aiming to drive economic growth in the North-East.

Dr Arnab Basu, chief executive of technology business Kromek, based at NETPark, Sedgefield is one of nine business leaders joining representatives from local government, universities and colleges, to create the board of the new North-East Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP). Dr Basu, who was named Ernst and Young's Young Entrepreneur of the Year in 2009, founded Kromek in 2003 as a spin-off from Durham University's physics department. The organisation now employs 55 people in Sedgefield and ten in California.

David Land, engineering and operations director at automotive manufacturer ThyssenKrupp Tallent in Newton Aycliffe and Cllr Simon Henig, Leader of Durham County Council have also been appointed to the LEP board.

Paul Walker, interim chairman of the North-East LEP has made way for Paul Woolston, senior partner at PwC to lead the board. Mr Woolston will work alongside the Leaders and Elected Mayor of the seven local authorities involved in the LEP, representatives from universities and further education and eight other newly-appointed board members, who are: Dr Arnab Basu chief executive of technology business Kromek in Sedgefield; Michael Bellamy general manager of Cramlington oil and gas pipeline business PII; Fiona Cruickshank, co-owner and director of Northumberland-based SCM Pharma; Andrew Hodgson chief executive of subsea engineering specialist SMD in North Tyneside; David Land, engineering and operations director at automotive manufacturer ThyssenKrupp Tallent in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham; Jeremy Middleton, entrepreneur, investor and principle shareholder in Middleton Enterprises; Gill Southern MBE, director of Wearside-based manufacturer Wessington Cryogenics; and Paul Varley, managing director of Carrillion Energy Services.

These business leaders will join the following leaders from local government and education to make up the full board: Mayor Linda Arkley, Elected Mayor of North Tyneside Council; Professor Chris Brink, Vice-Chancellor of Newcastle University; Cllr Nick Forbes, Leader of Newcastle City Council; Cllr Simon Henig, Leader of Durham County Council; Cllr Mick Henry, Leader of Gateshead Council; Cllr Iain Malcolm, Leader of South Tyneside Council; Angela ODonoghue, Principal of Sunderland College; Cllr Jeff Reid, Leader of Northumberland County Council; and Cllr Paul Watson, Leader of Sunderland City Council.

The North-East LEP covers seven local authorities areas across Durham, Sunderland, Gateshead, Newcastle, North Tyneside, Northumberland and South Tyneside.

Tees Valley has a separate LEP which covers the Borough Councils of Darlington, Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, Redcar & Cleveland and Stockton-on-Tees. It is heading the area's bid for Regional Growth funding and enterprise zone status.