Twelve industry leaders are set to help boost growth and investment across the Tees Valley.

The Tees Valley Business Board – chaired by Siobhan McArdle (The Strategy House & L3COS) with Matthew Ord (LV Shipping) as Deputy Chair – will play a defining role in representing the voice of local business.

The Business Board will be the voice of business and ambassadors for the Tees Valley, feeding into the work of the Tees Valley Mayor, Combined Authority and Local Authorities, creating stronger and more influential business-led partnerships to improve the local economy.

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The Board is made up of Imran Anwar (Alt Labs), Gary Briston (bp), Professor Paul Croney (Teesside University), Tania Cooper (Steel Benders UK), David Gardner (K2/SeAH Wind Ltd), Alison Gwynn (North East Screen), Helen Lyne (Knights plc), Katrina Morley (Tees Valley Education), Kevin O’Hare (Willis Lease Finance Corporation), Mike Racz (Racz Group) and Sophie Walton (CPI).

Chair Siobhan McArdle said: “I’m delighted to welcome this Board of dynamic individuals, who are both passionate about our region, and representative of the Tees Valley Business Community.

“We now have an opportunity to leverage the benefits of the significant investment we have seen and will continue to see across the Tees Valley, and our focus as a Business Board will be to represent local business, ensuring the value and benefit of this and all future investment, is captured and realised by Tees Valley businesses and Tees Valley people.”

Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen said: “Game-changing developments are taking place across Teesside, Darlington and Hartlepool and this Board, with its wealth of experience and expertise, will be able to make sure local business is at the heart of all of this progress.

“We’ve always worked in lockstep with our business community, listening to both its challenges and success stories to, ultimately, create the good-quality, well-paid jobs that local people deserve.

“With this influential Board, we can continue these efforts as projects and schemes are becoming a reality and I look forward to working with all members to make our region even better for businesses and – crucially – their workers.”