RICHARD Maudslay, left, will lead the team responsible for turning research into commercial development and jobs in the North-East.
Mr Maudslay, an electrical engineer and deputy chairman of the House of Hardy Group, based in Alnwick, has been appointed chairman of the Science and Industry Council for the North of England.
The council oversees regional development agency One NorthEast's £200m Strategy for Success programme to develop knowledge- based businesses and economic activities in the North-East.
Mr Maudslay, who is also One NorthEast's deputy chairman, will lead the council, whose members are drawn from the region's research and business communities.
He takes over from Sir Ian Gibson, the renowned industrialist and former boss of Nissan Europe, who will complete his three-year term as council chairman later this year.
Mr Maudslay said: "I am delighted to be able to move forward the science and technology strategy for the North-East, which is vitally important for our economic development.
"As an engineer with a lifelong career in engineering both in the UK and overseas, I believe I have the experience and background to drive the council forward.
"My main role will be to ensure that the North-East economy can benefit to the full by applying the science from our research base into developing existing and new businesses."
Mr Maudslay was formerly the managing director of the Rolls-Royce Industrial Power Group, employing 17,500 people worldwide, and was a member of the Rolls-Royce board.
The Science and Industry Council was established in 2002 and helped One NorthEast develop five centres of scientific and technological excellence as well as NStar - a company providing early stage finance for new technological ventures.
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