The appointment of Sir John Peace as Chairman of the Supervisory Board for the Midlands Engine initiaitive has been warmly welcomed by the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership.
Today’s (June 1) announcement by the Business Secretary Sajid Javid (pictured onstage at Midlands Engine launch) will see Sir John Chair a Supervisory Board composed of representatives from business, local authorities, universities, and an executive; which will work together to define, drive forward and communicate the Midlands Engine ambitions.
Since the launch of the Midlands Engine’s Prospectus at the University of Birmingham in December (2015), those behind the ME partnership – including D2N2 and its fellow ten Midlands’ Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) – have been working with businesses, universities, colleges and the public sector to deliver its ambition to create 300,000 new jobs and generate an additional £34 billion for the economy by 2030.
Sir John is is the current Chair of Standard Chartered plc and Burberry plc; and former Chairman of Experian plc, which he co-founded, and which has its headquarters in Nottingham.
He was appointed Lord-Lieutenant of Nottinghamshire (his home county) in July 2012. Sir John was knighted in 2011 for services to business and the voluntary sector.
In February 2016, he was appointed the independent Chair of Midlands Connect; the region-wide initiative to improve transport networks across the Midlands, seen as key to driving forward the Midlands Engine.
Mr Javid said today: “These are exciting times for the Midlands. The economy is growing, businesses are thriving and inward investment is up. By capitalising on the region’s assets under Sir John Peace’s leadership, the Midlands can become even greater than the sum of its parts.
“I would also like to thank David Frost for his time and dedication as interim Chair of the Midlands Engine. The publication of the Prospectus under his leadership was an historic moment in firing up the Midlands Engine.”
Sir John Peace, added: “The Midlands Engine is a compelling opportunity to better represent the Midlands region, attract significant new investment and create more jobs. A huge amount of work has already been done by stakeholders from both the private and public sectors with the aim of growing the wider Midlands economy, and as the newly appointed Chairman I will do my best to make this very exciting vision become a reality.”
David Ralph, Chief Executive of the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership – who, alongside D2N2 Chairman Peter Richardson, is on the Senior Steering Group of the Midlands Engine – said: “Sir John Peace brings with him a wealth of business experience, dealing with international brands at the highest level.
“We’re fortunate to have someone of his calibre as Chair of the Midlands Engine’s Supervisory Board, if we are to fully realise its promise of creating 300,000 jobs and generating an additional £34billion for the economy by 2030.”
For more information about the Midlands Engine and its objectives see its Prospectus online HERE and on the D2N2 LEP website www.d2n2lep.org/growth/midlands-engine
Media wanting further information about the D2N2 LEP can contact D2N2 Communications Manager Sean Kirby on 0115 9578749 or email: sean.kirby@d2n2lep.org
