Position: Tees Valley Mayor

Ben was elected the first Tees Valley Mayor in May 2017 and represents 670,000 people. Before that, he was the Conservative opposition leader on Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council where he represented the Yarm Ward.

Ben is a solicitor by profession, and was the CEO of BLK, a sport clothing company based in Stockton. He has also worked for two Teesside law firms, in commercial litigation and employment law, since graduating in law at Northumbria University.

He grew up in Ingelby Barwick and attended Conyers School, Yarm.

Email: ben.houchen@teesvalley-ca.gov.uk

Position: Leader of Darlington Borough Council

Jonathan was first elected to Darlington Borough Council in 2019.  During this time he has held several senior roles, including cabinet member for stronger communities and deputy leader. Jonathan joined the combined authority in June 2022 after being elected Leader of Darlington Borough Council.

Position: Leader of Hartlepool Borough Council

Position: Mayor of Middlesbrough

Andy Preston was elected Mayor of Middlesbrough in May 2019 and is politically independent.

After a successful career in investment banking and fund management Andy returned to North East England and has helped new businesses to launch and prosper.

Since 2002 Andy has actively supported and promoted social inclusion via charities such as Fairbridge Teesside and The Prince’s Trust. In 2010 he founded a new charity The Middlesbrough & Teesside Philanthropic Foundation and followed up on this by establishing national charity CEO Sleepout in 2014 and a social enterprise restaurant called The Fork In The Road in 2016.

Email: andy.preston@teesvalley-ca.gov.uk

Position: Leader of Redcar & Cleveland Borough Council

Mary Lanigan is a highly experienced councillor currently serving as Leader of Redcar & Cleveland Borough Council for the second time.

The former nurse became the first female Leader of the Council in 2015 and returned to the role following the 2019 elections. An Independent, she has represented the Loftus ward since 2002 and has also served as Cabinet member of Highways, Transport and Planning.

Born in Liverton Mines, East Cleveland, she still lives in the area and is committed to rejuvenating the economy of the Tees Valley.

Email: mary.lanigan@teesvalley-ca.gov.uk

Position: Leader of Stockton Borough Council

Bob Cook has been Leader of Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council since 2011 and was first elected as a councillor in 1987.

He currently represents the Norton South ward. Prior to becoming Council Leader, he was Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Transport.

Councillor Cook represents the Borough on a range of bodies including the Association of North East Councils, Local Government Association General Assembly, North East Purchasing Organisation and North East Regional Employers’ Organisation. He worked in the chemical industry for 31 years before taking up his current post of Agent/Office Manager for Stockton North MP, Alex Cunningham, in 2010.

Email: bob.cook@teesvalley-ca.gov.uk

Position: Chair of Tees Valley Local Enterprise Partnership

Siobhan is the former Chief Executive of South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and was previously the Trust’s Director of Transformation.

Prior to that Siobhan worked as a Management Consultant working nationally and internationally on strategy development, performance improvement , turnaround and transformational change in partnership with large global corporate organisations, high growth SMEs and public sector organisations including the NHS.