Position: Chair of Tees Valley Local Enterprise Partnership (Private Sector Representative)

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.

Position: Tees Valley Mayor (Public Sector Representative)

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.

Position: Leader of Darlington Borough Council (Public Sector Representative)

Cllr Heather Scott has been leader of Darlington Borough Council since May 2019.

First elected as a councillor in 1976, she has been Leader of the Conservative group since 2009.

She is also Director of Education Village Academy Trust, Board Member of Abbeyfield Society, Vice President of the Friends of Bowes Museum, and has been awarded an OBE for political and community service in Queens Birthday Honours list.

Position: Leader of Hartlepool Borough Council (Public Sector Representative)

Cllr Shane Moore has been leader of Hartlepool Borough Council since May 2019.

He was first elected as a councillor in 2016 and represents the Independent Union.

Position: Mayor of Middlesbrough (Public Sector Representative)

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.

Position: Leader of Redcar & Cleveland Borough Council (Public Sector Representative)

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.

Position: Leader of Stockton Borough Council (Public Sector Representative)

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.

Position: Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive, Teesside University (Higher Education Representative)

Professor Paul Croney became Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive of Teesside University on 1 May 2015.

He joined Teesside University from Northumbria University where he held a succession of leadership roles, from Dean of the Newcastle Business School, to Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Learning and Teaching, and, latterly, as Deputy Vice-Chancellor with a focus on strategic planning and international development.

An academic scholar in the field of management and business education, he holds honorary and visiting professorships from universities in Russia and China.

Position: Chief Executive Officer, Learning Curve Group (Private Sector Representative)

Theme Lead: Education, Employment and Skills

With more than 20 years’ experience in the education sector, Brenda has helped drive significant growth in the business, which delivers a broad range of educational services and training programmes across diverse industry sectors and a broad range of learners.

Brenda joined Learning Curve Group in 2008, progressing to her current role as Chief Executive. Brenda has helped the business grow from 40 full-time employees to more than 450 and Learning Curve is now one of the UK’s largest training providers.

Brenda is an active member of a series of strategic boards and network steering groups including AELP and the North East Chamber of Commerce. She has also led on strategy to respond to local and national priorities to support NEET’s, apprenticeship provision, delivery to the unemployed, work based training, flexible learning provision and English and Mathematics.

Position: Chief Operating Officer, Double Eleven Ltd. (Private Sector Representative) & SME Champion

Theme Lead and Sector Champion: Digital

Mark has extensive professional experiences in games and the digital industries, having co-founded a studio, worked for a large PLC and in the public sector designing and directing programmes to support digital businesses. He also successfully completed an MBA at Durham University.

Since 2011, Mark has primarily been involved with steering Double Eleven’s position as one of the leading technical developers in the world, which has led to the secure and release of a number of successful computer games. Double Eleven were also recently tipped as being one of only four potential unicorns (a business valued at over £1bn) in the region.

Position: Chief Executive & Artistic Director, ARC (Private Sector Representative)

Theme Lead: Culture

A nationally and internationally respected cultural sector leader, Annabel has transformed the profile and impact of the ARC Stockton Arts Centre over the last 10 years and it is now one of the North East's largest arts venues.

As a board member of Sunderland Culture Company and the North East Culture Partnership, Annabel has helped develop the region’s Case for Culture strategy, and she co-chairs Future Arts Centres, a national network of more than 100 arts centres, committed to championing the role of arts centres within the wider cultural and community sector.

Annabel launched and chairs Venues North, a group of 35+ venues from across the greater North committed to helping performing artists get their work seen more widely, and also chairs the North East Artist Development Network.

As a freelance consultant, Annabel has undertaken work around organisational development for a range of clients, including companies, venues and local authorities, as well as mentoring and facilitation at both executive and board level.

Position: Director, National Horizon Centre (Teesside University)

Thematic Lead for Health and Biologics

Jen is the Director of Teesside University’s National Horizons Centre, a national centre of excellence for the bioscience industries which brings together industry, academia, talent and world-class facilities to create real-world impact.

She works with industry to ensure that provision is driven by current and planned needs for skills, research, innovation and talent and to ensure the commercial success of the NHC.

Previously to this, Jen has been a senior leader at Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies (FDB), a Biologics Contract Development and Manufacturing Organisation, sitting on their global Leadership Team, where she was responsible for the execution of the FDB growth strategy and business change portfolio.

Before joining FDB Jen spent four years as Network Manager of a UK Government funded industrial biotechnology network made up of academia and industrialists. Jen has also worked in the bioscience industry in business development, sales and marketing, and lab management roles after gaining her doctorate from Sheffield University in biochemistry in 2007.

Position: City Manager for CityFibre

Thematic Lead for Construction and Infrastructure

Steph was born and educated in Hartlepool and has spent most of her career in the North East. With experience working with stakeholders gained as a director, senior manager and consultant, Steph has worked extensively supporting organisations with strategy, partner and stakeholder engagement, business modelling, change management and income generation and has held management roles in public and private sector organisations.

As City Manager for CityFibre, Steph is spearheading CityFibre’s digital infrastructure investment programme across Tees Valley delivering full fibre to homes and businesses. Steph is passionate about the Tees Valley and a strong advocate to inward investment and delivery of strategy. Her local knowledge and expertise will contribute to identify the economic, commercial and demographic issues facing the area, whilst supporting the development of the effective business- public sector partnership across the area.

Position: Global Account Executive for Cummins

Thematic Lead: Manufacturing and Innovation Commercialisation

Stephen was born and raised on Teesside and has worked his way up to Global Account Executive for Cummins, a global leader in the design, development, manufacture and distribution of power solutions and one of the region’s largest employers.

Stephen has over 15 years of automotive experience ranging from Manufacturing, Procurement, Project Management, Sales & Marketing and is currently working on an EU IPCEI Project that will see upto 1,000 zero emissions trucks on the road by 2025.

Prior to Cummins, Stephen worked for Nissan Motor Manufacturing, ‘Simply the Best’ South Cleveland Garages and a Flower Delivery Driver.

Stephen is very active in the Tees Valley, a lifelong supporter of Middlesbrough Football Club and passionate about the environment, helping Teesside to be at the forefront of the UK’s Green Industrial Strategy.

Position: Company Ambassador, LV Shipping and Transport

Thematic Lead: Transport and Logistics

Matthew has been involved with international trade and transport and logistics for nearly 15 years, initially as a senior international trade advisor with the North East England Chamber of Commerce and now in his current role as Company Ambassador with global shipping company LV Shipping and Transport.

As well as having 3 offices in the North East the company has 12 around the UK and 34 around the world, employing over 100 people in Middlesbrough and a further 50 across the region.

Matthew is extremely well connected inside and outside of Teesside and has a sound commercial and strategic mind. Matthew will bring a straight talking and focused approach to the board and will give the strength in depth that will be needed to deliver a successful future for Tees Valley.

Position: Principal and Chief Executive of Darlington College

Further Education Representative

Kate is Principal and Chief Executive of Darlington College, a role held since July 2014. The College is the key provider of technical and vocational education in the town including provision for school leavers, apprenticeships, adult education and higher level skills. On the LEP Board Kate represents FE+, which brings together all the FE Colleges within Tees Valley into a single network.

Her previous career includes senior leadership roles in local government in Yorkshire and the North East, including as Deputy Chief Executive of Northumberland County Council. She has also held senior roles in the NHS in East London and the South East.

Position: Director of Innovation, Baltic Apprenticeships

Thematic Lead for Business Growth

As founder of RAW Digital and Director of Innovation at Baltic Apprenticeships, Joanna has over a decade of business experience within the Tees Valley, championing innovation, skills development, and business growth on a regional and national scale.

Joanna is a homegrown Tees Valley champion, with expertise encompassing everything from youth employment to high street regeneration, tourism, and the ever-expanding digital tech sector.

With a background in government policy, Joanna launched her first business in 2010 and led the Mary Portas high street Pilot in Stockton from 2012 to 2016, which led to the launch of Stockton BID.

She represented the region as a finalist for many industry awards, including the National Women in IT Awards, Digital Leaders 100, and Digital Skills Initiative of the Year. She won Innovator of the Year award at the 2016 Women in Business NE Awards.

Joanna is a passionate advocate of business growth through skills gap development, productivity, data, and digital transformation.

Thematic Lead for Inclusive Growth

Yasmin is Founder and Chief Officer of the award-winning national charity Halo Project and has also held a number of senior advisory roles with respect to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion – including as an Advisor to the Welsh Government.

Yasmin has a well-respected reputation regionally, nationally and internationally, for facilitating successful change management through strategic knowledge and understanding of Equality and Diversity. She is a University Governor with portfolio responsibilities for standards and safeguarding as well as a Board of Trustee for Middlesbrough Football Club Foundation. She was previously Chair of the Strategic Independent Advisory Group for Cleveland Police and a member of the CPS NE Race Scrutiny Group.

Yasmin has been awarded the Citizen of the Year and Mayor’s Award for her contribution to the region and in 2018 was awarded the Tees Business Women Inspirational Award.