22nd May, 2023
LEP helps underpin North East region as a major offshore wind hub
A £4 million investment by the North East Local Enterprise Partnership in the Port of Tyne’s Tyne Dock Enterprise Park has strengthened the region’s p...
The LEP Network champions the impact and value of LEPs in building local economic growth and prosperity across the country. It acts as the lead commentator and negotiator for LEPs at a national level with government, advisers, businesses, academia, think tanks and other target audiences. It also acts as a central source of information and data on LEPs at a national level.
The LEP Network Ltd is a not-for-profit company limited by guarantee, governed by LEP Chairs who volunteer their time: Mark Bretton (Chair), Sir Roger Marsh OBE DL (Vice Chair), and Angus Knowles-Cutler. They are responsible for the strategic direction and policy of the LEP Network, finances, operational actions, and signing off annual audited accounts; and confirming procurement procedures. To view our Terms of Reference, Operations Plan, and Audited Accounts, please click here.
The LEP Network Board meet throughout the year and set the overall policy direction and strategy for LEPs. For agendas and minutes of these meetings, please click here.
Chair of the LEP Network, Chair of Hertfordshire LEP.
Mark Bretton is Chair of Hertfordshire LEP and the LEP Network, the national body that brings all 38 LEPs together. He has 39 years of wide-ranging business experience, including in several high-profile Government programmes. Until recently Mark was a Managing Director (Partner) in the leadership team of the professional services firm Accenture. He sits on the Business Leaders’ Council of the charity Teach First.
Mark has an MBA in Export Management and International Business from Bayes Business School and a BSc Econ (Hons) in Management Studies. He was a Royal Signals Reserve Officer (Major) and holds a Territorial Decoration. Mark joined the LEP Board as Business Representative and Chair Designate in January 2016, took over as Chair of the LEP Board in June 2016 becoming Chair of the LEP Network in September 2019. Mark has recently announced that he will be standing down and will carry out a phased handover during 2023.
During Covid Mark was a member of the Secretary of State for BEIS’ Levelling Up Taskforce and on the Minister for Local Government’s Economic Recovery Working Group and the Business Action Council, all focused on helping the country grow out of the COVID-19 crisis. His focus now is transitioning LEPs into their evolved role as part of the Government’s Levelling Up plans.
View LEP Board Members' Register of Interests.
Chair Northern Powerhouse 11 (NP11), Vice Chair LEP Network.
Roger is the former senior partner at PWC Leeds and a member of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority Board. Since becoming Chair of the Leeds City Region Local Enterprise Partnership, Roger has led the LEP through a period of significant transformation, securing the country’s largest Local Growth Deal settlement and bringing £1 billion of investment to the region. Alongside other areas, Roger is also one of the Trustees for the Iraq/Afghanistan memorial project.
The 11 Northern Powerhouse LEPs are: Cheshire and Warrington; Cumbria; Humber; Lancashire; Leeds; Liverpool; Greater Manchester; North East; Sheffield City Region; Tees Valley; York and North Yorkshire.
Roger was awarded a knighthood in the Queen's Birthday Honours 2021 for services to Business, to the Economy, and the community in Northern England.
Click here to view Roger's register of interests.
Roger can be contacted through the Leeds City Region LEP on 0113 348 1819 or info@the-lep.com.
Chair D2N2 LEP, Chair East Midlands Regional Group of LEPs.
Elizabeth Fagan became Chair of the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership in July 2018. Elizabeth is the recent former Non-Executive Chairman of Boots, having been appointed as the first female Managing Director of Boots in 2016. Elizabeth sits on the board of the Office for Students, the independent regulator for higher education in England. She is also a Non-Executive Director of the Australian listed pooling solutions company Brambles.
She is President of the Incorporated Society of British Advertisers and is a member and past President of Women in Advertising and Communications Club. Elizabeth was also a member of the ASA Council for six years. In August 2013, she became a Fellow of the Marketing Society and, in the same year, was awarded a Cosmetic Executive Women UK, Achiever Award.
Elizabeth has been awarded an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Science by Nottingham Trent University and in January 2020 received a CBE in the Queen’s New Year Honours list for her services to gender equality in business.
Elizabeth is the nominated Chair for the East Midlands Regional Group of LEPs: D2N2, Greater Lincolnshire; Leicester.
Click to view Elizabeth's Register of Interests.
Elizabeth can be contacted through the D2N2 LEP on 01159 578 250 or info@D2N2lep.org .
Chair, Coast to Capital LEP and Chair of Catalyst South regional group of LEPs
Julie has worked in economic development for over 15 years with a particular focus on enterprise, skills and social inclusion. She served as an advisor to the UK Government's task force on women's enterprise and has recently contributed to the Rose Review of Female Entrepreneurship including developing the expert in residence programme and the pilot to gender disaggregate LEP data.
She is a Board Member at Gatwick Diamond Business and Trustee of the Worthing Theatres & Museum. She is former Chair of the Chichester Chamber of Commerce & Industry.
Julie is Managing Director of Chichester College Group with responsibility for a portfolio of commercial businesses including a chain of childcare nurseries, examination board and international education.
Julie previously worked as director at the South East England Development Agency, managing a portfolio of contracts including Business Link and Finance South East. Prior to this she has a background in consumer marketing and PR. In 2012 she fulfilled a long-held ambition to work on the London 2012 Olympics and managed a legacy programme to encourage volunteering and community engagement in sport.
Co-Deputy Chair and Business Member, Local Enterprise Partnership for London.
Angus is London Senior Advisor at Deloitte, having previously served as their London office Managing Partner for six years. London is Deloitte’s largest client serving office in the world, with 12,000 colleagues in the city.
Angus has a particular interest in building the skills that Londoners need for the future and researches the future of work in the digital age as visiting professor of the Centre for the Digital Economy (CoDE) at the University of Surrey.
He is a Member of the Mayor’s Skills for Londoners Board, Chair of the Outcomes for Londoners Working Group and an advisory Board Member to the All Party Parliamentary Group on the Fourth Industrial Revolution. He has previously served as a Commissioner of the London Skills Commission.
Click to view Andrew's Register of Interests.
Angus can be contacted through LEAP on 020 7983 4628 or leap@london.gov.uk.
Chair South East Midlands LEP, Chair Ox-Cam Arc Regional Group of LEPs.
Peter Horrocks CBE was Vice-Chancellor of The Open University from 2015 until April 2018. Prior to joining the OU, Peter was Director of the BBC World Service.
At the Open University Peter devised the university’s strategy Students First bringing a new ‘digital by design’ approach to the university’s teaching. He oversaw significant restructuring and the prioritisation of resources for student benefit.
He also chaired FutureLearn, the UK’s only higher education open social learning higher education platform. FutureLearn has over 7 million users globally.
At the BBC, Peter held several roles, including being editor of Newsnight and Panorama, Head of Current Affairs, Head of TV News and Head of Multimedia News. He won two BAFTA awards for his journalism.
In 2015 Peter was awarded a CBE for Services to Broadcasting in the Queen’s Birthday Honours.
Click to view Peter's Register of Interests.
Peter can be contact via the South East Midlands LEP.
Chair, Swindon & Wiltshire LEP; Chair Western Gateway group of LEPs
Paul joined the Board of Swindon & Wiltshire LEP in July 2019 and took the Chair in March 2020. He founded Chipside Limited in 2003. Chipside is a rural employer in Brinkworth. The company is a leading UK tech company, providing Mipermit services to both local government and the public across the UK.
Paul has worked with local government on digital transformation projects for over 25 years. He was awarded OBE in the New Year’s Honours 2019 for services to promoting UK Technology abroad. In April 2019, Mipermit was recognised with a Queens Award for Enterprise, Innovation.
Paul has lived in Swindon since 1994. The Western Gateway group of LEPs are GFirst, West of England, and Swindon & Wiltshire.
Click to view Paul's Register of Interests.
Paul can be contacted via the Swindon & Wiltshire LEP.
Chief Executive, Mark@lepnetwork.net
Mark Livesey joined the LEP Network in December 2019 from Cheshire and Warrington LEP, where he held the joint role of Chief Executive Marketing Cheshire and Deputy Chief Executive Cheshire and Warrington LEP. Mark joined the LEP in July 2016 from the Department for Communities and Local Government. His civil service career included serving as the Private Secretary to the Leader of the House of Lords and successive housing and planning ministers. During his civil service career, Mark was also responsible for Coastal Communities, High Streets and Town Centres, during which time he set up and launched the Great British Coast brand, the Great British High Street brand and launched the national Great British High Streets competition. Mark currently sits on the Board of the Institute of Economic Development and on the Community Board of the Digital Poverty Alliance.
Communications Manager, Mike@lepnetwork.net
Mike took up the role of Communications Manager in July 2015.
Prior to this Mike worked for FTSE 100 business Babcock International Group as their PR and Public Affairs Manager working in the Support Services Division with a particular focus on their skills and learning business. Previous to this Mike worked in corporate communications for Centrica plc and BAE Systems.
Mike's communications experience includes working for BBC News , including a stint as political researcher with BBC Westminster, and working in government communications as press secretary for the energy minister, Home Secretary, and International Trade Minister.
Office Manager, jayne@lepnetwork.net
Jayne joined the LEP Network in June 2015.
Her background is in marketing communications, event management and providing business support at a senior level.
She has worked for large corporates and SMEs and in a variety of industry sectors including, training, market research, digital print, automotive, IT services, recruitment, financial services and construction.
Policy Manager, natasha@lepnetwork.net
Natasha joined the LEP Network as Policy Manager in January 2023 following working at New Anglia LEP for over 5 years. There she was the Skills Manager working with education providers in Norfolk and Suffolk and many stakeholders including the local authorities, DWP, business intermediaries and the third sector. She established the apprenticeship levy transfer scheme and Skills Bootcamps for the LEP plus provided the secretariat for the Skills Advisory Panel and a number of sector skills groups.
Natasha has worked in land-based Further Education colleges for over 15 years and roles driving apprenticeship uptake and career inspiration. She has developed academic curriculum and undertook external examining roles throughout the country.