New chairman appointed at Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire LEP
The Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Local Enterprise Partnership has announced the appointment of its new chairman.
Local business leader Alun Rogers, who has been acting chairman since June 2019, is taking on the role. Alun has been a LEP board member for two-and-a-half years.
Alun has led on the development of the Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Local Industrial Strategy working with the area’s business community. The strategy, which sets a framework for productivity growth across Stoke and Staffordshire over the next 10 years, is currently out for consultation. He will now lead the LEP as it looks to deliver this new economic growth strategy and continue to lobby the Government to ensure the area’s business voice is heard at a national level.
Alun co-founded Stafford-based IT firm risual with business partner Richard Proud in 2005, building on his previous experience as an IT consultant. The business has won numerous awards and become a Microsoft strategic partner for public and private sector clients.
Alun will head a board with 17 other business and public sector members, who will collectively decide on the LEP’s future vision in a changing UK.
Alun said:
I stepped up my involvement in the LEP work last year, taking on the acting chair’s role. I learnt a great deal during the summer while leading a comprehensive review of the organisation and its work.
We have restructured the board and secretariat, increasing our direct engagement with our business base and civic leaders and working together on our challenges, opportunities and priorities for economic growth.
I now feel ready to take on the role of LEP chairman and am both honoured and excited to be working for the benefit of Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire businesses.
We are taking forward a bold, new strategy for our area. The Local Industrial Strategy is enabling us to deliver transformative work programmes to grow the economy of our city, towns and rural areas and to measurably improve opportunities for our residents and businesses. As a new and revitalised board, we are just getting started.”
Philip Atkins, leader of Staffordshire County Council, said:
Alun’s appointment is great news for both Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent and we know he will ensure our great county can fulfil its potential. He has served on the local enterprise partnership board for some time now and most recently as acting chairman, so is familiar with the role.
His entrepreneurial business background will bring business, the public sector and education and skills providers together to create the right conditions for economic growth and job creation across the whole of Staffordshire. And he will ensure Staffordshire remains an influential partner in the workings of the Midlands Engine and Midlands Connect.”
Abi Brown, leader of Stoke-on-Trent City Council, said:
I know Alun has a strong passion for Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire and shares our vision for making the area a great place to live, work, shop and visit.
His strong background in the digital sector and hands on experience with business will be incredibly beneficial as we work together to attract investment, grow our economy and bring jobs to the county. I’d also like to thank outgoing chairman David Frost for his contribution over the past five years.”
Previous chairman David Frost retired as chairman in September after serving for five years.
The LEP is a business-led company limited by guarantee bringing together business, higher education institutions and public sector partners to create the conditions to grow new and better jobs, a higher skilled workforce and increase business productivity across both city and county.
