Introducing our Business and Sector Growth Programme

Colin Bell

Our ambition for the North East is to level up the North East economy through increasing:

  • the rate of people starting new businesses
  • levels of business productivity
  • the number of businesses who are scaling-up.  
  • The number of businesses who export

Raising performance in each of these areas is critical to the creation of more and better jobs. Although gaps exist in each of these areas between the North East and the rest of the UK our business community is innovative, collaborative and ambitious and we can look to the future with confidence. Innovation is central to the Strategic Economic Plan’s long-term ambition to build a more productive North East: stronger innovation delivery will improve our productivity performance and catalyse growth in ‘better’ jobs

The North East LEP’s Business and Sector Growth Programme will continue to nurture an ecosystem that is growth-oriented, dynamic and productive where businesses start, invest, grow and thrive.

Colin Bell
Business and Sector Growth Director

Meet the Business and Sector Growth team
Colin Bell Colin Bell
Business Growth Director
[email protected]
Ken Arnold Ken Arnold
Growth Hub Connector
[email protected]
Karen Berry Karen Berry
Growth Hub Connector
[email protected]
Craig Harrison Craig Harrison
Digital Sector Lead & Growth Hub Connector
[email protected]
Helen Lee Helen Lee
Programme Manager
[email protected]
Ian Wood Ian Wood
Growth Hub Connector
[email protected]
Keith Wallis Keith Wallis
Growth Hub Connector
[email protected]
Suzi Scarlett Suzi Scarlett
Triage Project Manager
[email protected]
Morgan Dunbar Morgan Dunbar
Triage Business Support Officer
[email protected]

Here’s how the Business and Sector Growth Programme links into the key areas of the Strategic Economic Plan:

The North East Growth Hub offers impartial advice and guidance to North East businesses to start, grow and become more resilient. You can find out more about the North East Growth Hub here.

Scaleup North East works with businesses demonstrating both the hunger and the potential to achieve high levels of growth.  Businesses are matched with a Scaleup Partner who will work with them to achieve defined objectives tailored to their business needs.

Visit Scaleup North East to find out more

Supply Chain North East is all about a fresh pair of eyes. Our market experts work with businesses to identify new opportunity that play to the strengths and core competencies of a business to attract new customers and enter new markets and supply chains.

Visit Supply Chain North East to find out more

Business support service providers are at the heart of making the North East Growth Hub the success it is today. The provider network plays a vital role in the development of our business community and your continued input helps to shape our business support ecosystem.

Made Smarter Adoption North East is a finance and funding / business support programme that helps manufacturers in the region increase profits, improve efficiency and grow by investing in digital technology.

Businesses taking part in the programme benefit from hands on help to develop a bespoke digital roadmap, grants of up to £20k to access expert technical advice / fund the purchase of new software and/or equipment (up to 50% of the overall cost), and access to a series of workshops and networking opportunities with other manufactures.

Made Smarter Adoption North East is open to SMEs (under 250 employees) working in the manufacturing and advanced manufacturing sectors in the North East LEP and Tees Valley Combined Authority areas.

Visit the North East Growth Hub to find out more

We are curating an open innovation programme, Challenge North East, based on global best practice and drawing on existing regional strengths. Open innovation is fundamentally about collaboration with people and organisations. Our aim is to grow the culture of open innovation in the region to increase commercialisation and productivity.

Meet our Business and Sector Growth Board:
Heidi Mottram OBE Heidi Mottram OBE
Vice Chair of the Board
Ammar Mirza CBE Ammar Mirza CBE
Private sector Board member, Chair of Business Growth Board
Toby Bridges Toby Bridges
CEO of the NBT Group Ltd. Chair of The Exchange North Tyneside, Founding Director of Vytech Solutions Ltd.
Reshma Begum Reshma Begum
Skills Advisory Panel member
Liz Bromley Liz Bromley
Chief Executive, Newcastle College Group
Paul Butler Paul Butler
CEO of North East Automotive Alliance
Dr Sam Whitehouse Dr Sam Whitehouse
Board Member
Cllr Richard Wearmouth Cllr Richard Wearmouth
Main Board Member and Business Advisory Board Member.
Sarah Glendinning Sarah Glendinning
Regional Director of CBI
Patrick Melia Patrick Melia
Business Advisory Board Member.
Jane Robinson Jane Robinson
Dean for Engagement and Place at Newcastle University

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