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North East LEP CEO named North East Champion in awards ceremony

Helen Golightly, Chief Executive Officer of the North East Local Enterprise Partnership (North East LEP), has been named as ‘North East Champion’ in the Sunshine Fund’s Glass Slipper Awards, which recognise remarkable women in the North East. Helen received the award in recognition of the key role she plays in acting as an ambassador for the region, raising its profile nationally and internationally, and bringing partners together to drive forward the North East Strategic Economic Plan (SEP).

Director of the Sunshine Fund, Siobhan Sargeant, said: “Helen is a truly deserving winner of the accolade ‘North East Champion’, having done so much to promote the region. Her tireless work to support the growth in our local economy, increase the quality of life for residents in our region and boost job prospects is inspiring. As a small local charity, we are proud to champion good work in our region and we feel Helen embodies that. We were honoured to present her with the award and it was lovely to meet her and other LEP members on the day.”

Helen Golightly said: “It’s a great honour to receive an award alongside women who do truly remarkable things for the region. As a team here at the North East LEP we work closely with partners across the North East to bring benefits to the North East and we’ll continue to champion the region as a great place to live, learn, invest and do business.”

Helen’s professional, fair and informed approach to everything she does effortlessly gains the respect of her team and partners while her meticulous attention to detail and complete commitment to the North East LEP’s agenda undoubtedly drive forward the plan to increase economic growth in the region. Since Helen has taken up the role of Chief Executive Officer at the North East LEP, partnership relationships, commitment and buy-in to the SEP across the region have increased significantly, ensuring the region has a collective voice nationally.

Helen’s work in leading the team at the North East LEP and working in close partnership with the business and education sectors in the region is having a transformational impact on economy of the North East, helping the LEP to achieve its aim of creating 100,000 more and better jobs in the North East.