MOST INSPIRING
BUSINESS LEADERS
The results are in from our annual
poll that always creates a stir among
the thriving Tees business scene –
and we have a third-time winner!
We asked dozens of Tees business
leaders to vote for their counterparts
who most inspire them. Votes were
received for more than 120 different
businesspeople, all inspirational in
their own way.
And after our campaign to celebrate
the achievements of female business
leaders, we couldn’t be prouder to
again see three women in our top 10,
nine in the top 20 and 12 in the top 30.
Three years ago, before the launch of
the Tees Businesswomen Awards, only
three made the top 30.
1st (last year 1st) Ben HOUCHEN
Mayor, Tees Valley
Having narrowly pipped Bill Scott to top spot in
2018, this time last year the Tees Valley mayor
romped home by amassing more votes than his
second and third-placed rivals combined. This time he
widened the gap, receiving almost as many votes as the combined
total of his three closest rivals.
A big part of Ben’s role is, of course, to inspire confidence across
the region – and many of the region’s business leaders clearly believe
he is doing just that.
The continued recovery of the region’s airport – despite the
setback of Covid – appears to be a major vote winner for the former
business owner, while his support for the long overdue modernisation
of both Darlington and Middlesbrough railway stations will doubtless
have been a winner too.
Stockton-born Ben continues to not only engage with but
champion and celebrate the Tees region’s businesses leaders.
A surprise Tory winner in the race to become the first Tees
Valley mayor back in 2016, his big test will be in starting to deliver
on his stated plan to create 25,000 new jobs on the South Tees
Development site by 2026.
First, he must win next year’s mayoral election – delayed from May
this year due to the Covid crisis.
2nd (2nd)
Andy Preston
Mayor, Middlesbrough
Businessman-turned-philanthropist-turnedpolitician
– and the second of two mayors
in our top two for a second successive
year! Andy’s never topped the list but he
is the only business leader to make our
top three for every one of the five years
since we began our annual poll.
Elected independent mayor of his
Middlesbrough hometown in May last year,
the former hedge fund manager, property
developer and business mentor-investor
stepped down from his role as chairman
of Teesside Philanthropic Foundation after
inspiring dozens of local businesses and
wealthy individuals to band together and
dig deep and raise more than £3m for
charity.
As mayor, he says his existence is
dedicated to making Middlesbrough the
digital city, with plans to build an exciting
£40m tech development called Boho X
during his first term in office.
3rd (4th)
Bill SCOTT
OBE
Wilton Group, Port
Clarence
The winner of our second
poll in 2017, Bill transformed
the fortunes of his own firm
by leading a diversification
into the offshore wind sector
after a massive downturn in
their traditional oil markets.
A well-known and popular voice when
it comes to talking up Teesside and the
region’s business potential, he has a public
policy of sharing his success with local
companies – sub-contracting the vast
majority of work to Tees firms.
Born in a terraced house in central
Middlesbrough, he began his career as an
apprentice plater, was in charge of a team
of men by the age of 19 and has gone on
to build a small business empire on a 54-
acre site in the shadow of the Transporter
Bridge.
4th (10th)
Frans Calje
PD Ports,
Middlesbrough
Taking a big leap
up the table, this
year the Dutchman
finishes behind only
three born-and-bred
Teessiders in our poll.
After 12 years in the region, PD Ports’
charismatic chief executive officer
counts himself as an adopted
Teessider. It’s easy to see why
he’s so popular when you read his
philosophies on business leadership
in the cover feature in this issue of
Tees Business.
He started his career in Rotterdam and
gained experience in Europe and the
USA before moving to Teesside. He was
instrumental in leading a hugely successful
fightback after the closure of the
steelworks saw Teesport lose its largest
customer – and is now championing
the campaign to bring a freeport to the
region.
5th (3rd)
Prof Jane Turner OBE DL
Teesside University, Middlesbrough
Meet the university professor who’s
fighting for women whilst battling cancer.
Teesside University’s gender champion
and pro vice-chancellor for enterprise and
business engagement, Jane is striving
to raise the profile and confidence of
businesswomen and celebrate the great
things they are achieving across the Tees
Valley and beyond.
The voice of business in the Tees region | 27