FEATURE
Plater- Tees industry in action.
Joining Matthew Ord on the new Tees Valley Business Board are:
Derek Bulmer – Chartered accountant, barrister and CFO with green energy supplier GeoPura.
Rachel Burke – Teesside-based director of Tracerco and current Tees Businesswoman of the Year.
Gary Briston – Quality manager at BP, Gary’ s a senior oil and gas professional with more than 30 years’ experience.
Louisa Clarke – A senior leader with more than 30 years’ experience across RAF, facilities management and advisory roles – founder of executive coaching firm One Feather Coaching.
Tania Cooper MBE – MD of family-owned firm Steel Benders UK and a board member twice before.
Matthew – keen to operate under the highest levels of transparency – decided, along with TVCA, that the existing board should stand down, with an option to reapply.
The recruitment process began in January and now the 17-member board is ready to make a difference.
Reflecting on what he sees as the board’ s role, Matthew said:“ We are going to work really closely with TVCA on things that are important for businesses. Effectively, this is not a decision-making board – we don’ t get in the long grass, we’ re not delivery. But we ARE a board that can help shape and guide the TVCA’ s thinking around the things it does.”
One new initiative is that each board member will appoint a“ junior” – someone aged between 18 and 25 who will be exposed to what the board does and the world of business it operates in.
He also plans a“ Friends of the Business Board” group, comprising the likes of FSBs, chambers of commerce and educational establishments. He said:“ I was really specific in saying that I only wanted businesses on the business board to ensure it’ s a true voice of business. But those other organisations, their voices and opinions are really important.”
As the chair, he’ s the public face of the board, but stresses:“ It’ s not about me – it’ s about working together on
This is a region with the ambition to be a powerhouse for the UK economy and where incredible things are already happening.”
things we feel are achievable. Some will be big ticket items that will give a long-term focus, and we’ ll start to turn that dial. There are other objectives we want to achieve quickly that will further build trust with the business community and show the board’ s impact.”
Skills-wise, he’ s keen to build closer relationships with educational establishments. He also wants attracting inward investment high on the board’ s agenda, saying:“ Our industrial heartland, and what that’ s transforming into, is a massive asset – you won’ t find that anywhere else in the UK to that scale and with that power, so that has to be our anchor. That has to be the thing we focus on, while not taking our eye off some of the faster-growing sectors such as the digital economy.”
And as for the board’ s composition, he says they’ re all“ strong individuals” with a wide-ranging skill set that“ ticks every box”.
They include leaders with experience ranging from leading major infrastructure projects to entrepreneurs skilled in building businesses from the ground up.
Matthew added:“ This is about the next generation. It’ s about our kids. It’ s about the future generations of Teesside that will benefit from, hopefully, things that we do and try to achieve.”
Jo Davies – Founder and MD of human resources management specialist HR Alchemy.
Douglas Dinwiddie – Founder of digital agency Maitland, Darlington-based entrepreneur Douglas has experience in digital, property and financial technology sectors.
Anthony Fiske – Commercial director at Tees Business of the Year, Eastgate Engineering.
Lee Gibson – A nuclear sector leader with more than 30 years’ experience, currently Sizewell C Integration Lead at EDF Energy.
Michael Manders – An entrepreneur with experience scaling international consumer projects, co-founder and MD of bathroom firm Haddon.
John McGee – An electrician whose international critical power and data centre business, Durata, is one of the fastest growing SMEs in the country.
Mike Priestley – Director of commercial sector project consultancy Logic-i Group, winner of the Small Business category at the Tees Business Awards.
Tomas Roberton – Teesside technology entrepreneur and co-founder of cloud services company Circle Cloud.
John Taylor – Director of family-run commercial property and business transfer agents Parker Barras.
Phil Walker – Senior strategy director with SES Engineering Services, operating at board level and leading long-term growth planning.
Stephanie Zielke – Award-winning broadcast journalist and co-owner of Wood Connexions with experience in communications, manufacturing and creative and cultural sectors.
The voice of business in the Tees region | 47