Hughes Ellard’s MD elected onto Solent Local Enterprise Partnership board

27 June 2011

Hughes Ellard’s managing director Gary Jeffries has been voted on to the board of a new organisation dedicated to private sector investment and economic growth.

He is one of eight board directors selected for the Solent Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), the private sector-led body.

The others are Doug Morrison, Port Director of ABP Southampton, Russell Kew, Chief Executive of Wightlink, Steve Barber, CEO of Xyratex, Philippe Jouy, Managing Director of Warings, Chris Allington, Managing Director of Oxford Innovation, Stuart Hill, COO of Technology Services for IBM UK & Ireland, and Ernie Battey, Managing Director of Morgan Sindall Investments.

The business directors will sit alongside the five local authority and one higher/further education representatives on the 14-strong LEP board.

A chairman from among the business leaders will be elected later this month.

Gary, who is also the Portsmouth president of the Hampshire Chamber of Commerce, said: “I look forward to working with the board in strengthening the Solent region’s economic offerings though a valued partnership approach.

“Drawing on a vast reservoir of enterprise experience, the LEP will be banging the drum for the estimated 50,000 businesses across Southampton, Portsmouth, the M27 corridor, the Solent water and the Isle of Wight.”

Councillor Sean Woodward, Chairman of the Solent LEP Shadow Board, said: “I would like to congratulate all of the candidates that have been elected. I would also like to thank those who were not elected for helping make this such a meaningful election.

“The directors that our business members have elected are of an extremely high calibre and this will put the Solent LEP in a very strong position to achieve our ambitious economic goals.

“It is critically important that the business board members have the democratic legitimacy to be able to speak for business in the Solent area in the same way that politicians can speak for their electors.”

The Solent LEP is the first LEP in the country to hold an election process allowing its business members to elect their own board representatives.

For more information:

Contact: Solent LEP
Web:www.solentlep.org.uk