NEW CHIEF EXECUTIVE AT THE WEST OF ENGLAND LOCAL ENTERPRISE PARTNERSHIP
The West of England Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) has appointed Paul Wilson as Chief Executive.
Paul brings a combination of international business and third sector leadership experience. He was formerly Chief Marketing Officer of Fortune 500 software company SunGard and during his tenure the company grew from a £1.2 ‐ £3.2bn business.
Paul and his family relocated to Bristol from Geneva 18 months ago viewing it as the best place in the UK to raise a family.
He said: "I am thrilled to join the West of England Local Economic Partnership to work on bringing economic growth and jobs to the region, as the Government strives to create strong, sustainable and balanced growth across the country and between industries.
"The West of England is a great place to live and work, and the LEP is making it an even better one."
Nigel Ashton, leader of North Somerset Council and Vice Chair of the West of England LEP Board added: "This appointment reflects the West of England's continuing commitment to combining private and public sector experience to deliver sustainable growth in the region.
"We are developing a flexible and educated workforce, attracting inward investment, supporting small and medium sized businesses and developing our infrastructure. Paul will help us achieve these goals and I look forward to working with him."
Jane Middleton, who has been the Acting Director and has successfully managed the transition process, will continue taking responsibility for developing the skills operation across the LEP, working closely with schools and the region's five Further Education colleges.
Under the Governments Apprenticeships scheme, hundreds of apprenticeships have now been launched across the region, endorsed by a new Employability Chartermark.
Colin Skellett, Chair of the West of England LEP Board said: "Success in any business is built on strong leadership teams. The LEP Board is delighted to be able to attract and retain proven professionals with the calibre of Paul and Jane. This is a very exciting new phase for the LEP."
