News / Growth Strategy
Senior business leaders appointed to drive regional growth strategy
Ten senior business leaders from across the West of England have been appointed to a new business board tasked with “supporting growth in the country’s fastest-growing regional economy”.
The board, co-chaired for its first year by Jo Dally and Nick Sturge, will work alongside West of England mayor Helen Godwin and council leaders to drive investment, create jobs and support key sectors across the region.
The appointments follow government approval of the West of England Growth Strategy, which sets out plans to deliver 28 per cent growth over the next decade and create 72,000 new jobs.
Helen Godwin, mayor of the West of England, said: “The new Business Board, chaired by Jo and Nick, brings a real wealth of experience to help create new jobs and grow our £54bn economy.
The board, co-chaired for its first year by Jo Dally and Nick Sturge, will work alongside West of England mayor Helen Godwin and council leaders – photo: Phoebe Stephen
“I’m excited to meet with business and council leaders in the coming weeks to step things up a gear and help our region thrive. Together, we can secure investment and create opportunities that will make a real difference that local people can see and feel in their communities.”
Business Board members represent a broad cross-section of the regional economy, spanning creative industries, clean energy, advanced manufacturing, digital and tech, education and the everyday economy.
Tony Dyer, leader of Bristol City Council, said: “Bristol’s economy is built on creativity, innovation and collaboration, and the new Business Board gives us a strong platform to harness those strengths for the benefit of the whole region.
“As a member of the board, I’ll be working to ensure Bristol’s voice is heard as we shape an economy that delivers sustainable growth, creates good jobs and secures investment that reaches every community. This is about building an economy that works for people as well as businesses — inclusive, resilient and ready for the future.”
The Business Board will meet for the first time in the coming weeks. Its membership, which collectively brings hundreds of years of experience in business and industry, includes:
- Jo Dally, chief business officer at NCC (co-chair)
- Nick Sturge, co-founder of Motion Media PLC, Engine Shed and Omnigenix (co-chair)
- Helen Argo, executive producer for third party and commercials at Aardman (chair, Creative Industries group)
- Ann Cousins, associate director, climate and sustainability services at Arup (chair, Clean Energy group)
- Heather Frankham, founder of Lifetime Training, Origin Workspace and Origin Foundation (chair, Everyday Economy group)
- Andy Guest, head of strategy and group head of mergers and acquisitions at Mott MacDonald
- Jon Hunt, executive director of innovation at the University of Bath
- Sado Jirde, director of Black South West Network (BSWN)
- Imran Khawaja, head of the Filton Plant at Airbus (chair, Advanced Manufacturing group)
- Annabel Thomas MacGregor, chief executive of Raised in CIC
- Nigel Toon, co-founder and former chief executive of Graphcore and senior non-executive director at UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) (chair, Digital and Technologies group)
- David Withey, chief executive and principal of South Gloucestershire and Stroud College (SGS) and inaugural chair of the Colleges West partnership
Several members will also chair sector-specific groups aligned with priorities in the Growth Strategy, including major proposals such as mass transit and the development of the UK’s first “AI Supercluster”.
The Growth Strategy places Bristol at the heart of a proposed “AI Supercluster” designed to generate long-term economic growth and high-quality jobs. The inclusion of figures such as Nigel Toon is expected to add further credibility to both the short- and long-term ambitions of the programme.
BSWN, led by Sado Jirde, recently marked its 25th anniversary, celebrating a long-standing legacy of advancing racial justice across the region beyond purely theoretical frameworks – photo: BSWN
Since 2019, the West of England economy has grown at four times the national average, with particularly strong job growth in creative industries, clean energy, digital and tech, and everyday services.
Heather Frankham, founder of Lifetime Training, Origin Workspace and Origin Foundation, will chair Everyday Economy group – photo: Origin
BSWN, led by Sado Jirde, recently marked its 25th anniversary, celebrating a long-standing legacy of advancing racial justice across the region beyond purely theoretical frameworks.
Jo Dally, co-chair of the Business Board and the mayor’s business adviser, said: “The breadth of experience and perspectives that board members bring is testament to our region’s strength and potential. Our focus now is on turning shared ambition into action and creating the conditions for inclusive growth across the West of England.”
Nigel Toon, a leading light in Bristol’s AI sector, is expected to bolster the efforts of making the region an “AI Supercluster” – photo: Graphcore
Nick Sturge, co-chair of the Business Board and the mayor’s business adviser, added: “We were delighted by the breadth and depth of applicants and their shared desire to make the West of England a better place for everyone who lives and works here.
“In bringing together this mix of skills, experience and representation, I believe we have a strong starting line-up as we begin delivering the growth strategy.”
Main photo: Milan Perera
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