LEP appoints three new Board members

Professor Goodwin, Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the University of Exeter joins Emmie Kell, Chief Executive of the Cornwall Museums Partnership and Sarah Trethowan, Director of TRAC Services in Redruth as new members of the LEP board.

The announcement follows the appointment last week of Mark Duddridge, a main board director of Samworth Brothers, as Chair-elect of the LEP who will take over from current Chair Chris Pomfret when he steps down in the New Year.

Professor Goodwin leads the University’s activities in Cornwall at its campuses in Penryn and Truro, and its external engagement. He is a Trustee of the Camborne School of Mines; sits on the Management Board of the Environment and Sustainability Institute at the University’s Penryn Campus and on the Advisory Board of the European Centre for Environment and Human Health at its Truro Campus; and is a member of the Steering Group of Combined Universities in Cornwall.

He said: “Education, research and skills are cornerstones of our economy and the significant investment we have seen in further and higher education in Cornwall in recent years has transformed the opportunities available. Forging closer links between research, education and business, including schools and careers advice, is a priority for the LEP and vital to ensuring that we equip people with the skills that businesses need.”

LEP Chair Chris Pomfret said: “I am delighted to welcome Sarah, Emmie and Mark to the board. Having originally recruited for two non-executive directors the field was so strong, with over 50 applications, we decided to appoint three.

“We wanted to ensure that our new Directors reflected the business community; that the importance of higher education was reflected on our Board and we were also fortunate to have an excellent field of candidates from the social enterprise, voluntary and community sectors, reflecting their importance to our economy. I know our new Directors will all make a great contribution to the LEP’s work.”

The appointments have been welcomed by Cornwall Council and the Council of the Isles of Scilly, which are both on the LEP board, and come at an important time for the business-led LEP, one of 39 set up in England to drive economic growth and job creation.

The LEP has increased responsibility for education, skills and business support through the Cornwall Devolution Deal announced this summer, and is playing a vital role in how £500m of EU funding is invested in the local economy.