The role of the LLEP Board members is:
To make collective decisions to deliver our objectives and the outcomes set out in the Strategic Economic Plan (SEP).
To act as ambassadors for Leicester and Leicestershire at local, national and international levels.
To engage and represent their specific sector or corporate organisation and to ensure views represent those of the wider sector or corporate or organisation.
To communicate and promote our objectives within their sector, ensuring the clear understanding of the need for collaboration.
Board Members play a key role in helping us to shape the local economy by influencing local and national government, as well as providing effective governance to the partnership. They shape and deliver the Midlands Engine Strategy and the government’s Industrial Strategy and act as ambassadors for Leicester and Leicestershire at a local, regional and national level.
Board Members make key investment decisions and oversee our spending. They are responsible for making sure that the partnership’s investment delivers value for money and achieves maximum economic impact.
LLEP Board Member are unpaid, and the commitment can be up to two days per month. Board terms last for a period of three years.
The National Local Growth Assurance Framework requires LEPs to meet minimum diversity requirements. Our Board must be made up of a minimum one third female representation. We have seven female members of our 19 strong board and meet the requirements set.
View all LLEP Board papersChair and Deputy Chair
About:
I have worked alongside businesses of all sizes and from all sectors in my three decades in the East Midlands. As a Chartered Accountant and MBA graduate, I have worked as a business advisor and regulatory auditor for many organisations across Leicester and Leicestershire, and being a business owner for most of my career I empathise with the challenges that local businesses encounter.
As a strong advocate and long-standing resident of Leicestershire, I am actively involved in influencing and helping to drive growth through my board directorship of the East Midlands Chamber of Commerce and the Midlands Engine. I am also heavily involved in assisting SME’s with access to finance through my membership on the Strategic Oversight Board of the Midlands Engine Investment Fund.
I am currently Leicester Office Managing Partner of RSM, the world’s 6th largest accountancy and advisory firm and Regional Head of the firm’s Accounting and Business Advisory service.
Email:
About:
I am the Director of SajeImpact, an organisation which offers a wide variety of bespoke support and advice to Sports Bodies, NGBs, Social Enterprises and Faith Charities, making sure their strategies and communications are effective with the key stakeholders in their sector and bringing social transformation projects to life.
I was formerly the Labour & Co-operative MP for Loughborough between 1997 and 2010.
As well as the work I do through SajeImpact I also serve on a number of Sport Bodies, Christian organisations and local charities as a volunteer. This is part of the reason for SajeImpact to allow a balance of the way I am able to contribute and have impact.
In June 2012, I was awarded an OBE in the Queens Honours List for contribution to sport and the Community and in 2014, I was appointed a Professor of Sport Policy & Development at Liverpool John Moores University.
I am passionate about the Leicester and Leicestershire area, having grown up and lived here for my whole life. I want to add a new dimension to the Board through my varied sporting, political and religious background.
LLEP Board of Directors
About:
I am the currently Non-Executive Director at the George Eliot Hospital NHS Trust, Chair of the Regional Advisory Board (East Mids) Canal and River Trust and a trustee with the Air Ambulance Trust Board. I was previously Chair of Voluntary Action Leicestershire. Alongside this voluntary and community sector (VCS) experience, I have over 30 years of global business experience.
I'm also Governor of North Warwickshire & South Leicestershire College and Vice Chair for the Corporation of North Warwickshire and South Leicestershire College.
I have an extensive board level experience of governance, strategic management, working with senior executives, influencing stakeholders and contributing to overall wellbeing of the organisations and their future sustainability within commercial and VCS sectors.
My global business experience includes significant expertise around global leadership, technology, outsourcing and business transformation through use of technology. I am a highly experienced professional executive with 30 years' international experience of delivering major transformational change (Technology, Business, Culture and organisational) within numerous different industry sectors and across different countries.
I'm also a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Management, a Chartered Engineer, Fellow of BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, and a member of the Institute of Directors.
About:
Anne-Marie Hunt studied law and psychology at De Montfort University, before joining Natwest Bank as a trainee in 2000. Over the last 20 years she has held many positions within the bank, both in Leicester and across the wider East Midlands.
In 2018 she was appointed Director of Commercial Banking in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland – a role which sees her heading up a team of commercial bankers who look after 500 SMEs across the region.
Her team supports a local homeless charity through volunteering and fundraising, helps school pupils through the NatWest’s Moneysense programme, and young people through her work with The Prince’s Trust.
About:
I have worked for eight visitor attractions including Madame Tussauds, Alton Towers and the National Space Centre where I have been Chief Executive since its launch in 2001.
My partnership work with the University of Leicester, several colleges and a number of space companies, together with my creative industries experience and non-executive roles for five organisations including two start-ups, will help me provide an insight into a range of Leicester and Leicestershire’s priority sectors in the coming years.
About:
Clare James MBE was appointed Managing Director of East Midlands Airport (EMA) in July 2020. Before taking on the role, she was Operational Excellence Director at Manchester Airport Group (MAG), the parent company of EMA.
Clare joined MAG in January 2019 from NATS Holdings, a global leader in air traffic management, where she held a number of roles, including Group Customer Account Director. In her time at NATS, Clare was responsible for the operation of Air Traffic Control across some of the UK’s busiest airports, including Manchester and London Stansted. Clare also held the post of Airfield Operations Director at Serco.
About:
Responsible for exploring the council’s long-term financial resilience, other ways that the City Council could generate additional income, and ways of making use of assets or resources to address market failures which have wider social impacts. This includes:
Policy development;
Digital Transformation and channel shift; Social value; Looking into the rise of entrepreneurialism on Local Government and whether this could benefit us; Considering how the Council could become more commercially aware; Exploring opportunities for generating revenue, including through: Shared Services; Traded Services; Better use of our property and assets; Joint Ventures; Improved commissioning activity; Chargeable activity; Exploring the policy approach to stimulating growth;
Creating ‘Commercial Councillors’ – that is increasing the understanding amongst colleagues about the notion of entrepreneurial Councils; and Looking into the challenges, issues and barriers that prevent a more entrepreneurial approach.
About:
Cllr Jonathan Morgan is the leader of Charnwood Borough Council, the largest district council in Leicestershire and one of the largest districts in England, with a population of around 185,000.
Jonathan, an architect, previously jointly ran one of the UK’s largest consulting practices, before moving to Leicestershire with his family in 2010.
He joined the borough council in 2011 and became its leader in 2017. He is also a Leicestershire county councillor, and in addition serves on a number of regional and national boards.
About:
I commenced my political career as a Parish Councillor for Narborough almost 30 years ago, became a District Councillor in 2011 and, taking over as Leader of Blaby District Council in 2015. I also represent the division of Narborough and Whetstone.
I entered politics to make a difference and, am delighted to represent the Leicestershire District Councils on the LLEP Board.
Before retirement, I worked for a major bank for 41 years, specialising in International Trade and Trade Finance, working with Companies of all sizes to assist them in both Exporting and Importing.
About:
As Chairman at Morningside Pharmaceutical Ltd, I understand the needs and challenges faced by businesses, having taken my company from garage start-up to international corporate over 25 years.
As a LLEP Board Member, I draw on my expertise in R&D, export, and the needs of different ethnic groups. I grew up in Leicestershire and I have a strong passion for giving back to the local community, country and international aid sector.
I was appointed as a Board Member in July 2017, and want to use my knowledge and experiences to help drive investment, business growth and job creation in our region. I am delighted to represent the Life Sciences sector on the LLEP Board.
About:
I was born and brought up in Leicester then studied law at Sheffield University. From 1992-2016 I worked at Harvey Ingram. I then moved to Freeths LLP as a Director in their Dispute Management team based in the Leicester office.
My work area is commercial dispute management and I deal with technical and complex commercial/contract disputes, company disputes, warranty claims and employment support work. I was recently involved in a large insurance dispute and worked for a major energy sector client while at Shakespeares.
I have been, and continue to be, involved in various business development projects with the firms I have worked for. At Freeths I am leading a professional women’s networking group as part of a firm wide initiative. I am also a trustee of Big Difference Company – best known for running the Leicester Comedy Festival - which also works with charities in terms of health and well-being projects. My involvement as a trustee involves giving legal advice to the board.
My strong local connections and contacts coupled with the fact that I have spent the vast majority of my career in Leicester and Leicestershire demonstrate my commitment to the development of our region and have enabled me to gain an understanding of the issues that it faces which I look forward to building on as a board member of the LLEP.
About:
I began my career at an electrical installation firm in Sileby, before joining a manufacturing company of which I became the MD and eventually purchased in 2006.
I became the first Asian president of the Leicester Electrical Society and president of Leicestershire Asian Business Association (LABA) in 2006, and have led the formation of the National Asian Business Association. LABA hosts the Indo British Trade Council which has for the last twenty years actively supported inward and outward trade missions, inward investment and bilateral trade to India.
I became a LLEP Board member in 2014 and offer sound business, trade and commercial expertise from many years' experience.
About:
Larraine Boorman has over 25 years’ senior executive experience and brings significant and diverse sector knowledge to the LLEP Board. She started her career as a ‘fast-track’ management trainee in the engineering and manufacturing sectors, before moving into senior management roles in engineering; logistics and distribution; construction; employment and skills; and training and education.
About:
As an owner of a Leicester based SME, using digital technology to help businesses run their companies from anywhere in the world, I am keen to grow an environment that encourages the development of a digital & technology skills in our area.
I have served on the Business Board of the LLEP for several years, I am an Enterprise Advisor at my local college - building stronger understanding and working relationships between business & education and I am now privileged to be a governor.
I want to use these experiences and 40 years in business to help us create a vibrant economy and society.
About:
Born and educated in Sri Lanka, Nishan is a double Cambridge graduate and former Pro-Vice-Chancellor at the University of Bristol.
Nishan has been appointed to a number of national roles including being a member of the UUK advisory group to tackle racial harassment in higher education and serves as a Commissioner for the Midlands Innovation Policy TALENT Policy Commission. He is also a Trustee of IntoUniversity, an Educational Charity and a Board member of The Conversation.
Nishan has served on a number of national and international panels on research funding, governance, and postgraduate education.
He has also chaired the University Executive Committee for the National Composites Centre, was a Non-Executive Director for North Bristol Trust, and served on the HEFCE STEM Review Advisory Board.
About:
I am a local businesswoman who started out in advertising and telecommunications. I have extensive management experience in textiles, and more recently in property development. My family-run company, Midland Corsetry, supplies several high street retailers.
I am Vice President of the Leicestershire Asian Business Association (LABA). In this role, I champion the contribution of women, running business networking events and enabling local business communities to engage with national government. I am proud to be the diversity representative on the LLEP board of directors.
About:
This is both a challenging and exciting time for our region and the businesses within it. I am excited to bring my passion for Leicester and Leicestershire together with my experience and knowledge as a business adviser to represent the SMEs that make up such a large proportion of our local businesses.
I look forward to playing a key role in developing strategies to enhance growth and investment in these SMEs, and to positively represent a significant sector of the business community that is served by the LLEP.
About:
I grew up in Hertfordshire and gained a law degree from Oxford University in 1988, before pursuing a career in further education. On the creation of the Learning and Skills Council in 2001 I moved into senior management, holding a number of positions including Regional Director for the East Midlands and National Director of Funding, Planning and Performance.
I was appointed Principal and Chief Executive of Leicester College in January 2013. I also chair the Student Loans Company’s Advanced Learning Loans Stakeholder Group, the Leicester and Leicestershire Principals’ Group and I am Chair of the Members of a Multi-Academy Trust in the city.