Welcome to LEAP and its newly appointed board
22 December 2016
London is open for business after the capital’s Local Enterprise Partnership changed its name and has rebranded to the London Economic Action Partnership (LEAP), with a newly appointed board of members to be chaired by the Mayor of London.
LEAP (formerly known as the London Enterprise Panel) will work with a new board of 16 members to continue the work of boosting jobs and supporting economic growth.
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “This new business-led partnership provides a fantastic opportunity to ensure growth funding is invested in a way which makes a real difference to London’s businesses.
“Local Enterprise Partnerships, which bring together local government and businesses, play a key role in supporting economic growth and job creation at a local level.
“Clearly, London is open for business and I look forward to working with the members of the LEAP to take forward my new economic development strategy for London”.
The Mayor of London will be joined on the LEAP board by Deputy Mayor for Business, Rajesh Agrawal, as Co-Deputy Chair alongside another a business member of the board to be selected at LEAP’s first meeting.
The GLA’s Deputy Mayor of Planning, Regeneration and Skills, Jules Pipe, will also be a member of the board with other the other members coming from London businesses and local boroughs.
To help support women in business the newly appointed LEAP board is now 50 per cent female, with eight of its members bringing to the organisation a range of expertise in economic development as well as genuine experience covering sectors from innovative tech start-ups to high street retail; commercial land owners and creative industry.
Founder of A Very Good Company, Natalie Campbell who has been appointed to the LEAP, said: “I am looking forward to working alongside LEAP’s impressive line-up of entrepreneurs and business leaders to improve the lot for London’s small businesses. SMEs employ around 2.5 million people across the capital and it is therefore of vital importance to Londoners that the sector thrives.”
The 16 newly appointed board members were appointed following an open and competitive recruitment process. They are:
o Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London (Chair)
o Rajesh Agrawal, Deputy Mayor for Business (Deputy Co-Chair)
o Jules Pipe CBE, Deputy Mayor for Planning, Regeneration and Skills
o Sir Robin Wales, Mayor of Newham
o Cllr Claire Kober OBE, Chair of London Councils and Leader of LB Haringey
o Cllr Peter John OBE, Deputy Chair of London Councils and Leader of LB Southwark
o Cllr Teresa O’Neill OBE, Vice-Chair of London Councils and Leader of LB Bexley
o Megan Dobney, Regional Secretary for South East Region TUC
o Natalie Campbell, business representative
o Dr Celia Caulcott, business representative
o Professor Greg Clark CBE, business representative
o Alexandra Depledge MBE, business representative
o Angus Knowles-Cutler, business representative
o John Newbigin OBE, business representative
o Colette O’Shea, business representative
o Simon Pitkeathley, business representative
For the full press release: https://www.london.gov.uk/press-releases/mayoral/mayor-announces-new-boa...