The Eastern Powerhouse is delighted to announce Steven Lynch has been appointed as Executive Director of the Eastern Powerhouse effective September 2023.
Steven has just returned to the UK after 12 years abroad, where he served as Managing Director of the British Chamber of Commerce in China. During his time with the Chamber, he led through major milestones such as Brexit, significant transformation in the UK-China relationship and the challenges of the pandemic. He expanded the Chamber’s influence, reach and impact among the business and government community, both in Asia and in the UK.
The Eastern Powerhouse aims to showcase the region’s untapped potential and unlock the many opportunities for growth, to convince businesses and government to invest in this burgeoning economic powerhouse.
Steven Lynch, Executive Director of the Eastern Powerhouse, said:
‘I am honoured to have this opportunity to lead the Eastern Powerhouse – My vision for the role is to champion the East of England through a unified voice. The Eastern Powerhouse should act as the catalyst that drives growth and investment by bringing together the combined resources of the public and private sector; large companies, local authorities, universities, NHS trusts, housing and infrastructure planners and local businesses all working in lockstep to propel economic growth and raise the voice of the East of England. Looking forward, I believe the exceptional strength of the Eastern Powerhouse is understanding that business is local, but the reach is global. If you are a business in the East and this mission resonates with you, please get in contact – we need you to drive the East forward!’
For ‘Global Britain’ to truly thrive we need world class programmes to help boost our competitiveness. High-quality skills and infrastructure are fundamental to driving our country forward from society to business to government, this is the bedrock of success. Advanced skills, better healthcare systems, improved transportation links, more houses will drive investment to an area, which will drive better decisions, improve lives, ultimately driving sustainable economic growth. The Eastern Powerhouse wants to mobilise the regional parliamentary voice but work with the private sector to harness their experience and expertise. This is virtuous cycle that must be higher on the agenda of our nation – the EPH is seeking to positively influence policy, legislation and regulation at local, national and international levels.
James Palmer, Chair of the Eastern Powerhouse said:
"I am thrilled to welcome Steven into this role and look forward to working with him to drive growth in the Eastern Powerhouse. The East has long been the forgotten corner of the United Kingdom, but we will speak for the whole of the region, calling for investment into health, education and infrastructure and showing government that funding here will gain significant return, not achievable elsewhere. Our businesses are already world leaders, and the East of England is now ready to unlock the potential it has shown over the last 40 years."
ResPublica Director, Philip Blond, said:
‘‘This is a significant appointment at a critical point of the development of the Eastern Powerhouse. The Eastern Powerhouse had dramatically grown in the last two years, EPH aims to be the leading voice of business and civic leadership across the East of England (Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire, Greater Peterborough, Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Lincolnshire, and North Essex). It will platform the whole of the East as a single interconnected region, encompassing its coastal towns, rural villages, and world-class cities. The EPH is a much needed unifying voice across the region. So, Steven’s appointment is exciting because it ushers in the next chapter of growth"
Unlocking the Region’s Potential
The Eastern Powerhouse is a dynamic, business-led, independent organisation that aims to create a strategic argument for investment in the East of England. We will promote the East as a world leader of innovation in green energy, technology and life science. We will support sustainable business growth that leads to better opportunities for people across the East.