All Aboard - NEW board Appointed
23/10/2009
Andy Wood, Managing Director of Adnams, is the new Chairman of the Board and is joined by fellow directors: Graham Reid, Project Director, Innovation Martlesham; Martyn Wagner, Vice-Principal, West Suffolk College; Chris Bushby, Executive Director, the Suffolk Agricultural Association; Bruce Provan, Portfolio Holder for Economic Development and Skills, Suffolk County Council; and John Griffiths, Leader of St Edmundsbury Borough Council. It is anticipated that Tim Passmore, Leader of Mid Suffolk District Council, will also be joining the board.
The announcement of the new board also ushers in a change in the way that it will carry out its duties, alongside giving the organisation a more business-focused approach. Each of the board members will now be given a portfolio of responsibility from across the organisation's activities to promote Suffolk as the premier destination in the UK for business, investment and tourism.
Celia Hodson, Chief Executive of Choose Suffolk, said, I could not be more pleased with these new appointments to the Choose Suffolk board. Our Directors will help us to ensure that we will deliver high-quality products and services that provide real value to all our stake holders. They bring a broad range of experience to their new role, along with a real passion for the county, and Choose Suffolk is the ideal environment for them to display their entrepreneurial spirit and specialist expertise. Our organisation's board will now have robust representation from across the public and private sectors, making us ideally situated to be an interface between them both.
Andy Wood, Chairman of Choose Suffolk, commented, I'm excited about being part of an organisation that is committed to highlighting the many attributes that Suffolk has to offer, both to businesses that are considering relocating to the county and the millions of potential visitors who are looking for a great holiday destination. I'm a passionate believer that Suffolk is a great place for business and pleasure and looking forward to helping Choose Suffolk get that message out.
Martyn Wagner, said, Suffolk is a great place to live and work and I feel privileged to be able to contribute to the work of Choose Suffolk. We have some of the best tourism venues in the country, superb local produce and so much potential for the future. Graham Reid, commented, Suffolk is an ideal location to set up in business, and the wide range of ICT companies who call the county home stand as testimony to its viability as a place where a forward-thinking approach can reap rewards. The work undertaken by Choose Suffolk to raise the county's profile as a premier business destination provides an invaluable service to the area and I'm looking forward to working with the team to explore how we can continue building on their various activities. Chris Bushy commented, I welcome this opportunity to be able to work with Choose Suffolk across its various activities and services. This is a fantastic chance to help push the organisation forward and highlight the county's many strengths as a business and tourism destination, including agriculture and the county's food producers who create a range of products that are an integral part of the county's attraction to visitors.
Bruce Provan said, I am very pleased at becoming a Board Member of Choose Suffolk. Choose Suffolk has an important role to play in supporting the county's strong tourism industry and in attracting inward investment. Suffolk County Council provides significant financial support to Choose Suffolk to deliver these services across the county and I look forward to working with my fellow Board members in guiding this work. Celia Hodson, commented, I am delighted to welcome such a diverse group of skills to our organisation and look forward to working closely with them all. They bring a wide range of in-depth experience to their new roles, gained in both the private and public sectors, and I firmly believe that their knowledge will prove a huge asset to Choose Suffolk and play a key role in driving our organisation's many ambitions.
The full board of Choose Suffolk will also comprise Choose Suffolk Chief Executive Celia Hodson.
ENDS
Notes to Editors Choose Suffolk is the trading name of Suffolk Development Agency Ltd
For further information, please contact Richard Ginger, PR Manager Tel: 0844 980 8504 richard@choosesuffolk.com
