Two leading business figures will head up Greater Manchester’s Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP).
It is the first time an LEP will be led by two chairs with Mo Isap and Lou Cordwell beginning their roles in spring.
Lou Cordwell has been a LEP board member since 2013, and is currently deputy chair, SME representative and the lead for communications, digital broadcasting and Skills Fund.
She is founder and CEO of Manchester based digital design studio, magneticNorth which she founded in 2000.
Lou is also chair of Design Manchester, and a passionate campaigner for gender equality in business and the tech industry.
She was awarded an OBE in the 2018 New Year’s Honours list, for services to the creative and digital economy.
Lou said: “I am looking forward to helping steer this next era of the Greater Manchester Local Enterprise Partnership together with Mo.
“It is more important than ever that Greater Manchester continues to have a strong platform for public and private partnership. We will strive to ensure that our LEP continues to be the modern, collaborative and ambitious voice of Greater Manchester business.
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“Together, we will continue the development and delivery of our Local Industrial Strategy - our plan to deliver an economy fit for the future, with prosperous communities across the city-region.”
Mo Isap has been an LEP board member since 2017, and is the lead for education and skills.
He is the founder & CEO of IN4.0 Group, which is headquartered at the Landing in MediaCity海角视频 and works with regional universities to provide industrial digital technology training and nurture talent into local high skilled employment.
Mo is also trustee and vice chair of STAR Academies, a multi academy and Free Schools Trust, operating over 30 schools across the country including two in Cheetham Hill, Manchester.
Mo said: “I am determined that we will build on the existing strengths and collaborative infrastructure of our ambitious board. Lou and I are both experienced entrepreneurs. We have complimentary skills, which we will use to implement our Local Industrial Strategy across the city-region.
“Together we can deliver great outcomes for Greater Manchester businesses and residents and futureproof our economy for generations to come.”
Current chair Mike Blackburn led the Greater Manchester LEP from its inception and has made a huge contribution to the city-region including ground breaking devolution deals, the creation and ongoing delivery of the Greater Manchester Strategy, and has been instrumental in the development and implementation of the Local Industrial Strategy.