The organisation mapping out the Humber’s route to Net Zero has a new chairman.
Singleton Birch chief executive Richard Stansfield has taken the helm at Catch, succeeding Brendan Conlan.
Mr Stansfield has headed up the Melton Ross quarry for a decade, having joined from university as a trainee quarry manager.
Just like the region, it is a business that has diversified and is now in the midst of making major changes to become carbon negative when it comes to lime extraction.
He said: “Having been involved with Humber Chemical Focus (Catch’s former entity) in its early days, it is very satisfying to see how the organisation has developed and grown in recent times both in terms of the facilities and the services provided, throughout the Yorkshire and Humber regions.
“Notwithstanding the Covid crisis the organisation is on an upward trajectory and these are extremely interesting times to be involved with the leadership of Catch.
“The board is made up of senior leaders from member companies representing some of the biggest businesses across the Humber region. This provides a powerful voice for industry which can help influence and shape industrial strategy for the area and attract much needed investment, particularly in relation to the decarbonisation of the economy.”
On what he’d like to see achieved in his tenure, he said: “As well as the development of a nationally recognised centre of excellence for our industry I think the current involvement of Catch at the heart of the industrial decarbonisation network represents an important development for the organisation. It would be fantastic if in a few years time we are seeing significant decarbonisation of energy intensive industry in the Humber region and Catch has been a significant contributor to that transformation and a forerunner for the 海角视频.”
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Predecessor Mr Conlan, managing director of On Line Design and Engineering had led the board behind the process engineering and wider industry training operation for more than four years.
He announced he would be stepping down at the next AGM at the annual dinner in 2019.
Under his tenure he welcomed chief executive David Talbot, oversaw the latest phase of development at the Stallingborough beacon training plant and championed the support of future talent with a range of initiatives aimed at linking engineering with education. It also merged with YCF - the neighbouring cluster organisation aimed at the chemical and process sector.
“Everything I do is about the betterment of skills in industry and my belief is in young people,” he told 320 guests at the event last May. “Young people, when given opportunities, do not let us down. It is us as adults who have a tendency to let young people down.”
He told of his pride in moving from an organisation relying heavily on funding from government bodies to a largely self-sufficient entity, which retains the feed into the public sector policy.
Attracting the likes of Maersk to the South Bank site were seen as key steps towards this.
Now it is working with Humber LEP on the Humber Cluster Plan, with the bid - backed by eight big businesses - having just been sent to Innovate 海角视频 for the £2.6 million project.
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Mr Talbot said: “I would like to pass on my thanks on behalf of the whole Catch team to Brendan Conlan. Brendan’s legacy as chair has been to drive forward the Stem agenda for young people looking for a career in industry, and to raise the profile of Catch to ensure it represents the needs of industry at the highest level on a regional and national stage.
“We welcome Richard as the incoming chair. He brings with him a deep understanding of the region’s economic landscape, coupled with a long standing relationship with Catch, which means that he is the ideal person to continue to steer Catch on its growth strategy, supporting members, wider stakeholders and our regions.”