New faces on the Solent Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) Board to champion the region

The Solent Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) has announced six new members are to join its 16-strong board. The LEP is a business-led partnership tasked with driving the economic success of the Solent area and those joining the Board will play a key role in supporting the Solent economy to grow.

Rachael Randall, Solent LEP Interim Chair, said: "I'd like to welcome all our new Board members joining us to ensure Solent businesses reach their full potential and help our communities thrive.

"We've been a long-standing champion of diversity, and I am particularly pleased that we have an equal gender balance on our board to reflect the business community we represent"

"Bringing new voices to the table, different perspectives and new ideas leads to effective business leadership which has never been more important as we continue to champion the Solent's economic prospects and support our communities to prosper in a fast-changing world."

The new Solent LEP Board Directors are: Cllr Satvir Kaur, Leader of Southampton City Council, Cllr Steve Pitt - Cabinet Member for Culture, Leisure and Economic Development at Portsmouth City Council; Cllr Alex Rennie, Leader of Havant Borough Council; Cllr Julie Jones-Evans, Cabinet Member for Levelling Up, Regeneration, Business Development and Tourism at Isle of Wight Council; Brooke Hoskins who leads Products & Training Services within Maritime Services at BAE Systems and Salli Shapcott who lead's Serco's UK Maritime Business.

Alongside strategy development, the LEP is a major investor in the Solent economy and is delivering a growth programme valued at over £1.8bn supported by a LEP investment of more than £270m. It was the first LEP in the country to have a fully elected Board and has developed strong and collaborative relationships with partners in the public, private, education and community sector to bring forward investment and encourage innovation in the Solent region.

The Solent LEP Board is made up of 16 directors from the public, private and higher education sectors. Solent LEP Business Director positions are undertaken on a voluntary basis. The new directors were confirmed following an open application process earlier in the year. Information on the Solent LEP Board is available on our board biographies page.