Tim Fielder (Chair)

Fobdown Farms Ltd/Consultant

 Register of Interest

 Tim's Register of Interest can be viewed here.

 

Caroline Carter

Barclays Bank

Register of Interest 

Caroline's Register of interest can be found here.

David Bream

Southampton University

Register of Interest

David Bream's Register of Interest can be viewed here.

Robert Dewing

Federation of Small Business (FSB)

Register of Interest

Rob Dewing's Register of Interest can be viewed here.

 

Rob is South Central Regional Chair of the Federation of Small Businesses.

He runs a business based in the New Forest providing websites for small businesses.

He is also involved in a renewable energy operator and a property business.

Lloyd Clark

Portsmouth City Council

Register of Interest

Lloyd's Register of Interest can be found here.

James Fitzgerald

Corporate Finance Specialist, Portsmouth City Council (Accountable Body to Solent LEP)

Register of Interest

James Fitzgerald's Register of Interest Return can be found here.

Biography

James is the nominated Value for Money Officer and lead for Risk Management at Portsmouth City Council in their role as accountable body to the Solent LEP.

Paula Swain

Solent LEP Business Director

Register of Interest

Paula Swain's Register of Interest can be found here.

LEP Roles

Business Director*

Sector

Private sector representative

Biography

Paula Swain is a Partner in national law firm Shoosmiths LLP, and heads the firm’s southernmost office located at the Solent Business Park.

Through her professional practice, Paula has access to a broad array of businesses operating in the Solent region, and a key part of her role as a Head of Office is to support and monitor the economy of the Solent region.  Paula is particularly interested in how the development of 5G technology will assist the Solent region, together with new ventures from the region’s universities, smart manufacturing, maritime, aerospace and defence sectors.

A commercial litigator in her professional life, Paula is a supporting adviser and advocate for her clients across a broad range of disputes, and is a contributing author to Westlaw UK Insights. Paula read law at the University of Southampton, works in Whiteley and lives in Poole.  She appreciates both the economic and lifestyle aspects of the Solent region. Paula is a passionate supporter for growth in the region.

 

*Independent Non-Executive Director as outlined in the Corporate Governance Code 2018

Ben Harraway

Portico Shipping

You can view Ben's Register of Interest here

Andy Head

Aerobility Holdings CIC

Andy's Register of interest can be found here.

Andy is recently retired from a 35 year career in the defence, aerospace/aviation and technology sectors.  He is a Non- Executive Director of Aerobility Holdings CIC, which is running a project to provide aircraft for the Aerobility charity, that offers disabled people the opportunity to fly an airplane.

Andy’s primary focus has been Business Development and he has spent over 25 years in senior leadership positions in Thales, Raytheon, Lockheed Martin, Fujitsu and NATS.  He has experience in growing and delivering new business, including forming new business winning teams and processes; developing and winning major bids, and growing export business including establishing international businesses in the US, Middle East and Asia. 

He is married and has two young boys and enjoys sailing, motorboating and all things automotive. 

Mike Bath

James Cowper Kreston

Mike's Register of Interest can be found here

Mike is an Audit & Accounts Partner with James Cowper Kreston, providing accounting and advisory services to a wide range of corporates and charities throughout central southern England.

He has spent his entire working life on the south coast and has worked with businesses from early-stage through to main list companies. 

He has a particular interest in owner-managed businesses, and in helping them navigate the spectrum of issues that arise along their journey from foundation to exit.

Nick Petford

APSC Ltd

Nick's Register of Interest can be found here.

Nick Petford trained initially as a Refrigeration Engineer at Eastleigh College, Nick has spent most of his working life in academia. He is former Vice Chancellor and CEO of the University of Northampton, and has worked previously at Bournemouth, Cambridge and Kingston Universities in a range of teaching and managerial roles. He is also a research active earth scientist and highly cited author, with over 250 published journal papers and articles. As a science broadcaster he has appeared in documentaries for the BBC, Channel 4, National Geographic and The Weather Channel.

Nick has extensive experience serving professional bodies at Board level. He was on the Southeast Midlands LEP Board from 2012-2014 where he also chaired the Skills Committee. In 2018 he was elected Chair of Northamptonshire Health and Wellbeing Board, one of a handful of non-political appointments across England. Between 2014 and 2016 he led a national project for Universities UK looking at ways to improve procurement. He is a member of the UnLtd (Foundation for Social Entrepreneurs) investment committee, a non-executive Director of Floodstop, a university spin-out company that manufactures and sells flood defence barriers and until spring 2023 was Executive Director of Starcrest Education PLC, a London Stock Exchange registered educational provider.

Nick has a successful track record of change management and digital transformation strategies, working in partnership with Cisco Systems. He is interested in supporting Education Technology (EdTec) start-ups and is a member of Emerge Education Advisory Board, the only European EdTech specialist fund focused on pre-seed and seed projects.

Nick is a Fellow of the Geological Society, Royal Society of the Arts and American Geophysical Union. He is a graduate of Harvard Business School and in 2021 was granted Freedom of the City of London. In 2022 he was appointed visiting professor at Durham University. 

Solent Partners

We have moved - visit our new website www.solentpartners.com