Executive Team

So much economic policy is too slow to come to fruition and not based enough on what businesses actually need to help them win in competitive markets.

Business is at the heart of all that we do. The LEP secretariat is led by a volunteer business-only Board that has received hard cash and in kind support of key Bucks entrepreneurial patrons.

We listen to and work closely with our local IoD, FSB, Chambers of Commerce and CBI, and with our MPs. Read their independent views in the ‘Bucks Business Voice’ blog.

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Richard Harrington

Chief Executive Officer

07887 821597
richard.harrington@buckslep.co.uk

Richard has lead responsibility for the business led Buckinghamshire Local Enterprise Partnership, including the development and implementation of a Bucks plan to align public and private sector investment and secure and invest European and UK Government funding to build the conditions for sustainable economic growth across Buckinghamshire and by collaborating with neighboring areas.

A Chartered Town Planner and Chartered Surveyor specialising in public private delivery, prior to the LEP Richard led a successful public private local delivery vehicle that translated planned employment, infrastructure and housing growth from the Sustainable Communities Plan into tangible outcomes on the ground.

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Ian Barham

Partnership Director

07843 311837
ian@buckslep.co.uk
Ian has established a reputation for making things happen in Buckinghamshire since first arriving in the county almost 25 years ago.

As Leisure, Culture and Tourism Manager at Aylesbury Vale District Council (AVDC) he was integral to the development of the Swan Pool and Aqua Vale Leisure Centres, he helped establish a rural arts programme that still thrives today and he delivered the first commercial visitor guides and website covering Bucks. By developing a ground-breaking cultural strategy he was able to help AVDC secure millions of pounds of developer contributions for the community infrastructure required to support growth.

This experience led Ian to take on the challenge of managing Buckinghamshire’s preparations for the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, a challenge he relished. Ian helped make Dorney Lake the most popular of all of the Games venues and Stoke Mandeville the most successful of all international training camp destinations, and helped Buckinghamshire businesses secure over £70 million in Games related contracts.

Since the Games he has helped secure a permanent Olympic legacy for Buckinghamshire. Stoke Mandeville’s position as the Birthplace of the Paralympic Movement will now be celebrated every two years as the only permanent location in the lighting of the Paralympic Flame.

Not surprisingly, with a career that has been heavily influenced by sport, Ian finds it difficult to pass a bat, racquet or club without picking it up and is a regular fixture at the weekly parkrun in his hometown of Buckingham.

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Matt Peachey

Head of Enterprise Zone Development

07740 511976
matt.peachey@buckslep.co.uk

Matt is responsible for facilitating development of Buckinghamshire’s Enterprise Zones, working closely with a range of partners, including landowners, business, sector bodies and government. Matt’s current focus is on driving the next phase of development for the Enterprise Zone sites at Silverstone, Westcott and Aylesbury Woodlands, to ensure these deliver on stakeholder aims and the Strategic Economic Plan for the county. These plans envisage opportunity to grow the High Performance Technology/Motorsport; Space Propulsion/Environmental Engineering; and Agri-Food/Human Health sectors and support local wealth creation and productivity.

Matt has over 20 years’ experience in Local Economic Development in Oxfordshire, Northern Ireland, Surrey and Bedfordshire. In Oxford, Matt worked with partners to attract over £45m of funds for the delivery of critical infrastructure to support housing and commercial workspace development in the city, and developed the City’s Economic Strategy and its City Centre Action Plan. Matt has an MSc in Local and Regional Economic Development alongside undergraduate degrees in Construction Management and Communications.

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Uma Rajah

Head of Finance and Assurance

07949 319506
uma.rajah@buckslep.co.uk

Uma has worked in finance for over 20 years, predominantly in the private sector.

Uma is keen to combine her experience and skills in ensuring Bucks LEP’s finance function conforms to its assurance framework and is successful in delivering its projects. She is very enthusiastic about her role at Bucks LEP and in simplifying the finance function with a pragmatic approach to overcome any barriers to growth.

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Caroline Hargrave

Research Manager

07908 895227
caroline.hargrave@buckslep.co.uk

Caroline has 20 years’ experience in socio-economic research and a Master’s degree in Social & Market Research. She’s a fan of maps and charts!

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John Rippon

Programme Manager

07826 533367
john.rippon@buckslep.co.uk

Biography to follow.

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Richard Burton

Communications Manager

07866 492292
richard.burton@buckslep.co.uk

With over 20 years experience in reputation management, both internally and externally, as well as responsibilities for wider marketing activities, Richard translates the aims of Buckinghamshire Thames Valley Local Enterprise Partnership into communications which deliver real results.

Richard, who is a Member of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) and the Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA), has a history balanced between the public and private sectors, with experience working with organisations large and small. This list includes Buckinghamshire County Council, BT, the National Blood Authority, the National House-Building Council and most recently Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust.

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David Reilly

Digital Innovation Manager

07961 874326
david.reilly@buckslep.co.uk

David is responsible for the implementation of the Digital Innovation plan by delivering digital innovation strategies to improve skills and education development, support the innovation cluster development, leverage existing infrastructure programmes like 5G and the Westcott Space Cluster, secure funding bids for innovation projects and promote the region to unleash growth through innovation and emerging technologies that support the long-term prosperity of the region.

David is an entrepreneur, technologist and strategist with over 20 years’ experience in building partnerships and developing digital education programs, to utilise innovative technologies that deliver prosperity and business growth.

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James Moorhouse

Economic & Labour Market Analyst

01494 418415
james.moorhouse@buckslep.co.uk

James previously worked in evaluation for Young Enterprise, where he developed his understanding of the skills needed for the future world of work. James will apply this experience into gathering insight on the skills agenda in the Buckinghamshire LEP area.

James majored in International Development at the University of Northampton and received the Bernie Ashmore Award for conducting an evaluation of the 2015 earthquake emergency response in Nepal in collaboration with NAMI College. James went on to teach English and Maths in China as part of a British Council graduate programme, and later worked for various charities where he received an award for his year-long experience volunteering for disability charity Scope.

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Sarah Fraser

Board Secretary

07751 020604
sarah@buckslep.co.uk

Sarah has 30+ years working to support Board level individuals/teams; the last 15 of which have been on an independent, self-employed basis working with organisations in a wide variety of settings including economic development, clinical research, high end engineering, financial services and 1-2-1 support for successful entrepreneurs.

Other than that you’ll find her (and the other 15 members of the ukulele band) playing/raising money for charities across Bucks and Herts.

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Marina Jackson

Under 19 Skills Manager & Careers Hub Lead

07908 895185
marina.jackson@buckslep.co.uk

Marina leads the Enterprise Coordinator team delivering the under 19 skills agenda for Buckinghamshire and is also Careers Hub lead.

Having graduated in business studies and completing a graduate trainee program with IBM, Marina then moved into Investment Banking, specialising in Latin American equity fund management, which made use of her language skills. Having had a keen interest in training and development, Marina trained to be a teacher of Business. She has always believed in involving business in the classroom and embraced the ethos of the Peter Jones Academy ‘bringing the boardroom into the classroom’.

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David Skinner

S151 Officer/ Service Director of Finance

07795 841614
david.skinner@buckinghamshire.gov.uk

To follow.