Who is the new chief at Lancashire's economic growth body?

The organisation which promotes economic growth across Lancashire has confirmed the identity of its new interim chief executive – almost a fortnight after he started work.
Andrew Pettinger is the interim chief executive of the Lancashire Enterprise PartnershipAndrew Pettinger is the interim chief executive of the Lancashire Enterprise Partnership
Andrew Pettinger is the interim chief executive of the Lancashire Enterprise Partnership

The local democracy reporting service can reveal that Andrew Pettinger, a partner at business law firm Addleshaw Goddard, has been appointed to the newly created role at the Lancashire Enterprise Partnership (LEP).

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At the last meeting of the LEP board in late March, members were told that the temporary chief executve’s CV would be circulated to them before he took up the post – but details have only now been made public.

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The arrival of a chief executive is the latest in a series of government-ordered changes to the way enterprise partnerships across the country operate.

Much of Mr Pettinger’s in-tray will be dominated by the impact of those new arrangements, some of which came into effect on the day he started work, April 1. They include an overhaul of the relationship between the LEP and its “accountable body”, Lancashire County Council, in order to ensure the two remain distinct entities.

Other longer term changes include a requirement for women to make up a third of the members of the private sector-led board by March 2020 – and to account for half of it within the next four years.

Mr Pettinger has lived in Lancashire for over 20 years and has worked as a commercial lawyer throughout that time.

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His experience includes advising public and private sector clients across various sectors – including regeneration, education, transport, waste, health and social care, leisure and housing.

He has also specialised in designing and delivering major regeneration projects – spanning public-private partnerships, joint ventures and outsourcing – and worked on general commercial contracts in the fields of IT, estate management, and supply and distribution.

Mr. Pettinger will report to the interim chair of the LEP, David Taylor. A permanent chair is expected to be in post by the end of May.

“It is anticipated that the new permanent chair will work very closely with Andrew, and other LEP colleagues, to help appoint a permanent chief executive later this year,” a spokesperson for the LEP said.