A new chairman has been appointed to lead a West Cumbrian business organisation.
Lee Grears, managing director of Responsive Ltd, will chair the board of Britain’s Energy Coast Business Cluster.
Mr Grears was voted onto the board in 2021.
He said: “It’s an honour to take on the role of chair of the board for BECBC. Responsive has been a member of BECBC for several years now and we have seen the tremendous work the business cluster does around collaboration and driving business for the wider energy and engineering supply chain.
“I am looking forward to working with the cluster’s CEO, Dianne Richardson as well as the very active board members whose passion undoubtedly is to create more opportunities for its members as well as our wider community.”
He steps into a role previously held by Ivan Baldwin, Bechtel head of UK Civil Nuclear Market.
Ms Richardson said: “During six-and-a-half years as the chair, Ivan has devoted many hours of volunteer time to making the organisation resilient and focused on member value.
“He has recently overseen a change in organisational structure from a contractor-based model to one which directly employs two members of staff with support from expert contractors.
“The COVID lockdowns set challenges for many organisations and for Britain’s Energy Coast Business Cluster, which is built around getting people into a room to collaborate and do business.
“Ivan’s leadership in challenging the team to move online quickly and efficiently meant Britain’s Energy Coast Business Cluster maintained its service throughout.
“This was something the smaller member businesses particularly appreciated. One of the legacies of Ivan’s work in the years as chair is the increased profile of BECBC both nationally in the UK and internationally in countries such as Japan, Spain and Canada with memorandums of understanding signed with equivalent
organisations in those countries.
“It will be good to have Ivan remain on the board, where, I am sure, he will continue to drive value for BECBC.”
Mr Baldwin will complete his three-year appointment to the board until April 2023. Alongside Gary Shuttleworth, of Morgan Sindall, he will provide knowledge, expertise and insight into the nuclear industry.
