CLUB EVENT
Levelling Up - The Tees Valley View
Our second event of the year highlights some transformational projects in the Tees Valley. Looking at the opportunities and options for prosperity in our area. The region is thriving with opportunity and our speakers will be sharing information on how we can improve our performance potential.
We will hear from Professor Craig Gaskell from Teesside University and we are also pleased to welcome Adam Suleiman Head of Tees Valley Area Team policymaker from the Cities and Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, Department for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy. Adam is responsible for ensuring the Tees Valley region’s economic development challenges and opportunities are understood across Whitehall. He will be joined by Pauline Crellin Director of Trade Advocacy, Department for International Trade.
Attendees will also hear from Cleveland Police and Crime Commissioner Steve Turner and have an opportunity to take part in a Levelling Up research project at Teesside University. We also welcome Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen for an update on the projects he is involved with in the Tees Valley.
Running order for the evening is as follows:
6.00pm Registration and informal networking with refreshments and a light supper
6:30pm Welcome and introduction from Jane Reynolds MBE, Chair, TVBC
6:35pm Teesside University welcome and overview – Craig Gaskell
6:50pm Darlington Economic Campus overview – Pauline Crellin and Adam Suleiman
7.05pm Levelling Up Department presentation Adam Suleiman Head of Tees Valley Area Team | Yorkshire & North East Areas Directorate | Cities and Local Growth Unit Darlington Economic Campus
7.20pm COPA Cleveland Police and Crime Commissioner – Steve Turner
7:30pm Levelling Up Research offer to SME’s - Karen Pearson
7.45pm Regional Update - Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen
8.00pm - 8:30pm Networking & Close
Member invitations will be issued by direct email.
Guest booking: We enable six guests to attend each of our events. If you have not attended one of our events in the past, and would like to come to an event to find out if the club is something you would like to be part of, you will be able to register your place on a future event, please get in touch info@teesvalleybusinessclub.co.uk for further information.
All places will be allocated on a first come first served basis.
Professor Craig Gaskell
Teesside University
Professor Craig Gaskell is passionate about the transformational impact of Higher Education on individuals, society, and the economy. He has significant experience of developing and delivering innovation projects in Higher Education, working across a wide range of academic disciplines, and in building highly productive partnerships with business and the public sector.
Craig has considerable experience as an academic and senior leader in Higher Education. He was a Dean at the University of Hull and has led several significant strategic change and start-up projects in the wider sector, notably as Provost of Coventry University’s ‘CU Scarborough’ and as founding Principal and Chief Executive of University Academy 92 (UA92) in Manchester.
Craig has a B.Sc and Ph.D in Computer Science and a Higher Education Teaching Diploma. He is a Chartered Engineer and Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. He has also held Professorships in Higher Education Enterprise at both Coventry University and Lancaster University.
Pauline Crellin
Director of Trade Advocacy, Department for International Trade
Pauline has been a UK Civil Servant since 2003, and joined the Department for International Trade in June 2021 as the Director of Trade Advocacy and World Events. She was previously the Director for External Affairs, Strategic Design and Planning in the Universal Credit Programme at the Department for Work and Pensions, where she was responsible for Programme delivery, risks, stakeholder and third party/parliamentary engagement and negotiating/delivering large-scale funded partnerships. She has multi-disciplinary leadership, policy, delivery and operational experience nationally across several major government departments, and is also a Fellow at the Forward Institute, an organisation committed to the exploration and development of ethical and responsible leadership in large public and private sector organisations.
Originally from East London, Pauline was one of the first Civil Servants to move to the Darlington Economic Campus as part of the founding HMG Leadership team in Summer 2021.
Adam Suleiman
Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities,
Department for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy
Adam is a policymaker in the Cities and Local Growth Unit developing and delivering levelling up policy in Tees Valley. He is responsible for ensuring the region’s economic development challenges and opportunities are understood across Whitehall and positively shape future policies. Working in close partnership with public and private sector partners he also leads the implementation of a range of government programmes across Tees Valley.
Adam previously worked at the Marine Management Organisation, managing a portfolio that included some of Britain’s largest offshore wind farms, specialising in licensing and regulation for sustainable development. Prior to this he worked as a consultant helping a variety of clients to solve social, economic and environmental challenges. He delivered a range of projects across various disciplines including energy, innovation, transport and economic development.
Adam holds an undergraduate degree in Geography and a Masters in Public Administration. His recent research examined how policy professionals’ connection with place affects policymaking practice. Adam was born and raised in Darlington where he currently works and lives with his family.
Please check back after the event to view any show notes...
If you would like to become a member simply click the join button below. If you haven’t already attended one of our events, and would like to experience the benefits of club membership for yourself firsthand before you join, you can come along to one of our events as a guest. If you would like to do this please visit our events page, select the event you would like to attend, and complete your registration details in the box at the bottom of the page. Please note that guest places at each event are limited and available on a first served basis.
