Tees Valley In Power event write-up

April 1st 2022

Members and guests gathered at the newly refurbished Wilton Centre for Tees Valley Business Club’s March event joined by Graham Robb of Recognition PR. Graham hosted the panel that included Wilton tenants ReNew ELP and Doosan Babcock. We also heard from Steve Bagshaw CBE non-executive director and chair of the audit committee at CPI and Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen who provided a regional update.

Chair of the club Jane Reynolds MBE welcomed Steve Duffield site director of the Wilton Centre to the stage who gave an insight into the refurbishment of the site and future plans. Steve introduced Toby Reid from We Are Pioneer Group (WAPG) owners of The Wilton Centre, who provided an insight into the organisation. WAPG create collaborative workspaces for science and technology companies by providing infrastructure, accelerator programmes, services, events and experts, and is the largest innovation ecosystem for the science and technology industries in Europe.

We welcomed Graham Robb of Recognition PR to interview Daniel Mellor from ReNew ELP, Lee Taylor from Doosan Babcock and Sim Hall from Populus Select on what is causing big business to come to Teesside. Each of the panellists explained their business and shared some of the recent projects. There was a recurring theme that Teesside is the perfect location to base their businesses due to the skillset and infrastructure already in the region.

Jane introduced and congratulated Steve Bagshaw CBE FIChemE CEng, on his recent award. Steve has over 35 years’ experience across the biotechnologies and fine chemicals business and manufacturing sectors. He was CEO for six years of Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies – a globally leading manufacturing and development organisation. Prior to that he led the UK business for seven years based in the north-east of England in Billingham, Teesside.

He is currently working with the UK Government’s Vaccine Task Force as an Industry Advisor. He is a non-executive director of CPI (Centre for Process Innovation – part of the UK’s High Value Manufacturing Catapult) and has been a council member of the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council since January 2021. Steve is also working with Teesside University’s National Horizons Centre and York University’s BioYorkshire initiative as an industrial advisory lead.

Steve spoke about his career, the work carried out by the Vaccine Task Force and the contribution the Tees Valley provided to create successful vaccines. Steve spoke of pride when talking about the region and its importance in the chemical, manufacturing, material, and life science industries.

Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen discussed the new opportunities and investment the region is experiencing including upgrades to Middlesbrough, Darlington and Hartlepool train stations, the investment of £5.2m in the Net Zero Innovation Centre and much more.

Ben discussed the fantastic opportunities coming to Teesside including SeAH’s £300m monopile facility on Teesworks which will bring huge opportunities to the region, not only in the 1,500 jobs secured, but also in the work for local firms across Teesside, Darlington and Hartlepool. Local firms are being asked to get involved in the construction and development of their facility. SeAH are holding a supply chain networking event on Wednesday 20th April. Firms across Teesside, Darlington and Hartlepool qualify for FREE TICKETS (limited free tickets).

www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/nof-networking-lunch-with-seah-wind-tickets-304759141797?fbclid=IwAR1LKGl35AvQGEIX9ne6hcujIxliR25rxlDOR10NmRzLUq7J9EgGxmdxNg4

Jane thanked all who attended and the TVBC team for organising another successful event. We look forward to the next event taking place on 28th April 2022 at Hartlepool College of Further Education.