Three new Board members join GFirst LEP

Gloucestershire’s Local Enterprise Partnership, GFirst LEP are pleased to announce the appointment of three new Board members; Deborah Potts, Russell Marchant and Jenny Raymond. This follows an open recruitment process where nearly 100 local business leaders applied.

Diane Savory, Chair of GFirst LEP says, “We were overwhelmed with both the quality and quantity of the applicants looking to join the GFirst LEP Board. The list really was a ‘who’s who’ of business talent in the County. We have been very successful as an LEP attracting over £106 million in funding into the county, and we must continue to work with the business community to be even more ambitious and to challenge ourselves to achieve even more. I am sure the experience, energy and enthusiasm from our newest Board members will help us achieve this”.

Deborah Potts - with over 25 years professional experience of supporting Voluntary & Community Sector (VCS) organisations to grow, Deborah has an all-encompassing knowledge of the sector that is rooted in a genuine passion for its power to change lives.  Deborah is currently CEO of both Active Gloucestershire and The Music Works. Her skills lie in maximising social impact through strategic development and income generation. As previous CEO of Women in Sport and interim Director of Operations for the English Federation of Disability Sport, she also has a strong track record in championing equality of opportunity for marginalised groups.

“I am delighted to have been selected to represent the VCS on the LEP.  I believe the sector has a growing potential to contribute to the economic development of the county and I look forward to working with other LEP members to realise this”.

Russell Marchant - Russell has been the Principal and CEO of Hartpury College since September 2012, prior to that eleven years as Principal and CEO of Barony College, Dumfriesshire.  An agriculturalist with a keen interest in all rural businesses, Russell is a keen member of the LEP Agri-Food & Rural Business Sector Group and newly appointed to the LEP Employment & Skills Board.  Russell is passionate about all things land based, and all sports, and is excited about the potential that is all around us in Gloucestershire. 

Jenny Raymond - Jenny is a partner with Harrison Clark Rickerbys’ dispute resolution department in Cheltenham. She specialises in a wide range of commercial disputes including financial services, banking and insurance disputes, as well as disputes relating to the misuse of confidential information and breaches of post termination restrictions.  She trained and qualified in London and has a broad range of experience, representing a range of clients from multinational companies to local individuals.

She has lived in Gloucestershire for 4 years, having grown up in a local community in Pembrokeshire. Jenny feels entirely at home in the county, and loves the sense of community as well as the huge opportunities that the county has to offer. 

“This is both an honour and a pleasure – GFirst has been a dynamic and visionary force within Gloucestershire and I very much look forward to serving on the board so that I can help to ensure that the county continues to prosper, offering opportunities for the next generation.

“My own background means that I can bring not only legal skills to the Board but also financial, management and communication experience. I am keen to make sure that all stakeholders, as well as the local community, are involved to ensure the best possible outcomes for our county.”