Cardiff University Vice-Chancellor, Professor Colin Riordan, has been appointed to a new board which aims to drive economic competitiveness in South East Wales.
Professor Riordan will act as a Vice-Chair on the new South East Wales City Region Board, and will play a crucial role in providing knowledge and leadership, as well as boosting investment for local businesses in the City Region. The board will be chaired by Roger Lewis, Group Chief Executive of the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU), and will be supported by Cardiff CouncilÔÇÖs Cabinet Member for Financial and Economic Development, Councillor Russell Goodway, who will also take up a position as Vice Chair. Board members were announced by the Minister for Economy, Science and Transport, Edwina Hart, and have been selected from senior level executives in the private sector, as well as those in higher education and from local government.
The aim of the board is to remove boundaries between council areas and encourage collective thinking for strategic economic development, following advice from an independent panel which found that the councils make up a large proportion of the UKÔÇÖs economic output.
Professor Riordan said: ÔÇ£This gives us the opportunity to create a dedicated vehicle to spearhead the economic renewal of a region that needs to catch up with the more economically successful regions in the European Union.ÔÇØ
Roger Lewis said: ÔÇ£The calibre of individuals who have also accepted the opportunity to serve on this Board is an excellent indication of the shared consensus, commitment, and enthusiasm that the City Region approach is already generating in Wales.ÔÇØ
The board will meet for the first time next month, with early talks expected to surround the proposed Metro integrated transport network for South Wales, following the electrification of the Valley and Vale of Glamorgan lines.
Kieran Davey
News Writer
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