Our time is now … Future Humber and Bondholders to steer region to a bright future

Future Humber has been launched to replace Marketing Humber, with a renewed strategy and focus on its powerful network of Bondholders that spans the private and public sectors across the region.

The repositioning includes a refreshed and expanded Board of Directors, which will further strengthen Future Humber’s voice across all sectors and steer the strategy to give the region national and international influence. The Board of Directors will be supported by a dedicated Advisory Board.

The change to Future Humber more accurately reflects the organisation’s wide-ranging work to make connections, build partnerships to promote the Humber, and help secure investment to drive growth.

Future Humber’s work will be strongly linked to the themes of “people”, “place”, “partnerships” and “planet”, as well as the role everyone who lives and works in the region has in building a sustainable and prosperous future.

It will promote the Humber’s many distinct strengths to a national and international audience and accelerate opportunities to unlock the region’s rich potential.

The recommitment to the Bondholders businesses and organisations will put them at the heart of everything Future Humber does and connect powerful ambassadors for change.

It will also build on the positive work of what was formerly Marketing Humber’s Young Talent Network, which has grown year on year and has now been rebranded as Talent+. This expanded programme will work closely with the Bondholders to tackle the challenge of talent attraction and retention at all levels.

Talent+ will empower and inspire individuals and communities by providing a platform to strengthen key skills, share knowledge and create meaningful connections.

Bill Walker, Chair of Future Humber, said: “This region has a powerful story to tell as a global example of somewhere that’s redefining itself through renewed confidence, ambition, investment and opportunity.

“This is a story that will be told by Future Humber, supported by our strong network of influential Bondholders, to promote the Humber to a wider audience.

“Future Humber will work collaboratively to prioritise people, place, partnerships and planet to make a positive difference, influencing and inspiring businesses and communities to accelerate opportunities for growth.

“We have a tremendous and immediate window of opportunity to make a dynamic difference to the Humber’s profile and prolonged economic success by bringing together powerful, collaborative voices to tell a story of immense potential. Our time is now.”

Future Humber’s vision is: “To inspire progressive change that creates real and positive impact in our region, successfully empowering people and businesses in the Humber to thrive in a net zero world.”

Its mission is: “To showcase our dynamic region as a collaborative community of business ambassadors, driving innovative local growth and global investment opportunities, where all can live, learn and prosper.”

Future Humber recently moved its expanded operational team to Hull’s C4DI tech hub. The team is Managing Director Dr Diana Taylor; Engagement and Stakeholder Manager Leahann Barnes; Marketing Manager Paige McGowan; Marketing and Communications Executive Alicia Woodward; Office Administrator Saffron Gregg; and Digital Marketing Executive Joanne Brady.

Dr Taylor said: “If we’re to deliver on the scale of opportunity, it’s so important to present a compelling proposition for the region to national and global audiences. That’s what’s prompted this exciting repositioning as Future Humber – because everything we do is geared towards helping create a bright future for the region.

“Through the strength of our private and public sector network of Bondholders, our established business relationships, and our strategic organisational partnerships, both regionally and nationally, we can deliver a compelling narrative to help unlock the Humber’s unlimited potential.

“Our Bondholders are absolutely crucial to this successful delivery, as we work collaboratively towards our shared vision.”

The new expanded Future Humber Board of Directors is made up of:

• Bill Walker, Chair of Future Humber;
• Bruce Charlesworth, Chief Medical Officer at Reckitt;
• Catherine Darby-Roberts, Associate Director and Science, Industry and Technology Business Leader at Arup;
• Simon Dwyer, CEO at Seafox Management Consultants;
• Paul Fursey, Lead Executive UK and General Manager Humber Refinery at Phillips 66;
• Richard Gwilliam, Carbon Storage Director at Drax Group;
• Anja Hazebroek, Designate Executive Director of Communications, Marketing and Media Relations at NHS Hull Clinical Commissioning Group and Humber and North Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership;
• Andrew Hirst, Group Finance Director of Vytahealth Limited;
• Henri Murison, Chief Executive, The Northern Powerhouse Partnership;
• Deb Oxley, Founder of Oxley Works, Deputy Lieutenant of the East Riding and Yorkshire and Chair of CatZero and Ownership at Work;
• Andy Parkinson, CEO of Lampada;
• Mark Pearson-Kendall, Managing Partner at Andrew Jackson Solicitors LLP;
• Professor Dave Petley, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Hull;
• Chris Soper, Joint Managing Director at Sewell Construction;
• Andy Sykes, Plant Director at Siemens Energy AG;
• Dr Diana Taylor, Managing Director of Future Humber;
• Nikki West, Senior Vice President HR for Finance and IT and Head of Global Talent at Smith+Nephew;
• Dafydd Williams, Head of Policy, Communications and Economic Development (Humber) at Associated British Ports;
• and Chris Zanetti, Managing Director at Chris Zanetti Ltd.

For more information about Future Humber, visit www.futurehumber.com