The Brighton and Hove Economic Partnership (BHEP) has elected Gary Peters as Chairman. He takes over from Simon Fanshawe who has held the role for 12 years.
Gary, 36, was born and bred in Brighton and founded the online jobs board BrightonandHoveJobs.com in 2010. He has been a member of BHEP for two years.
Tony Mernagh, executive director of BHEP said: “The biggest challenges faced by the city are providing housing for the workforce and employment space to accommodate business expansion and inward investment. The development of the City Plan over the next 12 months will be crucial to this and will be one of the main focuses of the partnership.
“Gary Peters has shown himself to be a dynamic businessman whose credentials in the business community and wider city are well established. Since joining the partnership a couple of years ago he has been one of its most active members and I look forward to supporting with him in his new role.
“I’d also like to thank the outgoing chairman Simon Fanshawe. Under Simon the partnership published three economic strategies and brought a real focus to bear on the strategic use of land in the city. He also built up the reach of the partnership and its evidence based analysis of the local economy to make it one of the most influential voices in Brighton & Hove.”
The Chairman’s main responsibility is to oversee the projects that the partnership engages in and to ensure that a balanced voice is heard from the business community as well as encouraging local businesses to get involved and volunteer.
Speaking of his new role, Gary said: “As a true Brightonian and a local business owner, I’m genuinely delighted to be the Economic Partnership’s new chairman.
“Simon Fanshawe has led a fantastic campaign for the last 12 years and achieved so much for the city. My personal aims are to take the group and achievements to the next level by really tightening the link between public, private and voluntary sectors so that we talk less, do more, and work collectively to ensure Brighton & Hove becomes an even better place to live and do business.”
The Brighton & Hove Economic Partnership (BHEP) is an unincorporated partnership of 30 individuals representing each sector of the city’s economy. Working with the local authority, a wide range of businesses and the Regional Development Agency (RDA) is devises the economic strategy for the city and encourages and facilitates its delivery.