Entrepreneurs fly the flag

Sep 10 2008 by Peter McCusker, The Journal

THE new campaign to promote North East businesses under the “Passionate people, passionate places” banner will feature senior figures to act as regional ambassadors.

The £3m drive will publicise opportunities and target business sections of national Press as well as online activity, as reported in nebusiness.co.uk yesterday.

Some high-profile figures are already lending their support.

Clipper Windpower Europe MD David Still said: “I am selling North East England as the best location for the company to develop our turbines. Encouraging my Californian colleagues to come and work with me here in Blyth is not a hard sell.” Eaga chief executive John Clough said: “It’s a sign that we are starting to put something back into those communities that have helped us and our people develop into the business that we are today.”

Louise Allcroft, chief executive of Complement Genomics, a DNA testing business, said: “I’ve come up here and I’ve fallen in love with the region, so I’d be very honoured to think that people think highly enough of our business that we can go out and speak about how great the region is, and hopefully we’re representing the region in a very positive way.”