The chairman of Norfolk and Suffolk's local enterprise partnership (LEP) will stand down this autumn, to be succeeded by the joint chief executive of the East of England Co-op.
Mark Pendlington will hand over to Doug Field after chairing the New Anglia LEP's annual general meeting for the final time in September, bringing to an end his three-year term of office.
Mr Field, a LEP board member since December 2014, was unanimously selected at a board meeting on Wednesday.
Mr Pendlington, group director at Anglian Water, joined the board in 2011 and took on the role of LEP chairman in spring 2014.
Under his leadership, the LEP has secured two Growth Deal allocations from central government totalling £117.5m, to be spent on projects to benefit the local area and economy. In his role as LEP chairman, he also jointly chaired the Great Eastern Mainline Taskforce, playing a leading role in securing a £1.4bn new franchise investment for the line which will deliver new state-of-the-art trains and improved services.
He said: 'It has been a privilege to be the chairman of such a dynamic and high achieving organisation and to work in close collaboration with leaders from business, local government and education to help drive growth and opportunity across the East. I congratulate Doug on his appointment and wish him every success as the LEP enters a new and exciting phase of development.'
Mr Field has 20 years of finance and accounting experience across a variety of both professional services and industry, and is part of the East of England Co-op leadership team, overseeing the business's finances and all aspects of technology from PCs to till points.
He said: 'I am absolutely delighted to be selected by the LEP board to succeed Mark and to have the opportunity to help build on all that he has achieved over the past three years.
'The LEP is at the forefront of driving growth and opportunity across Norfolk and Suffolk and its role in bringing together business leaders and the public sector is as important now as it has ever been.
'As we prepare to launch our new Economic Strategy this autumn, I am really looking forward to leading the next exciting phase of our future plans.'
Board members from the private and public sector were asked for their nominations of a private-sector candidate for the chairmanship, in accordance with the LEP's Assurance Framework. Mr Field's nomination was supported unanimously.
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