Ralph is The Yorkshire Post's Westminster Correspondent, explaining why what goes on in Parliament matters to our readers in God's Own Country. He was previously the Politics Editor and Head of News at sister site NationalWorld.com. He primarily writes about devolution, transport and energy, and aims to hold Yorkshire politicians to account. He has interviewed the Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, on multiple occasions, and regularly speaks to all three of Yorkshire's elected mayors. He has previously written extensively about home affairs, particularly on policing, courts and the underfunded British justice system. Ralph has written for most major national newspapers, including the Daily Mirror, Sun, Daily Mail, Independent, Guardian and Telegraph, as chief reporter at Triangle News agency. He was the first reporter at the Google-funded PA Media data project Radar AI, which used automation to write thousands of stories for local and regional newspapers across the UK. Prior to joining NationalWorld, Ralph was the launch editor of the award-winning city website LondonWorld. During the pandemic, Ralph’s reporting on influencers jet-setting to Dubai during lockdown led to the government bringing in stricter travelling rules. He also extensively reported on the campaign for public parole hearings for bereaved families, and attended the first ever public parole hearing for killer Russell Causley.

As Director of the Urban Transport Group, Jason is responsible for the overall strategic direction and management of the organisation. A key focus is representing UTG members' interests in making the case for local transport to government and other external stakeholders.
Jason has over fifteen years of experience working with local and national government, with a focus on transport and devolution.
Prior to joining UTG in July 2023, Jason was Head of Public Affairs for the Greater Manchester Combined Authority for over three years and he also worked for Transport for Greater Manchester for four years.
Before joining TfGM in 2016, Jason worked for a Member of Parliament, supporting on key policy areas of transport and energy.

Michael is the Head of Health Economic Partnerships at the NHS Confederation. As Head of Health Economic Partnerships, Michael advises NHS leaders nationally and locally on policy, strategy, partnerships and funding relating to the local economy, including in areas such as skills and workforce, estates, innovation, population health and finance.

Prior to this he developed and held the role of NHS local growth adviser from 2015, for some of this time working as Deputy Local Growth Consultant for the Higher Education Funding Council for England. He was the Senior European Policy Manager at the NHS European Office for more than seven years and has worked for the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman and for a Member of the European Parliament in Brussels.

Michael currently holds a range of national and system advisory positions and helped develop the NHS London NHS Anchor Network.

As the CBI's Deputy Regional Director for Yorkshire and the Humber, Olga Watterich is responsible for managing and developing relationships with businesses of all sectors across the region; recruiting new members to the CBI; and communicating business sentiment to a range of stakeholders. In addition, she works alongside the rest of the regional team to support the delivery of a programme of policy and best practice events for CBI members and regional stakeholders.

Olga also oversees the regional Future Leaders’ Network, which comprises a cross-sector group of rising stars from regional member companies of all sizes, and she is a Co-Lead of the CBI Women’s Network. She is also Chair of Huddersfield Business School Advisory Board and writes an occasional column in the Yorkshire Post.

Prior to joining the CBI, Olga worked in the third sector for many years, latterly holding national operational responsibility at Business in the Community for delivering programmes which engage business in the education and community sectors to drive skills development and build capacity and resilience.

A graduate engineer and serial entrepreneur, Stuart has worked with technology businesses for more than 30 years. After working for a long period with Rolls Royce, Stuart held senior positions at some of the world's largest banks (Nomura, Hill Samuel, etc.) and tech focused corporate finance boutiques, where he has advised on venture, private equity and debt financing, M&A (disposals and acquisitions) and IPOs. He has extensive experience of working with businesses at all stages of their development from start-up through to exit across the full spectrum of technology from material sciences and hardware through to software development and med-tech.

In 2021, Stuart co-founded and is CEO of Suiso – a developer of a breakthrough microwave-driven pyrolysis process which generates Hydrogen by decarbonising Natural/Bio Gas. Offering a simple, and easy to implement solution, to many industrial heat decarbonisation problems, Hydrogen generated by Suiso' systems will comfortably comply with the UK Govt's Low Carbon Hydrogen Standard. Ventured backed and based in Sheffield UK, Suiso is a winner of the BEIS Low Carbon H2 Supply scheme. It plans to deliver shipping container sized Hydrogen generators, with a capacity to provide of up to 1,000kg of Hydrogen daily. A competitive benchmarking exercise, in the BEIS study, has confirmed that Suiso will have the lowest cost of H2 in a number of key H2 applications and lower Carbon emissions than grid powered electrolysis. By producing Hydrogen at the point of use, Suiso’s eliminates the expensive distribution costs incurred by large scale centralised H2 producers, one of the primary obstacles to the widespread adoption of Hydrogen as a transport fuel. Suiso’s process reduces CO2 emissions by 97%+ versus steam methane reforming, utilizes 80% less energy than electrolysis and has very low equipment capital costs making it the most affordable Hydrogen production technology. Suiso captures the Carbon in the Natural/Bio-Gas in the form of solid Carbon Black which has significant commercial value in the production of tyres, batteries, inks, other applications. For more information see www.suiso.co.uk.

Editor of North West Business Insider for 10 years, Simon has hosted many of Insider's flagship events including the record-breaking 2025 Dealmakers. He chaired the launch of the region's transport strategy and employment charter with mayor Andy Burnham and interviewed the prime minister at the launch of the industrial strategy. A journalist since 1997, he previously worked as a sub editor for national newspapers including the Daily Mirror, Daily Express, Daily Star and Metro and he has edited local newspapers.
Simon has also written 5 published books one of which saw him interviewed on BBC Breakfast.

Victoria Garcia is a scientist, entrepreneur, and sustainability leader dedicated to bridging research and real-world impact. She holds an MSc in Molecular Design and Synthesis from the University of Amsterdam and has worked across big pharma, advanced materials, and biotechnology before founding BindEthics, a green tech company developing bio-adhesives for sustainable wood manufacturing. She also founded Quick Labs, a pioneering science innovation hub addressing the shortage of flexible lab space for early-stage researchers and deep-tech startups. Through Quick Labs, Victoria has enabled dozens of scientists to accelerate innovation in GreenTech and HealthTech, contributing to Yorkshire’s growing innovation ecosystem. As Chair of the West Yorkshire Green Economy Steering Group, she helps shape regional sustainability policy and drive collaboration between industry, academia, and government. Victoria’s work reflects a deep commitment to sustainability, circular economy principles, and the creation of opportunities that empower others to innovate responsibly

Clare is a Professor of Public Health at Newcastle University and Academic co-Director of Health Equity North. Clare’s research focuses on reducing health inequalities and she has a particular interest in regional health inequalities and improving health in the north of England. This includes giving evidence as an expert witness to the Covid-19 public inquiry about the disproportionate impact of the pandemic on the north of England. Clare is a co-founder of Health Equity North - a virtual research institute focused on place-based solutions to the public health problems and health inequalities in the north. Health Equity North combines the expertise of the northern universities with the Northern Health Sciences Alliance representing the northern NHS trusts. Health Equity North therefore has a unique understanding of our regional communities, creating research and policy solutions of local benefit, but also with the potential for national and international translation. Health Equity North is a key resource for political and civil stakeholders and works regularly with regional mayors.

Shanaz is known for her skillset as an artist, producer and for her creative vision. With a commitment to the arts and to creating work that pushes boundaries of cultural expression, Shanaz has emerged as a prominent leader in the UK cultural sector.

Her career spans film, visual arts, theatre, public art and media, and she has delivered ground-breaking projects nationally and internationally, most recently as a producer at Manchester International Festival.
Shanaz has several TV credits, most notably working with the BBC to present the documentary film ‘Hidden Histories: The Lost Portraits of Bradford’ and bringing a contemporary artist’s perspective to the Yorkshire landscape in ‘Yorkshire Walks’.

In her capacity as Creative Director at Bradford 2025, UK City of Culture, Shanaz is co-leading a transformative cultural renaissance, with initiatives that celebrate diversity, artistic innovation, and community engagement. Shanaz oversees the leadership and direction of Bradford 2025 alongside Executive Director, Dan Bates.

Based in Arts Council’s Leeds office, he is part of the North area management team and leads a local team of 20 specialist staff and has responsibility for strategic partnership working across the north. At present his focus is on effective collaboration with local government and strategic authorities. He represents Arts Council England on various pan-northern steering groups including One Creative North and Place and Culture North. He designed Arts Council’s Place Partnership Fund which invests in step-change cultural projects in towns and cities across the England and devised the methodology for determining Arts Council’s Priority Places. He also leads for the Arts Council on Bradford UK City of Culture 2025.

Sarah Tulip is Co-founder and COO of MetroTech, leading a £17.4m project to build Leeds’ largest green data centre and dark fibre network. A Computer Weekly Top 50 Woman in Tech, she also runs And Then Consulting as a fractional COO, helping tech firms scale and prepare for investment. Sarah is a passionate advocate for inclusion, digital growth, and regional innovation, serving as Chair of the Regional Productivity Forum and Ambassador for Leeds as a Digital City.

Femi is the Net Zero Regional Project Manager for West Yorkshire within the North East and Yorkshire Net Zero Hub. His role focuses on providing local capacity support for the West Yorkshire area, driving the development and delivery of local energy projects.
In addition, Femi serves as Programme Development Lead for the Net Zero and Energy team at the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, supporting the implementation of the region’s Climate and Environment Plan and advancing strategic initiatives toward achieving net zero.

Kasam Hussain is Openreach’s Partnership Director for the North of England, responsible for leading the company’s commercial and funded programmes across the region to deliver fast, reliable fibre broadband.

He works closely with a wide range of partners — from large organisations to local communities — as well as central government and local authorities, ensuring the North of England maximises the benefits of Openreach’s multi-million-pound investment in digital infrastructure.

As Chief Executive, Lori is responsible for the overall growth strategy and continued prominence of Manchester Central.

Blending over 30 years of experience in the global business, events and exhibitions market, with her Canadian heritage and passion for community-driven approaches to achieving strategic objectives, Lori oversees the operations and future direction of the venue with her hands-on, personable approach.

Prior to Manchester Central, Lori held a successful seven-year tenure as Chief Growth Officer and Managing Director at Montgomery Group and has worked alongside the Mayor of London leading strategy and delivery for the Park Royal Industrial Area as part of the Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation.

Andrew is a qualified Chartered Surveyor with over 30 years of commercial property experience. He specialises in delivering cradle-to-grave property strategies to maximise profit & minimise risk.

He established the Manchester Office in 2012, to capitalise on development and the repositioning opportunities in Northern England & Scotland. Andrew has a long track record of successfully delivering multi-phase developments within his geography & further afield.

Andrew was formerly a Director of Savills and Partner for Fuller Peiser. Prior to joining the company, Andrew was responsible for all aspects of acquiring, developing & managing a £120m property portfolio for a family trust.

On 1st October 2025 after 10 years of being the MD of the business, he stepped into the role of Chairman.

With more than 30 years of experience in the aviation industry, Dr. Lutz Weisser not only developed extensive expertise in the areas of airport privatization, strategic airport development and master planning, but also acquired a comprehensive understanding of financial processes and business planning. He has managed a wide variety of projects worldwide and since decades has been providing support in planning, implementation and airport privatization projects. After managing several global projects together with the experts from Munich Airport International (MAI), Lutz took over the position of Managing Director there in 2022 and since then has been continuously working on expanding its presence.

I stumbled into politics after enjoying my retirement from working in a college for 17 years.  I was asked to do a favour for a friend and five years later I find myself as Leader of East Riding Council, the first ever female leader of the council. Before I went into education I ran my own business, a ladies dress shop, however I could see that the economic climate was changing and I needed to keep a roof over my children's head, so I attended college one afternoon per week and gained a qualification to teach adult education.  Roll on a few years and I was told to enable to keep my job I have to do a degree in education, at the time I was employed full time, had two children to look after and had to study, which if I am honest doesn't come easy to me, I am more hands on and less academic!!  Once I qualified, I was determined I would never put myself through that again. However, after a few more years I decided I wanted to do more in the college and yes here we go again, I had to do a degree in leadership and management. I have done various jobs in my life - working in a couple of factories, living and working in Jesey as a holiday rep, running a travel agents, driving a lorry delivering sand and gravel and washing up in a cafe (which, when needed I still do!) I love my current role and really enjoy working alongside and supporting people in the East Riding of Yorkshire.  I also spend time in Westminster lobbying Government on issues such as more SEND funding, speaking to the Energy Minister about issues on the Humber (the largest emitters of carbon in the country), as well as many other issues affecting the East Riding. Over the last couple of years I lobbied both the Conservative and Labour Governments to get a devolution deal over the line and am delighted that we now have a Mayor in office. It will mean more investment in skills, education, infrastructure and transport for the region.

Richard manages the pioneering and purposeful partnerships for the UK’s leading open access rail operators. Originally from Durham, Richard is based between Newcastle and Hull and a passionate advocate of the north of England. Lumo and Hull Trains continue to secure record recognition for their positive social, economic and environmental impact.

Rebecca is the new Director of Grants and Impact at Leeds Hospitals Charity. The senior role aims to strengthen its mission supporting the largest teaching hospital in Europe - Leeds Teaching Hospitals. As well as funding improved patient care, Leeds Hospital Charity invests in innovative medical research and has led on groundbreaking appeals, including the Rob Burrow Centre for MND Appeal. Rebecca will oversee the charity’s strategic grant-making process, ensuring funding has a measurable and lasting impact. She will also oversee the expansion of its volunteer service, further improving patient experience across its hospital sites.

Damian holds the position of Chief Executive at the City of Doncaster Council. Prior to this, he held the Council’s statutory Chief Officer role for Children (DCS) and Adults (DASS). In 2022, Doncaster became the North’s newest City.

Damian has pioneered designing and developing Regenerative approaches across ‘Team Doncaster’. This resulted in the Mayor’s publication of her 10 year borough strategy ‘Doncaster Delivering Together’ in 2021, with its mission of ‘Thriving People, Places and Planet’. Damian’s focus is on supporting the Mayor’s ‘Great 8 Priorities, which includes, driving investment, making Doncaster the best place do business, invest and create good jobs, developing the skills to thrive in life and work, and building transport and digital connections fit for the future.

He was a senior manager in Education for six years and a Governor in every phase of Education before moving into Local Authorities, initially in school improvement, where he was Ofsted trained and then worked in wider children’s services.

Damian has held other roles as the national Director for Children and Family Services in a major national children’s charity, and as the Managing Director for Health & Community Services in an overseas jurisdiction.

He has advised the UK and other governments on education, youth and children’s services matters, as well as being a member of a number of Commissions of Inquiry, Advisory Boards and Ministerial Advisory Groups.

Ben Hampshire is Regional Director for the North of England at Optum, part of UnitedHealth Group, one of the world’s largest healthcare enterprises. Optum is a leading supplier of clinical systems across primary care, community pharmacy, and A&E, and a major player in hospital pharmacy and community care. Following the acquisition of Leeds-based EMIS in 2022, Optum now combines cutting-edge technology with advanced data and analytics to drive NHS transformation.

Ben works closely with NHS partners and affiliated organisations to turn strategic ambitions into reality, focusing on the NHS’s three shifts: analogue to digital, hospital to community, and sickness to prevention.

His mission is to align clinically-led, proven technological innovation with the goals of the NHS 10 Year Health Plan — delivering better outcomes for patients and sustainable change for the health system. A proud Yorkshireman, Ben is passionate about how collaboration and innovation can transform care across the North of England.

Ed Turner is Head of Public Affairs at LNER. Since joining the organisation in 2022, he has focused on helping LNER engage constructively with policymakers, stakeholders and communities, ensuring the company plays a positive and informed role in national and regional discussions about rail.

Ed began his career in broadcast journalism before moving into communications roles in local government and the charity sector. This mix of experience has given him a practical, down-to-earth approach to public affairs, shaped by an understanding of how organisations communicate, how policy is made, and how local communities are affected by both.

Katie White is the Labour MP for Leeds North West, and has been an MP continually since 4 July 2024. She currently holds the Government post of Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero). Before going into politics, Katie worked at Friends of the Earth where she co-led the campaign for the Climate Change Act. In 2009, she worked with the UK government to prepare for the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen (COP15), before going on to work at the Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC). She was previously Executive Director at WWF-UK. She was awarded an OBE for her services to tackling climate change.

John Edwards is an accomplished public sector leader with extensive experience in education and local government. He has been Chief Executive of Rotherham Council since June 2025, and previously served as Director General at the Department for Education. John began his career as a teacher before moving into local government, where he spent 14 years culminating in his role as Director at Manchester City Council. He later held senior national roles including Regional Schools Commissioner and Chief Executive of the Education and Skills Funding Agency. John is recognised for his strategic vision and commitment to improving outcomes for communities. His leadership experience spans education policy, funding, and local authority transformation, making him well-placed to guide Rotherham Council’s continued progress.

Amy has been a trusted face in Yorkshire homes for over twelve years, presenting BBC Look North. She’s brought us stories that have shaped our region and done it with warmth, compassion and credibility. Amy is a straight talking northerner and a natural at putting people at ease. In her time at Look North, Amy has covered four General Elections and some of the biggest stories to affect the Region including the covid pandemic, cost of living crisis, Manchester Arena bombing, Rotherham grooming, end of deep coal mining. Amy is at ease interviewing politicians and celebrities but it’s normal Yorkshire folk she enjoys meeting most –“ Giving them their moment in the spotlight is what regional news is all about”. Amy always says “yes” no matter how epic or unusual the challenge – Last year she took on a series of “job swaps” for Children in Need which saw her crab fishing on a trawler off the east coast, becoming a diary- farm hand and bin refuse worker. This year she’ll be walking 3 legged, arm in arm with Lindsey Burrow visiting communities and projects that CIN support. Prior to her life on the Look North sofa, Amy spend some time a Senior Journalist at BBC South Today and was a regular face on BBC3’s 60 second news for BBC 3. Her career in TV started at the age of 19 in Childrens, presenting programmes for CITV, and The Disney Channel. She also fronted a sports show for CBBC which involved getting Freddie Flintoff to play cricket with a baguette! She went on to front travel and property shows for SKY which sent her overseas to explore real estate and meet Brits who had taken the plunge to live abroad. Ten years after leaving school, she decided to do an MA in TV Journalism at Goldsmiths University of London (2009) and has never looked back. Away from work Amy loves the great outdoors and is a paddle boarding fanatic. She lives in York with her song writer husband Tim, two children and 6 pet chickens.

Ben joined as Head of Communications and Engagement in March 2025, where he leads the strategic development and delivery of all internal and external communications.

His connection to the STEP programme goes back to 2021, when he led the campaign to bring STEP Fusion to West Burton as Leader of Nottinghamshire County Council. As a former Member of Parliament and Board Member of the East Midlands Combined Authority, Ben brings significant experience and a unique understanding of both local and national stakeholders.

Paul McCartan, HR Manager in Yara at the Global Biological production site in East Yorkshire. Paul has been part of Yara’s DEI journey since it was formalised in 2019 and now part of Yara’s Global Pride ERG. He Chairs the CATCH EDIB Network, a network that brings companies & people in our region together to make positive impact and make here a destination. He is passionate about people & driving change to fulfil everyone’s potential and comfortable having uncomfortable conversations, otherwise things won’t change or improve.

Tracy Brabin is a British Labour and Co-operative politician who was elected as the first Mayor of West Yorkshire, and the first ever woman Metro Mayor in England, in May 2021. During her campaign, Tracy pledged to create 1,000 skilled jobs for young people, lead a ‘Creative New Deal’ for the region, bring buses back under public control, tackle the climate emergency and build 5,000 affordable and sustainable homes. As Mayor, Tracy also inherits the roles and responsibilities of the former Police and Crime Commissioner. Her priorities for policing include to recruit more frontline officers and staff and to prioritise the safety of women and girls. Prior to her election as Mayor, Tracy was the Member of Parliament for Batley and Spen from 2016 until 2021. As MP, she held appointments as Shadow Early Years Minister, Shadow Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, and Shadow Minister for Cultural Industries. Moreover, Tracy is a former member of the Women and Equalities Select Committee and a former chair of the Gaps in Support All-Party Parliamentary Group, having led the campaign on behalf of the three million people excluded from Government financial support during the COVID-19 pandemic. Born in Batley, Tracy was an actor and screenwriter prior to entering politics, appearing in several British soap operas and writing for several television series. Tracy now lives in Kirklees, West Yorkshire. She has a husband and two daughters, all of whom work in the creative industries.

Born and raised in the region, Oliver took office as Mayor in May 2022 on a platform of restoring the pride, purpose and prosperity of South Yorkshire. He was re-elected in May 2024 when the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner was brought under the remit of the South Yorkshire Mayor.

Since graduating from Leeds University, Oliver has worked for a range of organisations including Barnsley Council where he worked on low carbon regeneration projects, in Parliament and the US Congress, South Yorkshire’s Local Enterprise Partnership and the charity BookTrust.  He was Chair of the Board at Sheffield Hallam Students’ Union and has worked on a number of high-profile political campaigns, both within the region and abroad.

As Mayor, Oliver is working on delivering his manifesto pledge to fight for a better deal for South Yorkshire. In line with another of his pledges, to improve transport in the region, Oliver has already brought the tram network back under public control.

Gary Hitchmough has over 25 years' experience in the delivery of outsourced public services, in a career spanning transport, healthcare, justice and immigration across the UK, Middle East and Australia/New Zealand. He is Managing Director for Government and Business Development at First Bus, where he leads a business unit designed specifically to meet the needs of authorities who have opted to move to franchised bus operations.

As an Executive Director of First Bus, Gary helps steer an organisation with more than 18,000 colleagues using over 5,700 buses to connect people to education, employment, health and leisure opportunities in their communities – enabling over 1.5m bus journeys every single day. First Bus is on a mission to inspire the nation to love and use the bus.

Dan Fell MBE is Chief Executive Officer at Doncaster Chamber of Commerce, where he has spent almost two decades championing inclusive economic growth across Doncaster and South Yorkshire, including the past ten years as CEO. His leadership has been central to many of Doncaster’s landmark achievements, including the successful bid for City Status, the establishment of Doncaster University Technical College, and ongoing advocacy for the reopening of Doncaster Sheffield Airport. Under his stewardship, the Chamber has grown into a leading national voice for business and was recently recognised by the British Chambers of Commerce for its outstanding contribution to the regional economy. Dan is deeply committed to making Doncaster a better place to live, work, and invest. Alongside his work at the Chamber, Dan contributes his expertise to a range of civic roles. He is Director of Finance for Enterprise, Governor of DN Colleges Group, Co-Chair of Doncaster’s Education and Skills Portfolio Board, and chairs Mayor Ros Jones’s Business Advisory Board. He also sits on the South Yorkshire Skills Advisory Board and Doncaster’s City Centre Board. His previous roles include Chair of CAST Theatre and membership of the South Yorkshire Local Enterprise Partnership.

Nikki has been with the College since 2019, serving first as Vice Principal and then taking up the role of Principal in August 2022. Nikki is also a trustee of the CITB, and Leeds Learning Alliance, and is a member of the Construction Skills Mission Board, helping to drive the governments agenda on housebuilding and infrastructure investment through a highly skilled workforce. Before working at Leeds College of Building, Nikki held the post of Vice Principal (Technical and Professional) and Assistant Principal (Employer Engagement) at York College, Head of Department at Kirklees College, and Programme Manager at Leeds City College. Nikki is passionate about improving diversity in construction, which in turn helps to tackle nationwide skills shortages. She believes a truly inclusive sector is crucial for everyone to access the incredible opportunities offered by construction. Green and sustainable skills training is also a priority, helping contribute to important national net-zero targets.

Greg is an award-winning journalist who has worked for major regional newspapers, regional magazines, the Press Association and a pioneering news website which earned a place in The Guinness Book of Records. He’s also supplied business stories for the national newspaper, the i, (including an obituary of Sir Ken Morrison) and for The Yorkshire Evening Post. He’s won 19 business journalism awards and been ranked at 158 in Richtopia's list of the top 250 business journalists in the world. The Yorkshire Post's former business editor Mark Casci said: "Greg is one of the finest journalists I have worked with in my career. He embodies the spirit of investigative journalism which The Yorkshire Post has been synonymous with for decades." James Mitchinson, the editor of The Yorkshire Post, said after he was voted Regional Business Journalist of the Year at the Society of Editors' Awards 2019: "A more worthy winner you will struggle to find. Technically brilliant; tenacious; compassionate." Kevin Hollinrake MP, the former co-chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Fair Business Banking, described Greg as "one of a small number of journalists who have continually highlighted banking scandals and the need for truth and redress". Greg’s role as The Yorkshire Post's deputy business editor has given him the opportunity to chair a wide range of political debates and business seminars with celebrities including Sir Clive Woodward. He’s interviewed the likes of Bob Geldof, George Osborne, Sir Keir Starmer, Gordon Brown and Angela Rayner. He was one of the first journalists to write about the "Calendar Girls" of Rylstone WI, a story which inspired a major film. During the dotcom boom, Greg worked on the business desk at Ananova.com, the news service which featured the world's first virtual newscaster. He’s played a major role in developing The Yorkshire Post's award-winning business coverage and establishing the Excellence in Business and the Ward Hadaway Yorkshire Fastest 50 awards. He’s appeared on Sky News, the BBC news channel and BBC local radio to discuss business-related topics. He’s also been interviewed on talkRadio about the loan charge scandal and the economic success of Ilkley. Greg has chaired a childcare coalition fringe event at the Conservative Party conference in Manchester and hosted The Yorkshire Post's Environment Awards, alongside Natalie Bennett, the former leader of the Green Party.

Sian Booth leads on policy, skills, and campaigns at Doncaster Chamber of Commerce, championing South Yorkshire’s economic growth, transport and infrastructure, city centre regeneration, and workforce development. She oversees the Local Skills Improvement Plan for South Yorkshire, drives insight-led initiatives such as the Quarterly Economic Survey and other business intelligence studies, and builds strong partnerships across education, employers, and local stakeholders. A passionate advocate for SEND reform and opportunities for care-experienced young people, Sian’s career spans the third sector, creative industries, and local government, giving her a deep understanding of what makes communities thrive. She works to ensure that business success goes hand in hand with stronger, more connected places.

Sarah’s career in heritage and culture spans over 30 years. As CEO of Cromford Mills, part of the UNESCO Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site, she led on the masterplan for the site, and the successful regeneration of several Grade I Listed buildings including B17. The B17 project was awarded a Europa Nostra in Finland in 2017, the highest award for conservation in Europe.

Sarah founded the Heritage Trust Network (HTN) in 2014, an umbrella organisation that provides peer to peer support to community led regeneration projects across the UK. HTN now has offices in all 4 countries of the UK.

Sarah was engaged as the first CEO of Wentworth Woodhouse in May 2017. Since taking on the role she has established a successful trading company and launched both the Wentworth Woodhouse Masterplan “A New Life” which details the £200 million regeneration programme for the site, and the WWPT Cultural Strategy which sets out an ambitious plan for the Trust’s work in diversity, access and inclusion, breaking down barriers to engagement in arts, culture and heritage. Since 2017 she has raised and delivered over £30m of capital regeneration, her latest project, the Camellia House, won Sarah her second Europa Nostra award in 2025. Today the site is a thriving visitor destination with ever growing numbers of staff, apprentices, trainees and volunteers.

Sarah joined the National Lottery Heritage Fund Northern Committee in 2023, where she is part of the team adjudicating grant requests between £250,000 and £5million.

In January 2025 Sarah was appointed Chair of the public and private sector collaboration the South Yorkshire Local Visitor Economy Partnership (SYLVEP).

Sarah has lectured on the MSc Historic Buildings course at Cambridge University for the last 14 years, focussing on the establishment of the community led regeneration movement in the UK in the late 20th century and its impact today. Sarah is a published writer and is currently a contributor to a book “The Public Country House” in conjunction with the Victoria & Albert Museum, The National Trust and UCL Press. In addition she is co-authoring a book on the rescue of Wentworth Woodhouse to be published in 2027.

She is the mother of a profoundly learning-disabled son and has been an advocate for disability rights and improvements in the care system for the last 30 years.

She was awarded an OBE in 2024 for Services to Heritage.

Lorna has over 30 years’ experience in developing and delivering major infrastructure projects. An architect by profession, she has worked in both the private and public sector throughout her career, engaging with central and local government to solve challenges in infrastructure. She has led schemes when in a multinational contractor, central government grant organisations to big four consultancy and government Arm’s Length Bodies. Her most recent roles were at the Great British Rail Transition Team and as Sponsorship Director for Phase 2 at HS2. Lorna started as Managing Director of the Local Authority function in the UK Infrastructure Bank, now the National Wealth Fund (NWF), in July 2023 leading the Local Authority Function and is continuing to develop offerings for advisory and lending services across the UK’s four nations, working directly with local authorities, devolved governments, and the private sector.

Andrew is the Chief Economist at the Northern Powerhouse Partnership, where he leads research and policy development to drive economic growth, innovation, and productivity across the North of England. His work focuses on regional investment, devolution, skills, and infrastructure, helping to shape the case for greater autonomy and strategic investment in the region. Before joining the Northern Powerhouse Partnership, Andrew worked at Yorkshire Building Society, where he advised the Board and senior management team on the economic outlook and housing policy, and in the UK Civil Service, where he worked across several departments including the Department for Education, the Department for Work and Pensions, and the Department for Transport. Across these roles, Andrew has built a reputation for combining rigorous economic analysis with clear, accessible explanations of complex issues. Alongside his role at NPP, Andrew is the Senior Independent Director at the West Riding County Football Association and serves as volunteer Commercial Manager at Ossett United FC, where he plays an active role in strengthening the club’s community and commercial operations.

Ros Jones CBE is the directly elected Mayor of Doncaster, daughter of a miner, born in the city and continues to make Doncaster her home. Ros has been mayor since 2013. Before getting involved in politics, Ros worked for over 30 years as an accountant and a senior manager. She is determined to drive the city forward and her number one priority is to fully reopen Doncaster Sheffield Airport which would bring a wealth of opportunity to the city, the wider region and the north. These are exciting times for Doncaster, and Ros is determined to play her part in driving the new City of Doncaster forward for the benefit of local people and local businesses.

After an Undergraduate degree and PhD in the field of Materials Science and Engineering, Russell worked as a researcher at the Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) in Lausanne, Switzerland. In 2008, he returned to the UK, and came to Sheffield for the first time, as a lecturer, where he has remained ever since. Over that time, his research interests have developed from initially porous metals and lattice structures, and mechanical characterisation, to include more of the fundamental formation of alloys, and the characterisation of microstructure and phases.

Tom is the Executive Director for Growth, Business and Skills. He began his career as a maths teacher in Toxteth, before becoming a Civil Servant, first in Brussels, then in London. He has worked in numerous government departments, including the Department for Business, the Cabinet Office, Number 10 and the Treasury. Across these experiences, he’s always been interested in local growth, working on transport, planning, housing and infrastructure.

Melanie is responsible for public transport operations, transport policy and strategy, bus reform and capital development and infrastructure delivery. With an investment portfolio of over £2bn in development or delivery the key investments include the renewal of the tram infrastructure, developing plans for tram extensions, and upgrading/developing new rail and tram stops.

Melanie joined SYMCA early in 2024 and has successfully overseen the transfer of the South Yorkshire Supertram back into public control, under South Yorkshire Future Trams Limited (SYFTL), a wholly owned subsidiary of SYMCA, which also runs the only tram-train service in the country. She has secured early draw down of funding for the renewal of the tram infrastructure, rolling stock and depot. She is also leading on Bus reform with an independent audit of a bus franchising assessment underway.

Melanie was previously at WYCA for 7 years leading on the delivery of infrastructure schemes, appraisal and assurance, transport policy and delivery. Prior to that Melanie held various public and private sector roles, working in KPMG’s advisory practice and working in local government roles.

Melanie is passionate about delivering efficient public services and ensuring the best use of public funds. She is committed to developing people and working strategically with partners to achieve shared objectives. Throughout her career she has designed and delivered services, projects and programmes which meet agreed objectives with partners, the needs of the customer, and provide value for money. This has ranged from major infrastructure schemes, corporate efficiency programmes and corporate centre organisational redesign, transport, regeneration and place making.

Fiona joined Insider Media in 2021 and primarily covers the corporate finance sector, as well as manufacturing and technology. She began her career after training as a journalist at the University of Central Lancashire. She has previously worked at World Textile Information Network, an information provider to the global textile industry, as well as Manchester Evening News.

Journalist of 23 years. A proven editorial leader experienced in driving business transformation through strategic planning and delivery. Bringing together disparate news publishing silos to create a single, efficient, agile, effective publishing structure that is data-driven and target-audience focused.

Kamran is founder and CEO of Impact Hub Bradford CIC, a locally rooted, globally connected social innovation hub and coworking space based in the historic area of Little Germany, Bradford. Impact Hub Bradford inspires, connects and supports changemakers, social entrepreneurs, businesses and start-ups to build solutions that create positive social impact. Impact Hub has worked alongside brands such as Red Bull, Channel 4, TEDx, PWC and successfully led a partnership to secure a £6.6M social Investment fund for Bradford District which Kamran now chairs. Kamran was appointed a Non-Executive Director of the Leeds Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP – Feb’ 2020) and of Bradford City of Culture 2025 Trust (Nov’ 2019). Kamran holds a Masters in International Politics, undergraduate degree in Youth & Community work and has over twenty years’ sector experience. Prior to setting up his own social enterprise, Kamran worked for Unltd, the Foundation for Social Entrepreneurs. Kamran is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, a Common Purpose Graduate and is trained in both the Art of Hosting and unconscious bias & intersectionality.

David Skaith was elected on Friday 3 May 2024 to serve as the first ever Mayor of York and North Yorkshire to champion the region and bring a host of benefits to hundreds of thousands of residents and businesses. David grew up in Harrogate and now lives outside of York, where he runs his small business. He has a real love for the region and a deep understanding of the challenges faced by residents. As Mayor of York and North Yorkshire, David Skaith has devolved powers and responsibilities including strategic transport, housing, economy, adult skills, and community safety.