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Helen Kemp is Tees Valley Combined Authority’s business solutions director, covering key aspects including business growth, skills, Net Zero and innovation, and has enjoyed an extensive career within the North East and Yorkshire throughout the last 26 years.

With roots firmly in the Teesside she gained a degree from Teesside University in computer engineering and previously worked on many iconic process industry sites within the region, including former South Bank Coke Ovens and British Steel’s Teesside Beam Mill.

Following her time in plant, she switched up her career, going on to become an area performance officer for the UK Home Office focusing on criminal justice reform. Deciding to further develop her expertise in the public sector, Helen then moved into working for local authorities within areas across the North East, including Consett, Durham and Northallerton, before initially joining Tees Valley Combined Authority as their group director of business and skills.

It was in this role in 2022 that Helen joined our board to offer valuable insights on skills, recruitment and retention in the area, providing our leadership council with deeper knowledge into the challenges NEPIC members are facing from a local authority perspective, so that, together, we could home in on those areas to support our membership.

Her role with Tees Valley Combined Authority provides a pathway for our two organisations to collaborate for the benefit of our members, having recently worked together on the Tees Valley Cluster Plan, a roadmap to achieving a Net Zero industrial cluster by 2040.

Discussing the collaboration between the two organisations, Helen said:

“NEPIC are great at helping Tees Valley Combined Authority with inwards investment conversations, they allow us to get NEPIC members in front of potential investors so they can showcase the amazing opportunities and fantastic supply chain the region has to offer, enabling us to bring about change to the region and further benefit to the local economy.”

And when discussing the impact NEPIC makes to the region Helen went on to say:

“The industry NEPIC represents is so diverse now compared to many years ago, with new technology and innovation having grown significantly over recent years, the sectors have expanded too. NEPIC provides a place for those sectors to come together and have an amplified and unified industry voice.”