Subsea NE appoints new regional chairman
ABERDEEN -- The regional advocacy group for the North-east of England’s subsea sector has appointed Bruce Heppenstall as its new chairman.
Heppenstall will take over the reins of Subsea North East from Andrew Hodgson to further strengthen the organisation’s position as a leading authority across the industry.
CEO of BEL Valves and former general manager for the GE Oil & Gas Wellstream division, Heppenstall will be tasked with promoting the North-east sector on a global scale to maximize opportunities, while working with Subsea UK, the national industry body to provide a forum for collaboration, diversification and technology development.
With the region’s subsea sector generating more than £1.5bn a year and accounting for 20% of manufacturing jobs, he will ensure the region is represented as a world class center for offshore technologies and solutions on the national stage, HE SAID.
Commenting on his appointment, he said: “I’m looking forward to playing my part in driving further collaboration with our partners across the region and ensuring companies are equipped with the skills and tools they need to succeed.
With subsea and offshore engineering recognized as one of four smart specialism areas within the North-east Strategic Economic Plan (SEP), Subsea North East, under Mr Heppenstall’s leadership, will focus on the development of professional engineering and technician skills among the next generation.
He will also oversee the effective adoption of the government’s apprenticeship levy by Subsea North East member companies and local higher education institutions.
Andrew Hodgson, who has been chairman of Subsea North East since 2010, will continue to attend member events and support local companies as chair of the North East Local Enterprise Partnership. During his time as chairman he developed a business model that is now used by the digital and automotive sectors in the North-east. He also established collaborative partnerships with five local universities and with them – and other selected partners – developed the Tyne Subsea research center.
