Delaware and North East England Sign Economic Development MOU

(Wilmington, Del.) The Delaware Prosperity Partnership (DPP), the state economic development organization, and the North East Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), a public, private and education sector partnership in North East England, UK, have signed a cooperative agreement to support joint business development. LEP works in partnership with the business community to grow the economy and create more and better jobs in the region.

Specifically, the two organizations will work together to support mutually beneficial international expansion for firms that work in:

• Bioscience/Life Science and Wind Supply Chain
• Advanced Engineering and FinTech
• Innovation and Skills

North East England is one of nine official regions of England, which includes Northumberland, County Durham and Tyne and Wear. The North East LEP is responsible for promoting and developing economic growth in the local authority areas of County Durham, Gateshead, Newcastle, North Tyneside, Northumberland, South Tyneside and Sunderland.

Representing Delaware was Kurt Foreman, President and CEO of DPP and Rod Ward, CEO of CSC, one of the world’s premier providers of business, legal, tax, and digital brand services. Ward is Co-Chair of the DPP Board of Directors.

Representing the UK was Andrew Hodgson, North East LEP Chair, and Helen Golightly, North East LEP Chief Executive.

Both economic development organizations will promote their partner area as a location for local firms looking for international business expansion opportunities. They will actively collaborate, support joint events, and encourage cross-education and training through the local universities.

“This agreement was a natural fit for our organizations and for the areas we represent,” said Kurt Foreman of the DPP. “Delaware and North East England will actively support one another in sectors where we both have strengths, helping our local companies become international companies by directly connecting them to our partners overseas. We look forward to the cross-Atlantic success stories and the jobs that will follow.”

“Delaware’s strengths in financial services, health and life sciences, renewable energy and advanced manufacturing match those of the North East, so I see a great opportunity for us to work together to create opportunities for local companies to collaborate and do business,” said Andrew Hodgson, Chair of the North East LEP. “Targeted region-to-region agreements like this demonstrate how we will use our Local Industrial Strategy to connect North East England into global trading networks.

“Delaware Prosperity Partnership (DPP) shares our ambition to improve innovation and skills across all sectors of industry to create a stronger economy. I’m looking forward to working with our colleagues from the U.S. to share learning and develop ideas that strengthen our connections and improve opportunities for businesses in the North East.”

About Delaware Prosperity Partnership

Created in 2017, Delaware Prosperity Partnership (DPP) is the nonprofit state economic development agency that leads the state of Delaware’s economic development efforts to attract, grow and retain businesses. We work with site selectors, commercial developers and business executives focused on where to locate or grow a business. Our team provides and reviews potential sites, cost-of-living analysis, quality-of-life information and funding opportunities, including available tax credits and incentives.

About North East Local Enterprise Partnership

North East Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), a public, private and education sector partnership in North East England, UK, works in partnership with the business community. Through its Strategic Economic Plan, it aims to grow the economy and create 100,000 more and better jobs for the North East by 2024.