Sara Wilde McKeown, Managing Director of communications company Influential and Chair of the Visitor Economy Board is to be appointed to the Board of the Liverpool City Region Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP).
Mrs Wilde McKeown is also the Liverpool City Region Mayoral Advisor for Visitor Economy to Steve Rotheram. Her previous roles include Commercial Managing Director of Trinity Mirror’s regional newspaper group and, before that role, was MD of the publisher’s newspaper, digital and events businesses across the North West and North Wales. Previously, she also chaired the successful Mersey Waterfront Regional Park regeneration scheme.
Liverpool City Region’s tourism businesses continue to drive growth and job creation in one of the strongest performing sectors of the local economy. Latest independent data show that, annually, the sector is worth £4.3bn to the local economy, attracts 62m visitors and supports 51,500 jobs.
Asif Hamid MBE, Chair of the LEP said: “The LEP continues to attract the highest calibre of business leaders from across the private sector, so I am delighted to welcome Sara to join the Board. The depth, diversity and wealth of Sara’s experience will be a tremendous asset to us and we all look and forward to working with her to drive the economy forward.”
Sara Wilde McKeown, Managing Director, Influential said: “I am delighted to be joining the LEP Board at such an important point in the city region’s economic development. The Visitor Economy is crucial to the city region’s economic success creating thousands of additional jobs and business opportunities as a result of our national and international visitor appeal. However, it is also key to the wider attractiveness of the City Region as a place to live, work, study and invest and I look forward to working with the LEP Board to ensure we maximise the wider benefits that the Visitor Economy can bring.”