Meet The Team

Tim is involved in a number of other organisations including being a Governor at Falmouth University,  Chairman of the North Devon Biosphere Foundation, Board Member of North Devon +, Board Member of North Devon Futures, Board Member at One Northern Devon, Board Member of Devon Local Nature Partnership, Board Member of Devon Climate Task Force and External Advisory Board Member of CREWW to name such a few.

Previous roles include Chairing the Heart of the South West Local Enterprise Partnership, Governor at Plymouth University, Governor at Arts University Plymouth, Chairman of the Prince’s Trust for Devon & Cornwall and Trustee at Dartington Hall. 

Other business-related activities include a wide range of Criminal Justice Issues being a Special Advisor to HM Prison Services. Tim has active business interests and has been involved for over 35 years in a wide range of property issues.  Tim is now extensively involved in Commercial Property Development across the South West Peninsula and is a Director within Belstone Fox Project Management Ltd and Wessex Investors Ltd.

Julie is also a Board Member and Trustee with the Good Things Foundation working nationally on programmes to enhance digital inclusion, and is Vice-Chair of the Devon Air Ambulance Trust.  She also supports the work of the Bank of England in the SW as Chair of its Citizen Panels, and continues to contribute heavily to regional forums and networks aimed at developing the economy.

Organisation: Cosmic

Organisation: SWIG Finance

Catherine is responsible for leading the employee engagement strategy at Stephens Scown, a 300+ strong law firm based in the South West, serving regional, national, and international clients from individuals to SMEs and larger corporations. Having grown up in Cornwall, she moved to Devon to study Law at the University of Exeter and has built a strong connection with the South West business community.

With experience acting for clients operating in a wide variety of the South West’s leading industry sectors, including renewable energy, food and drink, technology, and leisure and tourism, as well as acting for a number of regional charities, her work places her at the forefront of the positive development of the region.

As an alumna at the University of Exeter, she volunteers for the Pathways to Law programme, which targets students from underrepresented backgrounds and helps them to attain university places, many of whom are the first in their family to do so.

Organisation: Stephens Scown 

Currently advising critical infrastructure portfolios totalling in excess of £16.7bn, including 11 energy from waste projects, major road and rail schemes, and separate regeneration programmes for three major SW towns.

A trustee of the Institution of Civil Engineers, she is also mentor to three engineers, and a regular speaker at Women in Leadership, Construction and other fora to promote engineering and career progression. Liz is a member of the Great Western Railway Advisory Board, SW Infrastructure Panel and Governor (UK) of the Association of Real Property and Infrastructure. She previously chaired the Local Transport Board, BBC Audience Council (representing England) and was interim CEO of Heart of the South West LEP. She has lectured for Bournemouth, Plymouth and Leeds University and been an expert witness to public inquiries on the impact of critical infrastructure on the tourism economy. She founded Coast Communications in 2005, a strategic technical communications agency based in Cornwall, London and Cardiff, with a roster of national and international clients. In her (limited) spare time, Liz enjoys walking in the Black Mountains with her dog, paddle boarding on the coast and  photography. She is learning Welsh, with nominal success.

Organisation: Coast Communications

Prof Vicky Pope is Chair of the Devon Wildlife Trust and MEI (A charity that improves Maths Education for all). She is an independent member of the audit and risk assurance committee for Climate Change and Rural Affairs for Welsh government. 

She was the founding editor of ‘Climate Resilience and Sustainability’ for the Royal Meteorological Society. She is a Trustee of BRE Trust (Building Research Establishment) and In2ScienceUK. She is also the National Labs lead for the Association of Research Innovation and Technology Organisations (AIRTO).

Vicky had a long and varied career in the Met Office. She worked for many years on climate change. She led the development of some of the best climate models in the world and later ran the Met Office Hadley Centre Climate Programme, acting as the interface between scientists and government and other key stakeholders including the media.

Organisation: Devon Wildlife Trust and MEI

She had a diverse mix of responsibilities including economic development, highways and transport, waste, planning, property, environment, registration services and libraries. Paula was acting CEO at Somerset County Council in 2022.

Paula has led a number of high-profile programmes, delivering innovation and partnerships. Paula’s achievements include leading the County Council’s work in relation to accommodating and securing a legacy from the largest construction project in Western Europe, the Hinkley Point C nuclear power station.

Other notable achievements include securing significant Government and private sector investment in regeneration, environmental and transport schemes and the development of a network of innovation and enterprise centres to deliver increased productivity and prosperity.

Paula was heavily involved in co-ordinating the Local Authority response to the devastating Somerset winter 2014/15 floods and led the work to minimise future flooding in the county through the establishment of the Somerset Rivers Authority.

As a result, she was asked to be an expert advisor to the European Committee of the Regions on disaster resilience.

Paula co-led the work on service alignment and improvement as the 5 councils in Somerset transitioned to a single council. Paula is the current chair of the South West Infrastructure Partnership and the immediate Past President of ADEPT.

Organisation: South West Infrastructure Partnership

Throughout his career, Jabo has demonstrated a unique blend of legal expertise and business acumen that has propelled him to the forefront of the business world. His journey has been marked by a series of successful ventures across various industries, solidifying his reputation as a visionary and results-driven entrepreneur.

In addition to his entrepreneurial pursuits, Jabo Butera has been an active participant in the region’s business landscape. He has lent his expertise and leadership to prestigious boards, including the Devon Chamber of Commerce and the Southwest Business Council. His strategic insights and commitment to the economic growth of the region have made him a sought-after voice in the business community.

Jabo’s ability to navigate the complexities of law, coupled with his relentless entrepreneurial spirit, has not only driven his own business successes but has also positively impacted the broader business ecosystem. His dedication to excellence, coupled with his unwavering commitment to the community, sets him apart as a true luminary in the world of business and law.

As he continues to innovate and lead, Jabo Butera remains an inspiring figure for aspiring entrepreneurs and a catalyst for positive change in the business world. His journey stands as a testament to the power of vision, education, and unwavering dedication in the pursuit of success.

Organisation: Diversity Business Incubator

Justin has an extensive background in education management, curriculum development, consultancy, investment banking, social enterprise, and sector specialisms in renewable energy research (FLOW), capital markets derivatives trading, hedging and customized infrastructure solutions. He has served as a Vice President and Director of Toronto Dominion Securities, Toronto Dominion Bank for over a decade before pursuing a career as senior leader in Further Education with another decade of service prior to entering research.

He has previously served as volunteer Chair of the Senior Executives Forum, Special Advisor to The Office of the Third Sector in the Cameron-led coalition UK Government, the DEFRA representative of the South West Regional Flood and Coastal Committee (RFCC), Treasurer of Volunteer Cornwall and a school governor for academies in both Devon & Cornwall as well as serving on a number of other not-for-profit Boards aligned to his professional expertise.

Justin previously owned and operated Celtic Sea Consultants, providing consultancy services across the region in a range of disciplines aligned with his professional practice.

Organisation: SW Net Zero Hub

 Beginning his working life in Banking & Finance, Laurence has significant experience in that sector, including as an underwriter of corporate lending to a range of large SMEs and mid-corporates. As an Area Retail Manager he left the world of banking in 2002 to begin his new career.

 He first joined South Devon College as Vice Principal in 2010 and successfully led professional services at the College, including Business Development, Employer Engagement, Estates & Facilities, Finance, Human Resources, IT, Data & Systems, Commercial Services and Catering & Retail. Laurence has been instrumental in growing and diversifying College income including successful partnership working and project development to secure bids which have also included in excess of £30m of new capital grants. Laurence was instrumental in the College successfully securing achievement of Investors in People Platinum in 2017 and its reaccreditation in 2020. South Devon College is a general further education college supporting 10,000 students a year from entry level through to honours degrees and works with over 1,200 businesses and employers.

The College is itself the third largest employer in South Devon with 700 staff and contributing in excess of £35m to the local economy every year.

 Laurence was appointed as Principal and CEO of South Devon College in September 2019 and believes education and lifelong learning is transformational and the keystone for a successful and sustainable economy, business and individual prosperity and social mobility.

Organisation: South Devon College

Martin has previously also been active within the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW), being President for the South West during 2018-2019 and is a former member of the main Governing Council. Martin lives in Cornwall with his wife and two children. In his spare time Martin is an avid reader of history, a legacy of his university studies.

Organisation: Wildanet