Steering Group

Kath Lavery

Kath Lavery was born out in Holderness although she has lived in Hull since her twenties. She is an Information Science graduate but has carried out many roles in Hull over a career spanning 35 years. She is the Chair of Hull and East Yorkshire Community Foundation and the Chair of the Business Week Steering group. Kath is well known in Hull for working across all sectors including the NHS and Hull’s business community, bringing energy and commitment to everything she does. She has been involved in Business Week since the very beginning and can’t wait to deliver a stunning programme for 2012.

Nigel Mills

Born and raised in Hull, Nigel is one of the many people who “went a way for a bit” but was drawn back to the region. He is passionate about the area and loves to get involved in anything that promotes what a great place this is to live and do business.

Nigel first became actively involved in Biz Week in 2009 organising an event for Hull and East Yorkshire Community Foundation. He assisted with several events in 2010 and then in 2011 joined the committee as his company, Hull and East Yorkshire Community Foundation, took on the co-ordination of the week.

Neil Cavill

Neil is a local guy born and bred, has massive passion for the area and has worked in a number of voluntary roles over the years to help drive the region forward. He has been involved in a Business Week for a number of years, driving npower to lead sponsor the YIBC in 2009 and leading an event in 2010. Neil jumped at the chance to become a member of the steering group in 2011 and helped to co-ordinate the hugely successful week as a result.

Richard Tuplin

Richard is an Executive Director of The Insurance Partnership, a leading Regional Financial Services Company and has worked there for the past 14 years. A Champion for the City of Hull & East Yorkshire, Richard Chairs the East Yorkshire (Humber) Branch of the Institute of Directors and also sits on the Humber Local Enterprise Partnership Board and Humber Sports Partnership Board to encourage and deliver on Public and Private Sector Partnership Working.

John Gilbert

Born, educated and re-educated in Hull, John is an entrepreneur determined to make exciting things happen. In both a professional and voluntary capacity he has been a key figure in bringing to fruition many events, campaigns and initiatives in the region.

John organised Biz Week events in 2009 and 2010, then last year joined the committee as the communications lead as representative of his company, eskimosoup who are the communications partner.

Charles Lewis

Charles Lewis is a chartered accountant formerly with Ernst & Young.

He was involved with a wide range of publicly quoted and owner managed businesses as client service leader involving the co-ordination of all Ernst & Young services and in later years was the managing partner at Ernst & Young, Hull which was a fully autonomous business unit with a staff of up 140 and a multi million pound turnover.

Since his retirement he has had a wide portfolio of business, public sector and charitable interests currently including Hull Citycare Ltd, Catzero Ltd, Bondholder Scheme Ltd

Mitch Upfold

Profile to follow.

Paul Gregory

Paul is a highly motivated, passionate and tenacious individual who over the last 30 years has gained a considerable wealth of experience within the field of business development.

Over the last 20 years he has been committed to the regeneration of Hull’s City Centre and has worked and assisted on numerous projects with this in mind.