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John
Edwards
Chief
Executive
Advantage
West Midlands, United Kingdom
 John
Edwards joined Advantage West Midlands in August
1999 as Director of Regeneration and Physical
Development. He was appointed Chief Executive
November 2000.
John has extensive experience
in rural and urban regeneration and business
development. He was Director of Operation and
Chief Executive of the Rural Development Commission
and oversaw the transfer of its regeneration
and business development programmes and staff
to the Regional Development Agencies and the
establishment of the Countryside Agency.
John
has led a major initiative to assist the
automotive sector cope with significant change
in the global economy and its impact in the West
Midlands Region.
- He
led the work of the Rover Task Force
in 2000 that developed and implemented innovative
programmes of support for the Automotive
Supply Chain.
- He
was instrumental in the establishment
of the Premier Automotive Research and Development
Programme at Warwick University. This brought
together Jaguar and Land Rover and the supply
chain working with the University’s Warwick
Manufacturing Group to improve the competitive
position of the aggressive automotive sector
in the west Midlands and UK.
- John is
a member of the Midlands Automotive Partnership
which brings together the leaders of the
major OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers in the East
and West Midlands to develop major strategies
and programmes.
John sits on key regional boards
charged with improving the West Midlands
economic performance:
- The
Regional Skills Partnership,
driving up the skills base of the region.
- The
Innovation & Technology
Council, focusing joint University
and Business investment in research
and development particularly in the
Automotive, Aerospace and energy
generating sectors.
John also has
a strong commitment to ensuring better
links between Universities and Industry
serving on the boards of Aston and
Staffordshire Universities and also
a member of the West Midlands Higher
Education Association.
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