UK Steel Enterprise, the Tata Steel business-support subsidiary, has appointed a regional executive for the North.

Sarah Thorpe, 35, has wide expertise in portfolio management, business planning and strategy, start-ups, funding and preparing businesses for investment. She has built up considerable experience in public and private sectors, working region-wide with companies, investors and business angels.   

For ten years she worked with North-East business-support organisation Entrust where her responsibilities included managing European-funded projects and the North East Business Angel Network. 

The team at UK Steel Enterprise’s Northern regional office covers the steel areas of Derwentside, Tees Valley and West Cumbria supporting new and growing businesses with finance and premises.

Set up in 1975  it has helped to create more than 16,000 jobs in the region by investing £17m of true risk capital into businesses and £12m into developing Innovation Centres at Redcar and Hartlepool as well as supporting community projects.

Sarah, a bachelor of Law who studied at Kings College, London lives in Tynemouth and has a one year old daughter.

“I am delighted to be joining UK Steel Enterprise,” she said.  “The role is such a good fit with my experience and gives me a great opportunity to work with a wide variety of businesses.  UKSE supports companies from numerous sectors with investments that can range from a few thousand pounds to help someone get a business started right up to equity and loan packages of £750,000 for major projects.

“There are viable businesses in this region with real potential to grow, create jobs and make a major contribution to the economy of our steel areas and of the region as a whole.    I have heard a lot about the way UKSE works and I feel fortunate to be part of the team,” she added.

UK Steel Enterprise Area Manager Peter Taylor said: “I know that businesses in our steel areas are going to benefit a lot from the skills and experience that Sarah is bringing to UKSE.  Her appointment is another example of our aim to put something back into areas affected by changes in the steel industry”.