A COMMERCIAL innovator, who developed brands for a renowned consumer products firm, says the North-East must build on a radical plan to become a international centre for growth.

Professor Roy Sandbach is working with North-East local enterprise partnership (NELEP) to drive forward Lord Andrew Adonis' proposals for 60,000 new jobs and increased apprenticeships.

A key facet of Lord Adonis' More and Better Jobs: North-East International report, was the need to make the region an innovation hotspot.

Prof Sandbach said: “We already have outstanding skills and capabilities in the region, with great innovative talent already built into our small and medium-sized enterprises, blue-chip firms and institutions.

“The NELEP innovation panel will aim to enable these capabilities to work better together and build momentum.”

Prof Sandbach, who has more than 30 years experience with Proctor and Gamble, will lay the foundations of an innovation eco-system to attract new talent, foster business and create change and development in manufacturing and creative industries.

He said: “We are all after the same thing, more creative innovation, managed with efficiency and momentum.

“This will lead to more jobs and build the open innovation brand for the region, and with the support of the business community and public bodies, I'm sure we can make the rest of the world take notice.”

Lord Adonis' report, revealed in April, included proposals to double the number of apprentices to 13,000 a year, create 60,000 private sector jobs and launch a combined local authority, from Durham to Northumberland, by April next year.