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New Gloucestershire Business Board launched to drive economic growth

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A new Gloucestershire Business Board (GBB) has been established to give local businesses a stronger voice in shaping the county’s economic future.

The Board replaces the previous Economic Growth Board and will take a more dynamic, business‑led approach to supporting growth, investment and innovation. It will provide strategic oversight of Gloucestershire’s economic development agenda, ensuring that business insight directly informs countywide policy and major investment decisions.

The GBB will be co‑chaired by Cllr Julian Tooke, cabinet member for business, economic development, planning and infrastructure at Gloucestershire County Council, and Rob Stemp, an experienced cyber security leader, entrepreneur and board advisor.

Membership will include around 12 to 15 senior business leaders representing key sectors, alongside representatives from education, local government, and the voluntary and community sector.

The Board will oversee business engagement across the county, including the Growth Hub network, sector‑specific business engagement, and Invest in Gloucestershire. It will also advise the City Region Board and Leadership Gloucestershire on strategic economic issues.

Cllr Julian Tooke leads the county council’s work to support economic development and opportunity for local employers and residents. He brings more than two decades of experience in strategic communications, data insight and international business leadership. Before entering local government, he held senior roles at organisations including YouGov, dentsu and Kantar Media, where he led global research, product integration and strategic insight teams. His work has focused on helping major organisations understand public opinion, market trends and consumer behaviour, and on turning complex data into clear business strategy.

Rob Stemp has more than 27 years’ experience in cyber security across national security, defence and international government work. A founder of several technology companies and former chair of Cyber Cheltenham (CyNam), he brings expertise in governance, innovation, technical strategy and business growth. He has advised governments, universities and major organisations on cyber resilience and emerging technologies, and has played a leading role in developing Gloucestershire’s thriving cyber and tech ecosystem.

Cllr Julian Tooke said: “The Gloucestershire Business Board marks an important step in strengthening how we work with businesses across the county. By bringing experienced leaders together with our public‑sector partners, we can focus on the opportunities that will drive long term growth, investment and innovation. I am looking forward to working with Rob and the Board to ensure Gloucestershire remains a great place to live, work and do business.”

Rob Stemp said: “Gloucestershire has a rare opportunity to lead from the front. We have nationally significant cyber capability, a growing AI and advanced technology cluster, and strong foundations in advanced-manufacturing, agriculture and professional services.

“Our priority is to help our start-ups scale. We have strong early-stage businesses; the focus now shifts toward unlocking investment, building product-led companies and accelerating growth. Gloucestershire holds a genuine strategic advantage through the presence of GCHQ and the National Cyber Security Centre. We should use that national capability to strengthen our local economy.

“By aligning industry, higher education and local government, we can connect national expertise with regional ambition — creating high-value jobs, attracting capital and ensuring Gloucestershire remains one of the UK’s most important economies.”