In early 2024, Kerry Walker was appointed as the Business Growth Director at Business Durham. She brings with her a wealth of experience and a vision for driving economic prosperity in County Durham. With a rich business support and inward investment background, Kerry brings a fresh perspective to this crucial role.
An unconventional yet successful path led Kerry to this leadership role at Business Durham. Originally from Yorkshire, Kerry moved to Gateshead early in her career, where she quickly identified a desire to work in local government to make a meaningful difference in people’s lives. Her career trajectory took her from delivering employment initiatives to driving regeneration efforts.
Throughout her time at Gateshead Council, Kerry worked extensively with the business community, from start-up businesses to multi-national corporations. Providing business growth support, particularly to those in the tech and manufacturing sectors, her desire to deliver tangible outcomes put the area on the map for business expansion. Her natural progression led her to work on inward investment, where she developed and enhanced the inward investment service for Gateshead. This involved building strong connections with strategic businesses, the Department for Business & Trade (DBT) and forged international collaborations too.
Kerry’s work in inward investment included identifying national assets, developing high-potential opportunities propositions for immersive technologies, and building recognition regionally and internationally. Her efforts brought significant investment to the area, but she always emphasised the importance of growing local businesses alongside attracting new ones. This dual focus on external investment and internal growth has been a consistent theme throughout her career.
“My diverse experience, from supporting SMEs to collaborating with international conglomerates, has equipped me with a deep understanding of the challenges businesses face and the interventions that can drive their success. This background has prepared me for my new role in Business Durham. I am incredibly excited about this opportunity to contribute to the dynamic business landscape of County Durham.”
Kerry’s extensive experience in business support, inward investment, and community engagement made her a perfect fit for Business Durham. Attracted by the organisation’s reputation for being forward-thinking, bold, and ambitious, Kerry was eager to join and contribute to the well-established framework of Business Durham. She saw the role as an opportunity to leverage her broad experience with businesses of all sizes and her strong network to benefit County Durham.
Kerry’s vision for business growth in County Durham is both ambitious and grounded. She aims to build upon the existing successes of Business Durham and create a stronger economic environment for both businesses and residents. Her primary goals include supporting existing businesses to increase their productivity, fostering growth in key sectors, and attracting new businesses to the region, thereby creating high-value jobs.
Kerry is particularly excited about the potential for County Durham to become a location of choice for businesses, thanks to its strategic assets, innovative sectors, and supportive community. She emphasises the importance of collaboration with partners to ensure the region continues to innovate and grow.
Kerry sees significant growth potential in space, defence, advanced manufacturing, electrification, digital and fintech sectors. She is particularly enthusiastic about initiatives like North East Technology Park (NETPark), which nurtures businesses from university research to international recognition, exemplifying Business Durham’s unique approach to business support.
Kerry sees County Durham's attractiveness as a business destination as a key asset for the county. She highlights the county's excellent connectivity, key sites, and infrastructure as major draws. "County Durham is open for business and ambitious," she asserts. "We're keen to work with businesses to share their success, offering more than just a transactional experience."
One of County Durham’s unique advantages is its vast array of business sites and properties. Kerry highlights this as a key attraction: "We have a massive choice and variety, from cutting-edge office spaces to expansive industrial sites," she explains. "Many of these properties are ready for immediate occupancy, ensuring businesses can swiftly set up and begin operations. This makes County Durham an ideal location for both new and expanding enterprises."
Kerry acknowledges the challenges facing businesses in the county, particularly the need for a skilled workforce. She's committed to collaborating with academic institutions, training providers, and businesses to address this issue, creating opportunities for local residents in the process.
Looking ahead, Kerry sees exciting opportunities on the horizon, particularly with the North East's devolution deal. "My job is to ensure County Durham is well-positioned to take advantage of these opportunities," she states. "We'll be championing the voice of businesses to ensure any future activity is both meaningful and transformational.”
As Kerry settles into her new role, her vision for County Durham's economic future is clear: build on existing strengths, foster innovation, and create an environment where businesses and residents can thrive. With her extensive experience and passion for the region, County Durham's business landscape is poised for exciting developments in the coming years.
