Ursula Lidbetter OBE announced in December that she will step down at the end of this year.

Having led the Greater Lincolnshire LEP for nine years from its creation in 2010, Ursula Lidbetter OBE announced in December that she will step down at the end of this year.

Ursula, who is also Chief Executive Officer of Lincolnshire Co-op, was the first Chair of the Greater Lincolnshire LEP and has come to the end of her maximum nine years allowed for LEP directors.

Over the past decade Ursula has established the LEP as the voice for Greater Lincolnshire businesses and set in train major improvements to infrastructure, business growth and university and college provision in our area.

The LEP has developed an ambitious Strategic Economic Plan and an emerging Local Industrial Strategy and has helped to fund major projects such as the Food Enterprise Zones in Holbeach and Grimsby, the Grantham Southern Relief Road, the Lincoln Medical School and the Lincoln Transport Hub. 

It has also set up the Business Lincolnshire Growth Hub which has so far supported more than 24,000 businesses with advice and information.

“Ursula is a highly successful and effective businesswoman and a brilliant ambassador for our area,” said LEP Chief Executive Ruth Carver.

“Her energy and dynamism have driven the LEP forward since its inception and everyone in Greater Lincolnshire owes her a debt of gratitude for her hard work and commitment to improving the local economy.

“I would like to thank Ursula for her major contribution and I look forward to welcoming her replacement as Chair of the LEP.”

Deputy Chair Pat Doody added: “Ursula has provided a very clear sense of direction and purpose to the LEP’s workings and has always had the best interests of Greater Lincolnshire at the heart of decision making.

“She has added the important ingredient of ambition while recognising the challenges we have had to overcome in order to free up the area’s potential.

“I think her USP has been the way she secures the buy-in of both private and public sector elements of the partnership, and when we consider her tenure of the LEP we all have much to be grateful for.”

Sir John Peace, Chairman of the Midlands Engine, said: “It has been a great privilege to work with Ursula in her role as Chair of Greater Lincolnshire LEP over a number of years, during which time I came to fully appreciate the breadth of her outstanding leadership capabilities and her passion for Lincolnshire and the wider Midlands region.

“During her tenure Lincolnshire’s economy, businesses and communities have benefited immeasurably from her leadership and determination to make the county of Lincolnshire and our region a much better and prosperous place to live, to work, to learn and to raise a family.

“On behalf of everyone at the Midlands Engine, I would like to say a very big thank you to Ursula for everything she has done and wish her every success and happiness in the future.”

Born and bred in Lincoln, Ursula studied operational research at the University of Hull before taking a graduate course at the Co-op College.

She joined Lincolnshire Co-operative in 1985 as a buyer and department manager at the Silvergate store in Lincoln. Since then she has held various roles and ultimately became the society’s CEO in 2004.

As well as being Chair of the Greater Lincolnshire LEP, she is also Chair of the Lincoln Business Improvement Group and was Chair of the Lincolnshire Chamber of Commerce until last year.

She was awarded an MBE in 2012 for services to business in Lincolnshire and an OBE in 2019.