Arise Sir Roger - meet the man who is dedicated to raising the Piece Hall and Yorkshire's profile

The chair of the Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership and NP11 Group of Northern LEPs, was recently knighted in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list.

The honour was given for his services to business, the economy and the community across North and West Yorkshire

A graduate of the University of Leeds, Sir Roger spent many years at PwC in the city, eventually running the Yorkshire and North East operations for the professional services giant, capping off a successful 35 years in the private sector and overseeing some of the largest deals in the region’s corporate history.

He has served in the Cabinet Office of the Government and oversaw the construction of the permanent memorial to those British servicemen and women who lost their lives in the conflicts in both Afghanistan and Iraq.

Since joining the LEP as chair in 2013, Sir Roger has led a significant period of transformation for the region.

He has worked in partnership with the West Yorkshire Combined Authority to promote Leeds City Region on a national and international scale,

In 2015, Sir Roger was awarded an OBE in the Queen’s birthday honours list for Services to Business and the Economy.

Additionally, he is chair of The Piece Hall Trust, leading the independent charity tasked with transforming the Grade I Listed building in Halifax.

He is also a member of the Council of the University of Leeds and an Honorary Doctor of the University of Huddersfield.

Following his knighthood, Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire, said: “Roger Marsh has made a huge contribution to businesses and communities across West Yorkshire, the wider Leeds City Region and the North over many years and the award of his knighthood is a well-deserved recognition for his work. We are so delighted for him to receive this honour.

“Roger has not just been a prolific advocate for our region, both nationally and internationally, but many civic and business leaders will recognise him as a trusted mentor, advisor and colleague, driving investment and encouraging talent into our Northern towns and cities. This award is a testament to the progress that West Yorkshire and its people have made over the last decade with his unwavering support.”

As chair of the LEP, Roger played a leading role in securing the £1bn Growth Deal with the Government in 2014, the largest agreement of its kind.

The funding has supported a range of projects and programmes designed to contribute to an overall ambition of unlocking the City Region’s potential to be the growth engine for the North and rebalancing the nation’s economy.

It is estimated that the Growth Deal has generated at least £4 of private investment and £10 in added value in the economy for every £1 of public money spent through it.

Sir Roger has been widely acknowledged by the North’s business community as an invaluable bridge between the public and private sectors and an ambassador for the region.

He has been central in West Yorkshire’s continuing development as an attractive location for investment, which has seen the region become one of the top 10 in the country for national and international direct inward investment.

Sir Roger has also taken a frontline role in many of the key dealings with investors and stakeholders alike. These have led to the successful campaign to attract organisations such as Burberry, Link Asset Management, Reed Smith and most recently the UK Infrastructure Bank and Bank of England's northern hub.

These will create a long-lasting legacy for the region, providing opportunities and optimism for communities and their residents.

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