Lord Jim O’Neill announced as new Chair of Northern Powerhouse Partnership

Lord Jim O’Neill has been announced to be the new Chair of the Northern Powerhouse Partnership, a business-led advocacy group focused on closing the North-South economic divide.

Lord O’Neill will take over the role from NPP founder and former Chancellor, George Osborne, who will remain at the organisation as President and popularised the idea of the Northern Powerhouse.

Lord O’Neill, who grew up in Gatley, Stockport, will serve a three-year term at the NPP to lead the think-tank in its mission of closing the North-South divide in wages; driving the path to net zero through the creation of more green jobs; and promoting the North as a place to work, study and live through increased investment and empowered local leadership.

O’Neill is a cross-bench peer in the House of Lords as well as the current Chair of Northern Gritstone, an investment business focused on start-ups in the North of England, and a founding trustee of educational charity SHINE.

In 2014 he chaired the City Growth Commission before being appointed Commercial Secretary to the Treasury, where he was a leading proponent of the original Northern Powerhouse vision.

His work has focused on how to tackle the productivity gap and grow the North’s economy. He recently led a review into the growth of start-up businesses for the Shadow Chancellor.

Lord Jim O’Neill, Chair of the Northern Powerhouse Partnership, said:

“The mission to close the North-South divide is hugely important to me.

“When we designed the original Northern Powerhouse economic project in Treasury nearly a decade ago, we wanted to boost productivity, drive up wages and unlock more opportunity for people living in the North of England.

“There are signs that our work is starting to have an effect in some areas but much more is needed, both from the public and private sector, in order to unleash the North’s true economic potential.

“I would like to say thank you to all our members and to our board for their continued support over the years.”