PEXA, the digital property completions platform, has appointed Sir Roger Marsh as an ambassador and adviser as it looks to deepen its business relationships in Yorkshire and help grow the influence of the region’s tech hub across the UK.
As Chair of the Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership (LEP) between 2013 and 2022, Sir Roger has been responsible for creating significant transformation in the area. He has played a substantial role in driving the Government’s vision for the development and levelling up of the North acting as Chair of the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund Strategic Oversight Board as well as additional sub committees to raise funding for the region.
Sir Roger was also the Chair for the NP11, which brings together the 11 Northern LEPs until 2023.
PEXA is already embedded in Yorkshire following its significant investment in the opening of its UK headquarters in Leeds and acquisition of the remortgage conveyancer Optima Legal, and it is involved in initiatives such as the Leeds Digital Festival, Legaltech Leeds and Fintech North.
It is now looking to deepen its ties to the business ecosystem and help grow the size and influence of the Yorkshire tech hub at a national level. Sir Roger, with nearly 40 years’ experience and knowledge of both the regional business environment and its wider economic impact, is according to PEXA uniquely placed to help.
Yorkshire is already home to large financial services and fintech businesses, with institutions like the FCA selecting it as its regional hub and the Bank of England increasing its presence with 500 staff set to be based there from 2027.
Sir Roger commented: “Yorkshire – and the North more broadly – is a hotbed of innovation. It’s a really vibrant ecosystem boasting some big institutions as well as attracting start-ups and scale ups who want to use Leeds as a launch pad for their innovations. It is undoubtedly benefitting from significant international investment from important players like PEXA, not only in terms of it bringing proven technology to the market but also investing more widely in the growth of the tech ecosystem.”
