FREEPORT East has appointed its first permanent chief executive

Steve Beel will take charge at Freeport East, one of eight new freeports across England.

The Government announced last year that Harwich and Felixstowe would become a freeport, which means the area will benefit from tax reliefs and simplified customs procedures.

It is aimed at encouraging economic activity, which is seen as a means of boosting global trade following Brexit.

Mr Beel has more than 20 years of experience across a range of infrastructure sectors in the UK and overseas, covering infrastructure planning, financing, procurement and operations.

Most recently he has been working in Zambia as a British diplomat with the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office.

Earlier in his career Steve worked at Ofgem as a Commercial Director where he was involved in many of the UK’s largest offshore wind and electricity interconnector projects, and before that at Hutchison Whampoa and PwC.

Mr Beel said: “Having been brought up in the region, I have a personal desire to see a deepening of economic growth and employment opportunities in the East of England.

"Freeport East provides a unique chance to deliver broader and more inclusive growth through increasing employment opportunities and skills development, deepening trade connections to the rest of the world, and facilitating a greener and more innovative regional economy."

Freeport East's acting chairman, George Kieffer, said: “We are delighted to welcome Steve to the team.

"His mix of experience in public and private sectors, combined with a strong focus on economic development, made him the ideal candidate for this role.

"At a time when energy sector investment and increased productivity are key objectives for the Government, I am confident that he will drive Freeport East forwards, opening up new employment opportunities and delivering inward investment into the region.”

Freeport East includes two other tax sites at the Port of Felixstowe and Harwich International Port as well as four customs sites, which are set to create hundreds of jobs for the area and boost the local economy.

The proposals include developing Bathside Bay in Harwich as a tax and customs site.