A former assistant director at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has joined England's Economic Heartland as its head of technical programme.
Naomi Green's CV also includes roles at the Department for Transport, including as housing growth manager and head of cycling policy. Prior to this she worked for legal giant Bircham Dyson Bell as a public affairs consultant.
Amongst her chief responsibilities, Naomi will oversee England's Economic Heartland's emerging transport strategy, alongside its journey to becoming the sub-national transport body for the region, which stretches from Swindon to Cambridgeshire, and Northamptonshire down to Hertfordshire.
Naomi is also planning to set up an informal group for the women working to realise the economic potential of the growth corridor, in order to promote greater diversity within the infrastructure and planning professions.
She said: "I am delighted to be joining England's Economic Heartland at such a critical time. Government has made working with sub-national transport bodies a key priority – and England's Economic Heartland is the emerging STB for one of the most economically significant regions in the country.
"Realising the global potential of the Heartland isn't just about delivering major infrastructure. We need to think about how our people and businesses operate within the Heartland – now and in the future. That means our digital infrastructure and existing and evolving road and rail networks. Our objective must be to ensure seamless journeys from start to finish, with an emphasis on innovative transport solutions, public transport and safer routes for walking and cycling.
"I am excited by what lies ahead, and keen to bring all groups of people with us on the journey. Businesses in the Heartland are rich with diversity and it is vital that we work with a wide range of people who bring different perspectives. To start this, I am keen to create a Women's Forum, bringing together women from across the Heartland working on projects that will unlock growth, through infrastructure development or other activities. I want to use the group to inspire younger women to choose transport and infrastructure planning for their careers, so they too can contribute to the continued development of the Heartland as a global economic centre.
"This is just the start, and I am excited about the opportunities and challenges that we have ahead of us."
England's Economic Heartland director, Martin Tugwell, said: "We're delighted to have Naomi on board for what is a pivotal time for England's Economic Heartland. Her knowledge of strategic infrastructure planning – and her experiences of working within Whitehall – will be crucial as we move forward in our shared ambition with Government to realise the potential of the Oxford-Milton Keynes-Cambridge growth corridor and surrounding areas."
England's Economic Heartland works with Government and the private sector to ensure the right investment in strategic infrastructure, in the right places and at the right time. The National Infrastructure Commission believes the region's economy could double or even triple with the right investment, and the Government has made realising this potential a national priority.
There are 11 local transport authorities that make up England's Economic Heartland, stretching from Swindon to Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire to Hertfordshire. It has a total population of over 5.1 million and GVA of £150bn.