Kevin’ particular interest is in the role of universities in developing local and regional economies. Kevin was previously Local Growth Consultant within HEFCE. Well known across the sector, he supported universities in their role as anchor institutions to make their optimal contribution to local growth, with a particular focus on the use of EU funding.

As a long term secondee into the then Department of Business, Innovation & Skills (BIS) Kevin represented the interests of local partners across England within the cross departmental team which developed the current programme for European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIF.) Kevin was the lead author on the national strategy for Smart Specialisation in England.

Kevin acted on many occasions as a Short Term Expert for the EU Commission advising the regional authorities of Pomorski (Poland)  and Moldavia (Romania) on the use of EU funds for regional development. Kevin was contracted by the OECD to support the HEI Innovate Review of universities in the regional economies of Romania.

Kevin began his first decade of his working life as an unskilled underground coal miner.