Economic Advisory Group

The Economic Advisory Group (EAG) is an independent body for the Growing Mid Wales Board. Their role is to provide a business voice on the Growth Deal and positively promote the Growth Deal within the Mid Wales Business Community.

The group comprises business leaders with expertise relevant to the Mid Wales region.

Here we take a closer look at the backgrounds and business experiences of the group:

• Steve Lesbirel, Chair of Economic Advisory Group, and Managing Director Bbi Group - Steve has spent his entire working life in the design and build construction industry, with thirty years at Bbi Group. Bbi has been head quartered in Brecon since 1989 and has grown in turnover from 100k in its first year's trading and to over £40m in 2022. It currently employs 50 staff and is a large employer in the Brecon town area.
• Kathryn Austin, Chief People & Marketing Director of the Heart with Smart Group (HwS) - Kath, who lives in Cardigan, is a Chartered Member of CIPD and Chartered Management Institute (CMI) and the Chair for the CMI Cymru Board. Her driving mission is to enable social mobility through education and as part of her current agenda she is developing the HwS Apprenticeship team.
• Susan Balsom, Retired founder FBA (Francis Balsom Associates - now Four Cymru) over 25 years of marketing and comms for leading Welsh brands, the Welsh Government and all major public bodies, including annual Wales Yearbook. Former Welsh Small Business Owner + Welsh Woman of the Year. Voluntary public service includes having been a Board member of WDA, BBC Broadcasting Council, Ofcom, Dyfed High Sheriff (2017), and Trustee Centre for Alternative Technology. Also, Chair Prince's Trust Cymru raising £3m for business start-ups.
• Meilyr Ceredig, Director at Sgema - A bilingual consultant, Chartered by both Chartered Institute of Marketing and Public Relations, with over 20 years' experience in communications, community engagement, and stakeholder outreach. Experienced in managing campaigns and stakeholder outreach for some of the UK's leading private sector and public sector organisations.
• Kristian Hicks, Advisor/Strategy Consultant, Group Acquisitions Partner at a Global Venture Capital company - Kristian, who lives in Gilwern, has been a Business Advisor, Strategy Consultant or Chief of Staff to a number of global blue-chip, AIM or junior listed equivalent organisations, Government Departments, Financial Institutions, pre-start and established SMEs. His role has been to resolve the issues of change, transformation, growth or turnaround.
• Douglas Hughes, Managing Director Douglas Hughes Architects Ltd: Newtown, Welshpool, Aberystwyth - Douglas' main business, Hughes Architects, has been in existence for over 21 years and has completed over 5000 buildings of every shape and size. From the very outset, Hughes Architects undertook community consultation as one of its core skill sets. This early engagement with key stakeholders was recognised by RIBA as an exemplar practice.
• Walter May, Founder & CEO of Global Welsh. Walter has held senior leadership roles in companies ranging from IBM to startups in various industries. After 20 years abroad, he returned to Wales, engaging in entrepreneurship and mentoring high-growth businesses. He holds an MSc in Engineering and an MBA. He founded GlobalWelsh, a grass roots, evidenced based and private sector funded organisation, whose origins are within the Welsh entrepreneur community.
• Bronwen Raine , Managing Director Antur Cymru Enterprise/ Antur Teifi - An experienced social enterprise director with extensive knowledge of and experience of government entrepreneurship strategy, policy and delivery. Bronwen, who lives in Llangrannog, is an entrepreneur in multiple areas and experienced in the transport, care, tourism and food sectors. 
• Rik Sellwood, Director at Beacon Productivity Ltd and Global Field Services Director at QinetiQ Limited - Rik is very familiar with the SME landscape in Wales and with the Welsh Government having led the Business Wales contract for 3 years and has worked with the UK MoD, other Government Departments and other national defence ministries for over 20 years.