Freeport East – one of eight freeports established in England by the UK government – has appointed Steve Beel as its chief executive.

Steve Beel

Steve Beel

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 (FCDO).

He said: “Maximising the full potential of what Freeport East can deliver will require the broadest range of collaborative partnerships with institutions across multiple sectors. I look forward to getting to work with current and new partners to ensure Freeport East delivers more than the sum of its parts.”

Freeport East acting chairman, George Kieffer, added: “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.”

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