Dorset Council has confirmed a new leadership team for Dorset Innovation Park Limited, the company responsible for running and developing the county’s only Enterprise Zone.
The council says the appointments bring added expertise and commercial focus to help secure investment, attract new businesses and create high-value jobs in the south of the county.
Kevin Forshaw will take up the role of Managing Director from 6 October this year. He is a former Chair of Maritime UK South West and the Plymouth and South Devon Freeport Innovation Board, with previous roles at the National Oceanography Centre and the University of Southampton. His work has helped secure millions of pounds in research funding in areas including maritime cyber-security, offshore renewable energy and marine autonomous systems.
Chairing the company board will be David Happy MBE, who has nearly four decades of experience in the technology sector and was formerly Vice President of Samsung EU R&D Labs. He holds several non-executive roles in telecoms and connectivity and has family links to Dorset.
The board also welcomes several non-executive directors. They include solicitor Alice McAlpine, who has advised on enterprise zones and large-scale infrastructure projects; Claire Pearce, who leads the Dorset Clean Energy Super Cluster; property expert Mark Ovens; technical advisor Dr Greig Paul; and telecoms specialist Ian Smith, who began his career in Portland.
Dorset Innovation Park, located near Wool, is home to around 800 jobs and focuses on advanced engineering, marine, defence, energy and security. Dorset Council has set a target of creating 300 more jobs at the park by 2029. The newly created company will be tasked with helping deliver this by attracting investment in areas such as clean energy, defence innovation and AI technology.
Kevin Forshaw said he was looking forward to getting started in October, adding that Dorset Innovation Park will be “a key catalyst in driving further developments for net zero and UK energy security” while helping to create new jobs for the region.
Councillor Nick Ireland, Leader of Dorset Council and Chair of the Shareholder Committee for Dorset Innovation Park Ltd, said the Enterprise Zone is a strategically important site and that the new appointments bring the commercial expertise needed to attract investment and jobs.
