David Greenfield Named Brighton Business Growth Board Chair
Professor David Greenfield, the new chair of the Brighton and Hove Business Growth Board
Brighton and Hove Business Growth Board names Professor David Greenfield as its new chair
The Brighton and Hove Business Growth Board has a new leader. Professor David Greenfield, a Brighton-born entrepreneur and one of the country's best-known figures in the circular economy, has been appointed as the board's new chair.
The role gives strategic leadership to the board, which acts as the independent voice of the city's business community and helps shape Brighton and Hove's economic planning. It is a job that has just become considerably more important, as a new region-wide authority takes shape across Sussex.
Members of the Brighton and Hove Business Growth Board
Who is Professor David Greenfield?
Professor Greenfield has a lifelong connection to the city. Born and brought up in Brighton and Hove and educated locally, he completed both his undergraduate degree and his PhD at the University of Brighton, where he is now a Visiting Professor of Circular Economy.
He founded the research and innovation practice SOENECS in 2014 and co-founded Tech-Takeback in 2020, and is managing director of both. His wider career spans senior leadership, governance and partnership roles, including securing and running multi-million-pound programmes and building links between businesses, universities, local authorities and government. He led the council's own Brighton and Hove Circular Economy Routemap, giving him a close working knowledge of the city's economy.
What the Growth Board does
The Brighton and Hove Business Growth Board represents the independent voice of city businesses and helps shape the strategic economic growth agenda. It meets quarterly and brings together business leaders and partners from across the public, private, voluntary and academic sectors, supporting delivery of the Brighton and Hove Economic Plan.
Growth Board members out in the city centre
Why this appointment matters now
The timing is significant. In March 2026 the new Sussex and Brighton Strategic Authority was established, bringing together Brighton and Hove City Council, East Sussex County Council and West Sussex County Council to drive growth for the 1.76 million people across the region.
On 29 July the authority approved a new Sussex-wide Business Advisory Board of up to 15 senior business leaders. Crucially, the chairs of the three councils' existing growth boards, including Brighton and Hove's, are reserved seats on that new board, and its own chair will hold an associate seat on the Strategic Authority itself. In short, whoever leads the Brighton and Hove board now helps carry the city's business voice into decisions made for the whole of Sussex.
What they said
Gavin Stewart, Executive Director of the board, welcomed the appointment, saying Professor Greenfield brought exactly the blend of entrepreneurial experience, strategic leadership and deep local commitment the board needed, and that his record of building partnerships across business, academia, local government and national networks would be invaluable in the next phase of delivering for the city's economy.
"Brighton and Hove has shaped my life and career, and I am honoured to take on this role. The city has exceptional strengths across creative industries, digital technologies, professional services, tourism, education, sustainability and innovation. I look forward to working with businesses and partners across the city to support collaboration, resilient and sustainable investment and inclusive and regenerative growth."
Professor David Greenfield, new chair of the Brighton and Hove Business Growth Board
Councillor David McGregor, Cabinet member for Economy, Culture, Heritage and Tourism, said that at a time of significant change across Sussex it was vital Brighton and Hove had a strong voice championing the city's interests in discussions about devolution, investment and growth, and called Professor Greenfield an excellent choice to lead, bringing local knowledge, academic expertise and business experience to the role.
Get involved
The Growth Board meets quarterly, and its agendas and minutes are published online. Separately, the new Sussex-wide Business Advisory Board will open for expressions of interest in the autumn, with senior business leaders based in or connected to Sussex invited to put themselves forward.
This article is based on a Brighton and Hove Business Growth Board press release and Sussex and Brighton Strategic Authority sources, with additional reporting. For the latest Brighton and Hove news, visit ImJustBrighton.