Managing director of Liverpool PR agency Influential, is already chair of the LEP’s Visitor Economy Board and joins the 21-strong main board which includes a number of high-profile business people

One of Merseyside’s best-known businesswomen Sara Wilde McKeown is to be appointed to the board of the Liverpool City Region Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP).

Ms Wilde McKeown, managing director of Liverpool PR agency Influential, is already chair of the LEP’s Visitor Economy Board.

She will join other high profile business people on the 21-strong main board including call centre entrepreneur Asif Hamid, who is chair, Cammell Laird boss John Syvret and Mark Whitworth, chief executive of Peel Ports.

She is also the Liverpool City Region Mayoral Advisor for Visitor Economy to Steve Rotheram and her previous roles include commercial managing director of Trinity Mirror’s regional newspaper group.

Ms Wilde McKeown has also chaired the successful Mersey Waterfront Regional Park regeneration scheme.

She said: “The visitor economy is crucial to the city region’s economic success creating thousands of additional jobs and business opportunities as a result of our national and international visitor appeal.

“However, it is also key to the wider attractiveness of the city region as a place to live, work, study and invest and I look forward to working with the LEP board to ensure we maximise the wider benefits that the visitor economy can bring.”