Professional Liverpool has welcomed three leaders from the city region’s business community to its 13-strong board.
Laura Stuffins, a Partner at the accountancy and business advisory firm BDO, and Kim Cooper, Principal Town Planner at Arup, will bring years of expertise and insight to the board. Similarly, Stephen Cowperthwaite, Managing Director at Avison Young and Chair of the Liverpool Place Partnership, will contribute depth of knowledge and experience from his long career as a commercial property agent.
Andrew Ruffler, chief executive of Professional Liverpool, who took on the role in 2020, said: “Laura, Kim and Stephen are each leaders in their respective fields who will add real value to our board. As an organisation we are here to help support economic growth over the coming years by acting as a focal point for the professional community and encouraging collaboration and driving positive change. The quality of insight on our board will help us deliver on that promise. With the recent success of the Professional Liverpool AGM and Members lunch, our new board members are joining the organisation at an exciting time.”
The AGM and Members Lunch, held at Liverpool Town Hall for the first time since 2019, sold out in record time with 190 guests attending. “It was a positive experience to see so many from our member community come together once more,” added Andrew Ruffler. “We will have to wait to see the implications of any new restrictions on businesses over the next couple of months but there’s certainly an appetite for in-person events to continue.”
Stephen Cowperthwaite was appointed Managing Director at Avison Young in 2015, following almost 30 years’ experience across the property and construction industry with GL Hearn, Mason Owen, and the Valuation Office Agency. Stephen also leads the Liverpool Place Partnership – formerly the Liverpool at MIPIM Group – which showcases the Liverpool City Region and aims to deliver investment through events, networking, promotional opportunities, and collaborative working.
Stephen said: “The activity undertaken through Professional Liverpool and the professional community it represents remain integral to our work and have proven to be a key sounding board and consultation base for the city and city region leadership. Across so many sectors we have missed events throughout the pandemic, and it is great to be joining Professional Liverpool’s board at a time where momentum is building, and with events back, we can begin to kick on.”
Laura Stuffins became a Partner at BDO in Liverpool earlier this year but has been at the accountancy and business advisory firm for 16 years. Laura leads the Business Services and Outsourcing team, helping to deliver solutions and insights to help businesses within the Liverpool City Region with day-to-day challenges they may face.
Laura said: “I am honoured to be joining the board at Professional Liverpool. Having been a member for several years, I have seen the important work that the team does in leading the way for the region’s professional services community and in turn supporting the businesses, which power the North West economy. I am looking forward using my experience to add value to the Professional Liverpool team, and further enhancing the board’s offering.”
Kim Cooper is a Principal Planner at Arup and has been with the company six years, having joined from the public sector. As well as Kim’s extensive knowledge within planning, policy and economics, Kim is the former Chair of the North West Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) and a former Commissioner on the Liverpool City Region Town Centre Commission. She is currently a member of the LEP Built Environment Board and founder of ‘Ideas of Liverpool’, a collective of young professionals from a range of disciplines working together to improve the city.
Having previously been named on the ‘Influential Women in Planning’ list by The Planner magazine and on the Northern Power Women’s ‘Future List’, Kim has already achieved so much for the young professionals across the North West.
Kim said: “It is a great privilege to join the Professional Liverpool board. Having worked closely with many different groups including young professionals, over several years, I look forward to sharing my unique insights to further Professional Liverpool’s aim of retaining and attracting talent in the professional community across the Liverpool City Region.”
