THE?Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) has named Callington man Mark Duddridge as its new chair-elect.

Mark will join the LEP’s board as a non-executive director with immediate effect, and will succeed current LEP chair Chris Pomfret in that role early in the New Year.

Chris has been chair since the LEP was established in 2011 as a business-led partnership to drive economic growth and job creation.

Mark, 52, is currently a main board director of Samworth Brothers which owns Callington-based Ginsters and Tamar Foods in South East Cornwall. He was managing director of Ginsters for 15 years, and has been with Samworth Brothers for almost 20 years.

Before that he held a variety of roles with Northern Foods, including commercial director.

Mark is married with two teenaged sons.

He is a trustee of the Prince’s Countryside Fund, one of the Duke of Cornwall’s charities; a trustee of Chicks (Country Holidays for Inner City Kids) with centres in Cornwall and Devon and has been chair of governors at Callington Community College since 2012.

For the last four years Mark has led an initiative working with Cornwall College and food and drink producers across Cornwall to encourage and support young people wishing to pursue a career in the industry.

A passionate gig rower, he is a member of Caradon Gig Rowing Club and is a veteran of several Pilot World Gig Championships on the Isles of Scilly