Pictured above: Dr Derek Harris (left) and Neil Pountney

One of the West Midlands' leading regeneration specialists is giving up his role as Chairman of Emprima Ltd, the Solihull-based economic development regeneration and construction consultancy.

Dr Derek Harris, who has several non-executive directorships with companies in the region, said today that he was resigning his position in order to avoid a "conflict of interest."

Dr Harris joined Emprima in 2009 after a successful award-winning career at Aston Science Park where, as chief executive, he helped forge a public-private sector partnership to transform derelict acreage in inner-city Birmingham into one of Europe's most foremost science parks. 

He commented: "Emprima is a highly innovative business with an outstanding team of dedicated professionals and although I am sad to end my association with the company I am glad to leave in the knowledge that it is a very strong competitor in its field."

Neil Pountney, Managing Director of Emprima Ltd, said: "Derek has proved to be a valuable asset during his time at Emprima and we will be sorry to lose his professional expertise and sound advice. However, he considers that potential 'conflicts of interest' now make it necessary for him to resign his Board position with the company."

Emprima was founded in 1998 by Mr Pountney, who is a past president of Solihull Chamber of Commerce and a former national president of the quantity surveyors division of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors.