With a focus on community and growth, Paul McEldon has helped transform the North East BIC into a powerhouse for local business, driving innovation and regeneration across the region.
For more than two decades, the North East Business and Innovation Centre (BIC) has been a cornerstone in the North East’s entrepreneurial landscape.
Dedicated to fostering growth, innovation and success among businesses big and small, from start-ups to established enterprises, it continues to play a vital role in supporting and helping to regenerate the North East’s economy.
At the helm is chief executive, Paul McEldon, whose leadership has taken the business from its early days as a small incubator to a 14-acre powerhouse of innovation and support for entrepreneurs, new businesses and ambitious professionals.
Paul’s career path began traditionally, but soon took on a purpose-driven direction. A proud “local lad”, he graduated from Newcastle University in the late 1980s with a degree in accountancy and financial analysis, before joining accountancy giant, KPMG, in the city centre, where he gained in-depth experience across corporate finance, restructuring, audit and tax in various sectors.
In 1992, he said yes to secondment and transitioned to Sunderland City Training and Enterprise Council (TEC) – one of 70 national government-funded schemes at the time, responsible for the delivery of new apprenticeship, skills and enterprise programmes – as interim finance director.
But it was his transition to the BIC in the early 2000s – after the TEC disbanded – that set him on the course to impact his community in a profound way.
Paul found himself at the helm of the organisation, which launched in 1994 and was still in its infancy, as finance director and began making positive strides from the get-go.
From the former Austin and Pickersgill shipyard site in Sunderland, he spearheaded a new era for the business with a mission to kickstart new enterprise, employment and regeneration in a region reeling from the loss of heavy industries.
He played an integral role in launching the business as a not-for-profit social enterprise, offering not only high-quality and affordable workspaces for new businesses to call home, but a comprehensive and tailored range of professional support to help them get their feet off the ground and reach new heights, too.
Offering 22 small incubator units for rent, he and his team created a unique and sustainable community in which businesses could thrive, grow and transform the local economy, with a fierce commitment to fostering business success and inspiring the next generation of entrepreneurs.
By 2003, Paul was appointed chief executive – a role he’s held ever since – and under his leadership, those 22 units have since grown to 240,000 square feet of flexible workspace across three sites in Sunderland, Washington and Darlington.
From these burgeoning locations, 326 businesses have flourished, creating 7,500 jobs in the process – something Paul is incredibly proud of.
“We’re not just landlords who collect the rent each month and call it a day,” he says.
“Our unique package of workspace, bespoke business support and events remains at the heart of our ethos. Building and fostering a community spirit that champions business success in our region, in everything we do, is what we’re about.
“From a personal standpoint, I’m particularly passionate about the social enterprise arm of the business. We’re here for the public good and with that comes a lot of job satisfaction and fulfilment.
“We continually re-invest the money we make into launching new services and facilities to ensure the businesses we look after have the tools they need to succeed – and that’s at every stage of their journey. When I joined the company, our main focus was helping start-ups, but now we offer bespoke solutions to all business types and sizes.
“For example, our start-up advisors help new businesses and aspiring entrepreneurs with everything from registering their business to raising finance, business planning and marketing, while established companies can access expert advice on topics such scaling, innovation and bringing new products and services to market.
“It’s so interesting to be able to meet – and help – so many people from different backgrounds, all with different challenges, goals and aspirations in front of them.
“It’s a bit like having lots and lots of children,” he says with a smile.
“You do your best to advise them and give their businesses the best start in life that you can, before watching them take on the world. And if they ever need help along the way, we’re always here.”
This do-good work is enhanced by the BIC’s social enterprise initiatives, which stretch across the region, and a growing number of strategic partnerships.
In Sunderland, the Wear Together initiative offers support for budding social entrepreneurs looking to launch or expand their ventures, providing guidance and resources tailored to their unique challenges.
Over in Durham, the Social Enterprise programme delivers workshops, grants and hands-on support for individuals and community groups eager to create lasting social impact.
The Business with Purpose project, meanwhile, extends across North of Tyne & Gateshead, supporting established social enterprises in Northumberland, Newcastle, North Tyneside and Gateshead, while the Social Enterprise Network in Gateshead connects like-minded entrepreneurs, fostering collaboration and innovation among those passionate about positive change.
Elsewhere, the business’ strategic partnerships – an area that Paul has helped strengthen since joining the BIC – remain as strong and as crucial as ever.
Through close collaborations with like-minded organisations and individuals – from local councils and regional government bodies to private sector partners and international enterprises and educational institutions – the BIC has built a powerful network to champion innovation across the North East.
“Collaboration is one of our biggest strengths – it’s something we do really well – and these partnerships are key, bringing with them essential resources and opportunities to the region, from skills development and funding access to specialised industry guidance,” says Paul.
“We’re also actively working with these bodies in the realm of property management and development. Essentially, looking at their property portfolios to see if and where new sites and facilities can be built, or managed by us, to help boost business growth even further across the region.”
For Paul, the drive to make a difference doesn’t end when he steps out of the office. In his community, he’s just as active and committed as he is in business.
He serves as a non-executive director at the South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust and has previously lent his expertise to Sunderland College and Education Partnership North East, where he chaired the finance committee.
He also has his hand in the cultural heritage of the area as a director of The Fans Museum in Sunderland and Community Opportunities, which oversees treasured sites like Fulwell Mill, Bowes Railway and Hylton Castle.
He also has a long-standing commitment to local enterprise, chairing the North East Enterprise Agencies and, since 2012, leading the National Enterprise Network.
Paul’s lasting impact on both business and community life earned him well-deserved recognition last summer when he was awarded an OBE for his “services to local growth in the North-East of England.”
His passion for meaningful work and community involvement traces back to his father, who set up his own restaurant business in Crook, Durham, in his fifties.
“Watching dad navigate the trials of running a business in a remote area gave me an early sense of empathy for the struggles that business-owners face. This understanding has definitely influenced my career, instilling in me a dedication to help others in a similar situation.”
He also finds continual inspiration in his long-standing professional partnership with Paul Callaghan CBE, with whom he has worked on many impactful projects over the past 25 years—the most successful being Software City in Sunderland, an initiative aimed at revitalising the region’s tech economy.
“Paul is one of those people who I’ll always listen to when it comes to advice and ideas. He’s always been something of a soundboard in my professional life.”
After more than two decades leading the North East BIC, Paul shows no sign of slowing down or handing over the reins just yet. However, when the time eventually comes, he envisions a successor who will take the businesses to even greater heights, expanding its impact across the region and beyond.
For now, though, he carries with him a simple piece of wisdom from his father. A lesson that has guided him through every challenge and triumph – and a mantra he intends to keep close to him as he looks ahead with gusto.
“Just care about people – that’s what dad always used to say. If you care about people, you’ll be all right – whether that’s in business or in everyday life.”
For Paul, it’s the kind of legacy that builds lasting success—and one he hopes will continue to shape the BIC’s future for years to come.
www.ne-bic.co.uk
