The North East is home to three cities, an award-winning coastline, breath-taking rural landscapes and historic market towns. It is a region of culture, creativity, enterprise and pride – and it has an extraordinary story to tell.
Experience North East England has been created to tell that story at a new scale.
Building on the strong foundations, partnerships and reputation established through Newcastle Gateshead Initiative, ENEE is creating a dedicated regional destination organisation with an ambitious goal – to strengthen the North East’s profile, grow its visitor economy and establish the region as one of the UK and Europe’s most compelling destinations for visitors, events, talent and investment.
We are now looking for an exceptional Chief Executive Officer to lead it.
This is much more than a destination marketing role.
It is a rare opportunity to shape an organisation, build a regional brand, unite partners behind a shared ambition and become a highly visible champion for the North East nationally and internationally.
Working closely with the North East Mayor, Mayoral Strategic Authority, local authorities, businesses, cultural organisations and partners across tourism, events, transport and the wider visitor economy, the Chief Executive will provide the strategic leadership to turn that ambition into tangible impact.
The role will combine high-profile external leadership with the challenge of building an ambitious, creative and commercially focused organisation.
You will help shape the regional proposition, build influential partnerships, create opportunities for investment and growth and ensure ENEE operates with pace, creativity and commercial discipline alongside strong governance and accountability.
Within three years, the ambition is clear – a respected and influential regional organisation, a compelling destination brand, a powerful coalition of partners and measurable growth in the North East’s profile and visitor economy.
Person Specification
We are looking for a highly credible senior leader who can combine strategic leadership, commercial judgement, partnership-building and ambassadorial presence.
You are likely to bring:
- Significant experience operating at Chief Executive, Managing Director, Director or equivalent senior leadership level.
- A strong track record of leading organisations, partnerships or major programmes within complex stakeholder environments.
- Evidence of delivering growth, transformation, organisational development or significant strategic change.
- Exceptional stakeholder management and influencing skills, with the ability to bring different organisations and interests together around a shared ambition.
- Strong commercial acumen, including experience of securing investment, funding, sponsorship, commercial income or strategic partnerships.
- The credibility and communication skills to act as a visible ambassador for an organisation, sector or place.
- Strong financial, governance and organisational leadership capability.
- The ability to translate vision and ambition into focused delivery and measurable impact.
- An understanding of how brand, reputation, place, culture, events, experiences and partnerships can contribute to wider economic growth.
- Energy, creativity, judgement and the ability to create momentum in a high-profile and evolving environment.
We are deliberately looking beyond the obvious
You do not need to have led a destination management organisation or built your career within tourism.
We are keen to attract a broad and high-quality field and are open to candidates from a range of backgrounds. Relevant experience may have been gained in areas such as economic development, regeneration, place, culture and heritage, major events, marketing and brand, inward investment, hospitality, transport or other complex, partnership-led environments.
The important factor is not the sector itself, but whether you can demonstrate the leadership, commercial judgement, stakeholder skills and ability to build profile and deliver impact that this role requires.
For the right leader, this is an opportunity to do something genuinely distinctive – to build on an established legacy, shape a new organisation and help influence how an entire region is perceived.
Build the brand. Bring the region together. Change perceptions.
To apply, please submit an up-to-date CV and covering letter by 9 October 2026.
Explore the full Chief Executive opportunity to discover more about the organisation, the role and the ambition for the North East.
