EEF appoints new regional affairs manager

Joel Durkin appointed regional affairs manager to lead EEF’s external affairs programme

Joel Durkin has been appointed regional affairs manager to lead EEF’s external affairs programme in the North West, raising the profile of North West’s manufacturing community and ensuring the EEF remains the voice of industry.

He joins the EEF from business media company Insider, where he was business editor for the North West, working with a wide variety of manufacturing firms in the region. He began his career at agricultural newspaper Farmers Guardian as a business reporter.

Speaking about his new role he said: “It is an exciting time for manufacturing in the North West. The region has companies at the forefront of Industry 4.0 and our firms are investing in innovations, new products and processes. EEF research shows manufacturers are upbeat and optimistic about the coming year.

“I am looking forward to engaging with the manufacturing community and helping the EEF further its public profile as the voice of manufacturing in the region.”

EEF Membership Engagement Director – North, Richard Halstead said: “Joel’s media background means he is familiar with many of our members, as well as political representatives within the region and the wider manufacturing community.

“This experience and knowledge gives the EEF a good platform to further our engagement with manufacturers in the North West and ensure we remain the voice of industry as it faces an exciting but uncertain period.”