Key appointments for Dorset Innovation Park Limited

The company set up by Dorset Council to manage and develop the county’s only Enterprise Zone has announced several key appointments.

Dorset Innovation Park Ltd has been established to bring capacity, commerciality and private sector delivery experience to manage the park and ensure it becomes a catalyst for growth across south Dorset. 

Kevin Forshaw will take up the role of Managing Director from 6 October 2025. Kevin is a former Chair of Maritime UK South West and the Plymouth and South Devon Freeport Innovation Board. With previous positions at the UK’s National Oceanography Centre and the University of Southampton, Kevin has always driven innovation by linking industry with leading thinking in the UK research base. This secured many millions of pounds of UK and EC R&D funding for collaborative research in areas including maritime cyber-security, offshore renewable energy, clean maritime and marine autonomous system development. 

Kevin coordinated the industry support for the University of Plymouth’s Cyber-SHIP Lab and set up the UK’s Marine Robotic Innovation Centre at UK National Oceanographic Centre, which was described as an example of best practice of an innovation ecosystem by the Organisation of Economic Cooperation and Development’s Ocean Economy team.

Chairing the company board will be David Happy MBE. David is a senior board-level telecoms professional with 38 years’ experience in the tech sector, and former Vice President of Samsung EU R&D Labs. He has family ties with Dorset and holds several Non-Executive Director positions, including pro bono Chair of the UK Telecoms Innovation Network Security Expert Working Group and Independent Non-Executive Director of Jet Connectivity. 

The company board also welcomes several Non-Executive Directors bringing a range of commercial and other experience relevant to the success of Dorset Innovation Park.

Alice McAlpine is qualified solicitor specialising in governance and planning, who has spent her career advising public and private sector organisations on the delivery of urban regeneration, development supporting innovation in technology and business and large-scale infrastructure including advising on Hereford Enterprise Zone – Skylon Park. She also brings to the board extensive experience local government corporate governance structures.

Claire Pearce is a Strategic Director with over 30 years’ experience in senior public and private sector leadership roles. Recognised nationally by professional institutes for her track record in advancing complex projects including Hinkley Point C and the Gravity enterprise zone, Claire currently leads the Dorset Clean Energy Super Cluster.

Mark Ovens has 30 years operational and board level experience in UK commercial property. Recent work relevant to Dorset Innovation Park includes data centres, vertical farm RD, bioprocessing engineering and AI chemical synthesis.

Dr Greig Paul is an experienced technical advisor and senior leader, with a track record in working with innovative businesses, developing new technologies and in delivering major programmes. Greig brings a broad depth of domain knowledge in the energy sector, telecoms, security, IT, defence and national security, combined with a background in advising both the public and private sector.

Ian Smith is a telecoms veteran with over three decades’ experience that began in Portland. Ian has director-level experience within government, delivering complex innovation programmes and shaping policy. He served as Chief Technology Officer at a leading alternative network provider and brings experience of advanced network solutions including fibre and spectrum.

Dorset Innovation Park near Wool is home to around 800 jobs and looking to build on its strengths in advanced engineering, marine, defence, energy and security.

The council has an aspiration to generate an additional 300 jobs from the site by 2029 and views the Enterprise Zone as a catalyst for economic growth across south Dorset.  Dorset Innovation Park Ltd will be tasked with moving forward opportunities in clean energy, defence innovation and AI technology as part of the council’s wider Growth Strategy.

The new management company will give the council-owned park dedicated resources and extra expertise to bring even more businesses onto the site. 

New Managing Director Kevin Forshaw said: “Dorset and the wider South West have been leading technological solutions for both clean energy and UK defence and security for many years, and Dorset Innovation Park will be a key catalyst in driving further developments for net zero and UK energy security.  I can’t wait to get started in October to drive further growth on the park, creating high-value jobs for the regional economy, while positioning Dorset at the cutting edge of technological development in crucially important areas nationally and internationally.”

Dorset Council Leader Cllr Nick Ireland, Chair of the Shareholder Committee for Dorset Innovation Park Ltd, said: “Dorset Innovation Park is a strategically important site for our economy not least because of its Enterprise Zone status. But its future success is dependent on us doing things differently to attract the investment needed for it to meet its full potential.   

“These initial appointments bring the skills, commercial experience and sector knowledge to attract the inward investment and jobs our area needs.”