Kate Willard Obe

Kate Willard OBE is Chair of the Thames Estuary Growth Board and the Government appointed Thames Estuary Envoy. She is the driving force behind our ambitious plans to transform the Thames Estuary Region, the UK's number one growth opportunity. Led by Kate Willard OBE, the Growth Board are creating an Estuary-wide hydrogen ecosystem that will support net zero targets and play a key role in the UK’s hydrogen strategy. It is estimated that by 2035 demand for hydrogen manufacture and supply in the Estuary could eliminate up to 5.9 million tonnes of CO2 emissions a year and support more than £2.2 billion of investment. The Growth Board are looking to secure private sector led investment to support the ambitious plans set out in The Green Blue, which outlines the Board’s Good Green Growth vision for unlocking the Thames Estuary Region’s potential to add £190 billion GVA and 1.3 million new jobs by 2050. The Growth Board supports key infrastructure projects, including the Lower Thames Crossing, and are developing their Global Works Programme to link with and draw on best practice from estuaries across the world to deliver Good Green Growth. Similarly, the team is seeking sustainable investment to make the most of the Estuary’s natural assets to benefit the region’s communities and the UK. As part of this, the Growth Board is working to accelerate the use of the river and piers to move goods which will reduce congestion and emissions on our roads. thamesestuary.org.uk / [email protected]