About us
We are passionate about the role economic development can play in driving up living standards, catalysing innovation & growth, reducing spatial equalities and achieving net zero ambitions.
Our team brings a deep understanding of the complex challenges that our clients face in delivering sustainable and inclusive economic growth, helping them to raise their ambitions and think about the economy in a more integrated and evidenced-based way.
Working at all levels of national, regional and local government policy, we act as a trusted advisor, collaborating with our clients from our Birmingham, Leeds, London and Manchester offices to produce solutions that are deliverable and genuinely make a difference.
Steer-ED was established to build on Steer's globally leading cities, infrastructure and transport offer. Steer is an employee-owned company controlled and owned by people working in the company. The lack of third-party owners or lenders means that we are free to put our people first, deploy unfettered thinking and advice to our clients and grow our business in a sustainable and rewarding way.
We work primarily with national, regional and local government clients in the UK, including DBT, UKRI, DLUHC, Homes England and DCMS alongside local and combined authorities, LEPs and other public agencies. We also work with universities, developers and other private sector clients in the UK, and through Steer’s global network of offices, we work internationally including for clients, such as the World Bank.
Our technical advisory services are framed around three core service areas:
- Strategy Development & Action Planning
- Case-making, Feasibility & Impact Assessment
- Evaluation & Monitoring
These services are provided across five diverse and overlapping sectors of economic development:
Steer ED is led by Josh Stott, who brings over 20 years’ experience advising public, private and third sectors on all aspects of economic development. Josh leads projects across all our services and sectors, nationally and locally. Josh is supported by Emma Hanes, in her dual role as Deputy Head of Team and Evaluation Service Lead, and also by Simon Pringle, who, as founding Director of Steer-ED, continues to act in a strategic advisory and project director capacity.
Our wider team brings together a diverse range of experience and specialisms, including combining local government, central government, private sector and academic backgrounds. We have quantitative and qualitative research specialists, senior-level facilitators, evaluation and business case experts, and subject specialists in innovation, regeneration, net zero, inclusive growth and more!
As part of the Steer, we are able to draw on Steer’s market-leading infrastructure advisory capabilities, Amberside’s financial and commercial advisory expertise, and Fourth Economy’s community and economic development experience from the US.
Our Services
We offer a wide range of technical skills and services to our local, national and international clients.
Our Sectors
We don’t just offer strategies for economic development, we change the way our clients think about it.