Item MS 9/13/12 - Irwin research

David Irwin, in partnership with David Grayson formed Irwin Grayson Associates which in 1980, founded Project North East, one of the UK's leading enterprise and economic development agencies, which has now worked in 40 countries. Irwin continued to manage and grow Project North East until 2000 when he was appointed as the first Chief Executive of the UK's Small Business Service taking responsibility for all of the UK Government's support for SMEs and a newly created role to be the "strong voice for small business at the heart of government" advocating the case for an improved regulatory environment. He stepped down from that role in mid-2002.

David is Chairman of Cobweb Information Ltd, a business that researches, publishes and markets business information. Following research into the competences that assist trade associations to succeed in influencing public policy in east Africa, he was awarded a PhD by Newcastle University in 2019. He is a Visiting Fellow at the Department of Politics, Newcastle University.
Some of David's ancestors were members of the Glasite Church, hence his research into the membership