Chris Travis

Chris Travis is the Chief Executive of Enterprise North East Trust and is an established expert in the field of economic and industrial development, specialising in the SME sector. Chris has 16 years experience of setting and delivering policies and strategies to encourage enterprise and enhance industrial and commercial performance. A graduate of Edinburgh and Aberdeen Universities, Chris’s professional background is in economics and small firm growth and performance.

Chris took up the position of Chief Executive of Enterprise North East Trust prior to the merger of the four previous Trusts in the area, to oversee the smooth transition of Kincardine and Deeside, Aberdeen, Gordon Enterprise Trusts and Enterprise North East into one ‘super trust’.

Enterprise North East Trust (Enterprise) provides business advice, strategic direction & focused training along with managed workspace to new & growing businesses in Grampian. Enterprise is also the local deliverer for Business Gateway services across the area.

The Trust has become the blue print for the future of the trust network in Scotland and is considered to be an exemplar of best practice.

Prior to taking up the post as Chief Executive of Enterprise North East Trust, Chris was Chief Executive of Kincardine and Deeside Enterprise Trust from 1994 to 2001 and successfully transformed the Trust into one of the highest performing in Scotland. The success of KADET was recognised both locally and nationally with many of its methods and strategies to support the development of new businesses being adopted as best practice by other Trusts.

Before taking on the challenge of a rural enterprise Trust, Chris held posts in other economic development functions in local government and the Scottish Development Agency. Chris has served on numerous technical and development groups at both a local and national level. Chris has a particular interest in the skills development of business advisors and is committed to the delivery of excellence through highly skilled people. Chris has played a key role in the successful implementation of the Premier Advisor Programme, the national training programme for Business Advisors. Chris also served on the Steering Group, which designed and implemented Premier Advisor.