[24 Jul 2020]

Jacaranda Records’ Capomaestro Ray Mia has been appointed to the board of a Government backed initiative to create 1.5m jobs and generate £115billion for the UK economy – the country’s biggest regeneration project in decades.

The Thames Estuary Growth Board, which announced the formation of its Dedicated Growth Board this week, plans to deliver the world’s greenest, most productive Estuary across a footprint stretching across South Essex, East London and North Kent – setting out an ambitious vision for driving sustainable economic growth, regenerating critical infrastructure, and substantially improving transport and connectivity throughout the region.

Thames Estuary Envoy, Kate Willard said: “We now have a fully formed and exceptional private/public Growth Board, who are working to leverage significant amounts of private sector investment and make the Estuary the most compelling investment proposition in the world. Each Board member is brilliant: possessing a high level of expertise in their area and fresh to this type of project, they have the drive and ambition to bring in new thinking. They are at the razor-sharp, cutting edge of business and are crystal clear about the Thames Estuary we want to create.”

Alongside a raft of significant transport, residential and leisure projects, the board will work to establish a Production Corridor designed to position the UK as a world leader for the creative industries on an unprecedented scale, generating 50,000 jobs in media & production and an additional £3.7billion for the UK economy.

The appointment, which will see Mia bring his 25+ years experience across the music, media and film sectors to this initiative, builds on the work carried out in Liverpool since the label’s launch.

Eighteen months ago, Jacaranda Records announced its intention to build critical music infrastructure in Liverpool in a bid to bring significant investment into the city, with plans in place to create a state-of-the-art recording studio, gold standard film & broadcast facilities, and the first major vinyl pressing plant to be built in the UK for decades.

Since then the team have undertaken a comprehensive process laying the foundations for that strategy: launching the city’s most active label, building the region’s first Immersive Audio studio, completing the blueprint for a phase two studio & factory build, and engaging with a range of local & international partners in positive discussions over the city’s enormous potential.

Now, with the expertise driving that strategy recruited by the single biggest post-Covid regeneration project to get underway in Britain for a generation, Jacaranda Records believes that the strategic sense of our Liverpool initiative has been significantly underlined.

Ray Mia commented: “ While the last few months have been really tough on everyone, the time is right to come out of this with a plan to change things for the better, and so I’m thrilled to have been appointed to The Thames Estuary Growth Board. Under Estuary Envoy Kate Willard’s stewardship the project is backed by the Government as the UK’s biggest growth opportunity and is seen as integral to growth and recovery post-Brexit and post-COVID-19, and I’m excited to be joining such a dynamic board under Kate’s can-do leadership. 

“It’s time for everyone to give back and help create change wherever they can. If the work we have done and will continue to do in Liverpool can be of use to the country at large, I feel we are honour bound to provide it. The Jacaranda team have been working hard to reimagine Dockland real estate, we’ve really drilled down on key areas – jobs, green energy, transportation, skills training, scalability – none of this knowledge manifests itself overnight, but it is eye-opening how translatable all this experience is to stimulate other areas of the UK. The Thames Estuary will become a juggernaut for change, and the learnings we’ve made in Liverpool will help drive this, and as we are committed to bringing significant inward investment back into the City, this is all part of our plan to stimulate that. I grew up on the Docks, I learned how to drive a car on The Dock Road, and recall playing around and on board ships berthed at Gladstone Dock in the 70s – it’s all part of my DNA – it’s in my blood as much as the music coursing through my veins. I’m immensely proud to be joining The Thames Estuary Growth Board, and even more proud to have our work at Jacaranda Records be the catalyst guiding my thought processes going forwards.”

“Check out The Green Blue Plan it speaks for itself.”