Owen McLaughlin
Owen was brought up and educated in Preston, and attended English Martyrs and Tuson College before obtaining a Construction Degree at Sheffield. After working for 6 weeks at Heysham B Power Station in 1982, Owen joined ARM Construction Services in Chorley, a utilities supplier which had a turnover of £500k and employed 50 people. Carrying out all roles from site agent to, ultimately, Chairman, Owen guided the business through its growth path. Following the take-over of Enterprise, the white collar public service supplier, he helped grow the business to a £1bn turnover company employing over 10,000 people.
In September 2012 Owen formed his new vehicle, Inceptum2, which is aimed at providing services to the Utility, Local and Central Government markets. In recent years Owen has applied his efforts, expertise and energy into local initiatives including helping Corpus Christi Sports and Technical College in Preston and, latterly, becoming a non-executive director of One Connect Limited, the JV between Lancashire County Council and BT.
He is passionate about apprenticeships and the local economy and recognises the need to focus on the long term strategy to develop skills and training aligned to local employers’ needs. Wishing to make a difference in Lancashire and, calling upon his vast experience of industry, Owen is Deputy Chair of the Lancashire LEP and is the Member responsible for Skills and Training.
Owen can also call upon his experience of developing redundant land and buildings and turning them around into profitable projects. One of Owen’s proudest moments was when he was presented with an Honorary Fellowship by the University of Central Lancashire in recognition of his contribution to local business and enterprise.
