The North East Automotive Alliance (NEAA) has announced the appointment of Margherita Pasquariello as skills strategy lead, a pivotal role focused on shaping the future of the region’s skills supply.
Margherita will lead the development of employer-driven actions within the North East Local Skills Improvement Plan (NELSIP) and the Training for Growth programme, ensuring the North East has the skilled workforce required to thrive in a rapidly evolving industrial landscape.
Bringing over 18 years of experience in strategy, engineering and skills development across Europe, Margherita began her career with Accenture, progressing to lead complex innovation and transformation projects for world-leading automotive and advanced manufacturing brands including BMW, Rolls-Royce, Vauxhall, Ford and Nissan. Her expertise spans both technical execution and high-level strategy, a combination that has also shaped her work within the education and skills sector.
Margherita’s approach is defined by her ability to bridge ambitious strategic goals with practical delivery, leveraging modern tools and data analytics to turn transformation plans into reality.
Margherita said: “I am delighted to join and collaborate with the NEAA on the development and implementation of the Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP) for our region.
“The LSIP is our strategic blueprint, powered by strong collaboration between employers, educators and local authorities. I am passionate about translating our region’s skills needs into an actionable strategy. Our goal is to build the work-ready, skilled and inclusive talent pipeline required to support current and future employer demand and fuel the North East’s future economy.”
Paul Butler, CEO at the NEAA, added: “I am pleased to welcome Margherita to the NEAA, which will help strengthen our already multifaceted team. Her experience will be a fantastic addition to the team as we work towards a new NELSIP, covering the broader North East region. She will work alongside Mark David and key stakeholders including employers, providers, employer representative bodies and the North East Combined Authority, to develop the NELSIP 2026-2029.
“In addition, Margherita will support the Training for Growth programme bringing her apprenticeship expertise to support SMEs in Sunderland to realise the benefits in investing in future talent.”