New economic boss outlines post-pandemic focus

The man tasked with guiding the region’s economy through a tumultuous period says he’s “so excited” about the opportunity.

Sunshine Coast Council’s new head of economic development Andy Eves-Brown. Picture: John McCutcheon

The man tasked with guiding the region's economy through what was shaping as a tumultuous period says he's "so excited" about the opportunity.

New Sunshine Coast Council head of economic development Andy Eves-Brown was appointed to the role six weeks ago, taking over from Paul Martins who departed for a new role at Moreton Bay Regional Council.

Mr Eves-Brown was no stranger to Coast business, having served as chief operating officer at Gourmet Garden and chief executive officer of Coyo Australia before shifting into council.

Mr Eves-Brown said he'd never really considered a move into local government, but through his time at Gourmet Garden he'd had an insight into economic development through council's Regional Economic Development Strategy.

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Mr Eves-Brown said he'd worked closely at the time with Mr Martins and he had thought of it as a "bit of a dream job".

"When it did (become available) it was just perfect timing," he said.

The 50 year old said he thought council had responded to the pandemic "really well" and he felt that had been aided by the work council had undertaken to connect with industry and external partners over the past decade.

FLASHBACK: Andrew Eves-Brown and Paul Martins at a Digital Sunshine Coast and Kawana Chamber of Commerce information night.

He acknowledged it was a "very difficult time" but also a very exciting time.

With a strong background in food and agribusiness, having also served as chairman of the Food and Agribusiness Network, Mr Eves-Brown said the manufacturing and production sector was hugely important to the region's future coming out of the pandemic.

Mr Eves-Brown said he'd had plenty of experience with the local health industry over the past 12 years, as the father of a severely disabled daughter.

He said health, along with wellbeing, aviation, tourism, food and agribusiness had been identified as high-value industries within the Regional Economic Development Strategy, and tourism and events had been one of the hardest hit by the pandemic.

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He said recovery of the tourism and events sector was a "real focus for economic development" and pointed to the return of The Aussies in 2021 as a huge event for the region.

"There's no getting away from the fact we're naturally a fantastic region and people want to visit," he said.

Mr Eves-Brown said confidence was still strong in the construction industry locally and his new appointment was an opportunity for a restructure of the department, ahead of a critical 2021.

FLASHBACK: Launch of the Sunshine Coast Food and Agribusiness Network at Gourmet Garden Factory, Palmwoods. Andrew Eves-Brown with herbs from the factory.

He said leveraging the region's assets to further the digital and technology sector would be one of the focuses on next year.

The creation of food hubs and growing the food and agribusiness sector would also be a "real focus".

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Mr Eves-Brown said a lot of the plans underway were looking further ahead to the next three, five and 10 years.

"I'm so excited to be in this role," he said.

"This is the perfect bridge between that (industry and government)."

Mr Eves-Brown said the team around him was a "very talented group" and he said seeing talent develop and move away for "bigger and better things" was a source of pride.

"We shouldn't be shy of growing and developing talent," he said.

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