An Ode to GLLEP

The Greater Lincolnshire Local Enterprise Partnership has always held a special place in our hearts at Optima. We lovingly nicknamed it ‘GLLEP’ – mainly because the full name was a bit of a tongue-twister, and it stuck firmly in our heads, hearts and file naming conventions across the business

The GLLEP’s story began in 2011 when the government launched Local Enterprise Partnerships across England to drive local economic growth. There were 39 across the UK, but none was more important to us than our local one.

The Greater Lincolnshire Local Enterprise Partnership was pivotal in driving the region’s economic growth and business development. It was responsible for business representation, strategic economic planning, employment and skills development, and managing key government programmes.

After 14 packed years, the GLLEP officially transferred its functions to the Greater Lincolnshire County Combined Authority on 1st February 2025. A bit like the old royal shout: “The king is dead, long live the king!” – only in this case, it's “The LEP is dead, long live the LEP!”

It is a new chapter, but the same passion for supporting Greater Lincolnshire’s future.

Back in 2011, we pitched to brand this new entity that no one was entirely sure how to define. Our proposal might have been a bit dry (I re-read it recently – yikes!), but it did the trick. A few weeks later, we found ourselves at a Lincolnshire County Council office, chatting in the kitchen with Ruth Carver – no meeting room available. (In those days, Ruth wasn't quite the VIP she is today!) 
Creating the brand was no easy feat. With no precedent, no clear direction, and no competitor benchmarks, it was a blank canvas. We realised the GLLEP needed a unifying symbol – a literal ‘banner’ – to unite councils, businesses, and government bodies under one vision.

Taking inspiration from Lincolnshire’s vibrant flag, we pulled out the bold colours of red, green, yellow, and blue. Then came the brainwave: a ribbon banner shaped like a ‘greater than’ symbol (>) to reflect the “Greater” in Greater Lincolnshire and the LEP’s mission to drive progress. Simple. Memorable. (And better than another public sector crest!)

The original logo was rolled out onto a modest six-page leaflet – more call-to-action than a report – and, later, onto the first GLLEP website: a relatively simple online presence that did the job back when all websites were a bit more basic.
 

In 2012, the GLLEP launched its first Strategic Economic Plan, setting ambitious targets to power up sectors like agri-food, manufacturing, tourism, and renewables. Real projects started happening, investment started flowing, and the GLLEP name started carrying real weight.

Suddenly, GLLEP wasn't just another acronym. It was a catalyst for growth.

But as the organisation’s influence expanded, it became clear that a more significant transformation of the visual identity was necessary. After several years working with the original brand – largely defined by bold flag colours, ribbon devices, and iconography – we knew it was time for a refresh.

Optima led a full brand evolution, moving towards a more sophisticated visual language: stronger photography, cleaner typography, and a broader, more flexible colour palette. We developed comprehensive brand guidelines to give the LEP a robust framework – one that allowed for creativity, but kept everything consistently on point. The result? A solid blueprint that set the tone for a refreshed and more relevant visual identity, one that resonated more effectively with stakeholders and the broader business community.
 

In 2015, the launch of the UK Food Valley marked a significant milestone for Greater Lincolnshire. The initiative was designed to promote the region's food sector, which produced one-eighth of England's food and supported around 75,000 food sector jobs.

The initiative supercharged the sector, attracting £2 billion of investment and creating around 7,000 jobs. The establishment of the South Lincolnshire Food Enterprise Zone (FEZ) has become a hub for advancing food tech and food manufacturing, fostering innovation and collaboration among businesses in the sector.

We were thrilled to design the logo, which needed to embody automation, digital technologies, low-carbon innovation, and healthy foods across five key sectors. It made its grand debut at the annual GLLEP conference – a proud moment!

One of GLLEP’s standout partnerships came in 2017 with the launch of Team Lincolnshire – a powerhouse public-private partnership with one clear goal: to put Greater Lincolnshire firmly on the investment map.

The idea was simple but ambitious: unite local businesses, councils, and regional champions (known as Ambassadors) to shout loud and proud about what makes Lincolnshire a brilliant place to live, work, and invest. From construction and agri-food to low-carbon energy and digital tech, the initiative created a collaborative platform to promote business growth and attract new investment into the region.

And guess what? Optima was right there at the start.

We developed the visual identity – a striking red backdrop with a bold plus symbol – representing growth, unity, and positivity. Alongside that, we created all the launch collateral, from membership packs and screen graphics to materials for the debut event in London.

Our work didn’t stop there. Team Lincolnshire took its message to high-profile events like MIPIM in Cannes and UKREiiF in Leeds, showing off the region’s credentials to a global audience – with our branding right at the heart of it.

Even with the LEP now part of history, Team Lincolnshire continues to thrive, flying the flag for Greater Lincolnshire and proving that partnerships really do make progress.

Ah, the annual GLLEP Conference – where ideas, innovation, and a lot of coffee collided. What a journey that has been!

Starting small, the annual GLLEP Conference has grown into a packed-out highlight of the business calendar. Held at the Lincolnshire Showground, it draws a capacity audience of 500 attendees, buzzing exhibition spaces, and top-notch speakers who brought fresh perspectives, though-provoking discussion topics (and a welcome dash of inspiration).

Optima played a big role behind the scenes: from theming and designing screen graphics, banners, and interactive polls, to shaping the overall event experience alongside GLLEP, Lincolnshire Showground, Shooting Star PR and Peachy Events. Each year, the conference evolved further into something that became slick, engaging, and a far cry from your typical business bash.

One of the best parts of the LEP conference was the chance to catch up with colleagues and reconnect with others in the business community. It truly was an energising event, and one where attendees always walked away feeling upbeat and inspired.