Adrian Naylor has been appointed as Bradford Council's new executive member for regeneration.

The 48-year-old said he believed his experience working for large companies and running a small family business will stand him in good stead for the role.

He said: "It's an exciting time to take on this role because the regeneration of Bradford is gathering pace and plans are becoming reality."

Born in Wigan, Adrian moved to the Yorkshire city in 1978 and studied economics at the University of Bradford, where he met his wife Clare.

He worked for Deloitte & Touche accountancy before moving to the Halifax Bank, then spent a decade with Skipton Building Society before setting up a family pharmacy business with his wife, acquiring branches in Lancashire and Yorkshire.

He added: "It's a very relevant background. This role is a natural fit for what I have done in the past.
"You need to create the 'can-do' attitude, where entrepreneurs are buying into the regeneration."

Coun Naylor got involved in politics three years ago and won a by-election for a seat in Bradford Council's Craven ward in 2006.

As he took on the new role, he vowed to learn from the redevelopment mistakes made by neighbouring Leeds, where 30% of city centre apartments now stand empty.

"We can take into account what's happened in Leeds. The difference is we are not committed to ad-hoc growth. We have a masterplan," he added.