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With the triggering of Article 50, the uncertainty around Brexit and the outcomes of the UK/EU negotiations process associated with the UK leaving the EU have catalysed British political debate. This situation has had and still has significant economic implications for thousands of businesses operating in the UK and in the region.

It is likely that impact of Brexit will be much larger for the North East of England compared to the other English regions, despite the Leave vote winning an overwhelming majority in the region. Many areas in the North East have heavily relied on public sector jobs and investments in the past and benefited from substantial European funding provided over the last few decades to support infrastructure, regeneration and training activities. Over 70,000 jobs were created in the region because of EU investments between 2007 and 2013, and thousands more jobs still depend on the investments being made under the 2014–2020 programming period.

This chapter analyses the economic implications that Brexit will generate for the North East of England. Focussing on data gathered from the post-crisis time, the author examines the most recent policies and findings in the literature, critically evaluating and presenting what a post-Brexit North East will be like from an economic and social perspective.

The spirit of our times is uncertain with scholars and practitioners agreeing that complex problems need more innovative multifaceted solutions. Now as we witness the potential demise of the political classes in the chaos that is Brexit, the challenges in the North East are unprecedented, unpredictable and difficult to untangle. It’s time for a different way of leading, managing and even thinking.

This chapter advocates a stronger Entrepreneurial Leadership for the development of bespoke North East strategies and argues we need to build capacity through collaboration across sectors to achieve better results in the decade ahead. This chapter presents a view of how the agenda for SME growth and development needs to change in the region in the period ahead. It suggests a stronger collaboration between the North East and northern universities could help to build a better Brexit strategy and more appropriate interventions.