Eastern Regional Office

Located at the Ecos Hub in Ballymena, Co. Antrim, our Eastern Regional Office works with businesses, entrepreneurs and stakeholders across the Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council, Ards & North Down Borough Council, Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council and Mid & East Antrim Borough Council areas.

We provide advice and support to entrepreneurs and start-ups who are seeking to develop innovative and export focused businesses.

We also work with businesses seeking to sell outside Northern Ireland for the first time, with a focus on Great Britain and the Republic of Ireland.

In the last five years (2020-2021 to 2024-2025), we have offered support of £81m to 963 businesses based in the region. Our support, combined with the investments by local and international businesses, has the potential to realise investment of £386m in the region, and support the creation of 2,229 new jobs.

What we do

We work with businesses from a range of sectors, most notably:

Advanced Manufacturing & Engineering

Agri-Food

Creative Industries

Life & Health Sciences

Council areas covered by the Eastern Regional Office

Antrim & Newtownabbey Borough Council

As a Statutory Partner in Love Living Here, we are committed to working in partnership with Antrim & Newtownabbey Borough Council to help businesses grow and compete globally.

Between 2020-2021 to 2024-2025 we offered support of £18m to 183 businesses based in the Borough.

This support, combined with company investment, has the potential to generate £93m of investment in the area, and support the creation of 476 jobs.

You can find more detail on the business make-up of the area and our specific support in the Invest Northern Ireland council briefing for the Antrim & Newtownabbey Borough Council area (PDF).

Invest NI supports the council, in collaboration with its council partners, to maximise the potential of the Belfast Region City Deal, to drive a higher level of economic success in the region.

Council-led programmes include:

Go Succeed

Digital Transformation Flexible Fund

Ards and North Down Borough Council

We have a long-standing relationship with Ards and North Down Borough Council and are an active partner in supporting the delivery of the Council’s Community Plan, working closely to help businesses grow and compete globally.

Within the area of Ards and North Down Borough Council between 2020-2021 and 2024-2025, we offered support of £18m to 229 businesses. This support, combined with company investment, has the potential to generate £85m of investment in the area, and support the creation of 540 jobs.

You can find more detail on the business make-up of the area and our specific support in the Invest Northern Ireland council briefing for Ards and North Down Borough Council area (PDF).

Invest NI supports the council, in collaboration with its council partners, to maximise the potential of the Belfast Region City Deal, to drive a higher level of economic success in the region.

Council-led programmes include:

Go Succeed

Digital Transformation Flexible Fund

Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council

We have a long-standing relationship with Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council and are an active partner in supporting the delivery of the Council’s Community Plan, working closely to help businesses grow and compete globally. 

Between 2020-2021 and 2024-2025 we offered support of £29m to 332 businesses based in the council area of Lisburn & Castlereagh. This support, combined with company investment, has the potential to generate £132m of investment in the area, and support the creation of 903 jobs.

The Invest Northern Ireland council briefing for Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council (PDF) provides more information on the council area and further support.

Council-led programmes include:

Go Succeed

Digital Transformation Flexible Fund

Mid & East Antrim Borough Council

As a Statutory Partner in Putting People First, the Mid & East Antrim Borough Council community plan, we are committed to working in partnership with Mid & East Antrim Borough Council to help businesses grow and compete globally.

You can find out more detail on the business make-up of the area and our specific support in the Invest Northern Ireland council briefing for Mid & East Antrim Borough Council area (PDF).

Invest NI supports the council, in collaboration with its council partners, to maximise the potential of the Belfast Region City Deal, to drive a higher level of economic success in the region.

Council-led programmes include:

Go Succeed

Digital Transformation Flexible Fund

Labour Market Partnership

Manufacturing Task Force

Head of Regional Business – Eastern Region

Iain Joannides is the Head of Regional Business for the Eastern region. He is responsible for leading a team of operational and stakeholder colleagues, delivering our strategy across four council areas.