Rebecca Pates is an Associate Director at SQW who joined the company in 2004. She specialises in research and evaluation relating to innovation, finance and business growth interventions, and the analysis of place competitiveness and economic performance. Her clients include Centra Government Departments (including BEIS and Defra), UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), the British Business Bank, Devolved Administrations, Combined Authorities and LEPs, and universities.

Rebecca's evaluation experience includes developing evaluation frameworks, formative and process evaluation, and impact evaluation.  Her recent experience includes evaluations of British Patient Capital and the Regional Investment Funds for the British Business Bank, the Transforming Food Production ISCF and Knowledge Transfer Partnerships for UKRI, the Investment Accelerator Pilot for Innovate UK, and the productivity grants scheme for Defra.

Rebecca has extensive experience of place-based economic analysis and spatial development. This includes a recent study on the role of research and innovation in levelling up for UKRI.  She also managed and co-authored Independent Economic Reviews for the Northern Powerhouse and Midlands Engine.