Experience

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  ChamberExpertise

  • Managing Director

    • Jul 2013 - Present

    ChamberExpertise Ltd. (a subsidiary of Low Associates) offers commercial consultancy & programme management services to chambers of commerce and business support agencies overseas creating custom built project teams drawn from its community of experienced specialists.

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  Young Chamber UK

  • Southampton, United Kingdom

  • Development Director

    • Feb 2011 - Dec 2013
    • Southampton, United Kingdom

    Young Chamber UK is dedicated to helping young people develop their career plans and employability skills whilst still at secondary school through engaging with local employers facilitated by their local chamber of commerce. Government funding ceased in 2008 and the programme was converted to create a secure pupil registration digital platform - building a remote learning network for schools, chambers and employers. The Development Director was responsible for encouraging educational institutions and employer groups to participate through innovative solutions and best practice.

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  Southern Staffordshire Chamber of Commerce and Industry

  • Cannock, Staffordshire, United Kingdom

  • Chief Executive

    • Feb 2007 - Dec 2010
    • Cannock, Staffordshire, United Kingdom

    Formerly East Mercia Chamber before boundary changes transferred the Walsall Division into Black Country Chamber in 2004. Remaining divisions re-formed to become Southern Staffordshire Chamber with limited membership service provision. Appointment as Chief Executive with limited resources and an urgency to either capacity build or merge. Despite rationalisation of former structure and the introduction of central services a federal system remained the favoured model. CEO led, encouraged and assisted the merger process that led to the founding of the Birmingham Chamber Group.

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  Self Employed

  • Egypt, Turkey, Jordan, UK

  • International Consultant & EU Project Leader

    • Jan 2005 - Jan 2007
    • Egypt, Turkey, Jordan, UK

    Self employed, qualified project leader under contract to Transtec Brussels; BDA Consultants; British Chambers of Commerce. Overseas programmes included Organisation Development Alexandria, Egypt (EBIS Programme); Quality Standards Assessment Turkish Chambers Network (TOBB/EC); Establish Architecture & Consulting Engineering National Association of Jordan (EJADA) and acted as accreditation assessor for British chambers in UK (BCC)

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  Liverpool Chamber of Commerce & Industry

  • Liverpool, Merseyside, United Kingdom

  • Chief Executive

    • May 1997 - Dec 2004
    • Liverpool, Merseyside, United Kingdom

    Major City traditional chamber challenged to modernise and take on a leadership role in economic rejuvenation of the sub-region. Considerably widened the breadth of services provided including Information call centre, micro business associations, new entrepreneurs scheme, ChinaLink trading facility leading to city twinning with Shanghai, business education programmes with universities, transnational youth training schemes. Chamber acted as major participant in EU Objective One delivery programme with Government Office. Over the period the Chamber employment doubled and turnover quadrupled.

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  Southlands Ltd (UK) and BFM (France

  • Heathrow, London, United Kingdom and Paris, France

  • Managing Director

    • Feb 1995 - Apr 1997
    • Heathrow, London, United Kingdom and Paris, France

    European distribution arm of HL&H Forestry (subsidiary of Anglo American, RSA). Companies responsible for sales and shipping of timber components from South Africa and Brazil into EU mainland. Acted as an offshore operation reporting to Johannesburg - investing revenues into offshore joint ventures reconciling with RSA state banking system. MD recruited to restructure UK operations, develop better manufacturing & sawmill processes in RSA and recommend joint venture opportunities. Gained good insight into South African industrialisation challenges and state intervention.

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  Heartwood Furniture Ltd.

  • Knowsley, Merseyside, United Kingdom

  • Managing Director

    • Mar 1986 - Jan 1995
    • Knowsley, Merseyside, United Kingdom

    Led a MBO from parent BICC Plc to re-locate and establish Heartwood Furniture as an independent design and manufacturing company. Employment grew from 67 to 185 by 1988 as the company successfully developed a strong brand reputation for innovative quality design. Heartwood won own brand contracts to design and supply for major clients Marks & Spencer, Habitat (incl France & USA), Next Directory, House of Fraser. In 1988 it was voted the UK's industry sector best SME newcomer.

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  BICC Plc (now Balfour Beatty Plc)

  • Group Head Office London, United Kingdom

  • from Graduate Trainee to Divisional Director

    • Sep 1969 - Feb 1986
    • Group Head Office London, United Kingdom

    BICC was a diverse multinational group of companies principally manufacturers of electrical and electronic components and major infrastructure civil engineering contractors. Joined as a graduate trainee with successive appointments in Business & Market Research; Marketing Services; Corporate Planning; National Accounts Planning; Sales & General Management at a variety of locations across the UK.Final post as Commercial Manager & Divisional Director, Prescot Industries Ltd tasked with creating new businesses on site reliant on external market demand for 1200 existing personnel. Nine new business units were established covering the full spectrum of employee skills from transport, mechanical engineering, building trades, cabinet makers, metal fabrication, plant and machinery. One of these units became Heartwood Furniture Ltd through a MBO in 1986.