Renwick Brutus is the founder & CEO of Achievement Resources, LLC.He began his career as a Research Economist in the Central Bank of Guyana (South America) and later leveraged that experience and perspective to contribute to the Wall Street firms, Merrill Lynch, Bankers Trust and the Equitable. His interest is in capital formation and wealth creation. “At Achievement Resources, we are dedicated to “Developing People. Growing Companies.” We are passionate about helping entrepreneurs and business executives identify and develop talent, and facilitating the consistent utilization of positive attitudes, behaviours, skills and business systems to increase impact, value and wealth.” His specialties include Strategic Planning, Organisational Development, Sales and Marketing, Executive Coaching, Process Design and Financial Management.
Jane Dalton attained a first class MBA from Cambridge University, Jane Dalton has managed brand strategy and innovation projects for companies with global brand reach for the past 17 years – from Unilever global brand teams through to banks and service brands across Europe. Cross-cultural customer understanding and creative problem solving in highly regulated markets are particular strengths. Jane’s project delivery experience has involved extensive engagement with cross-disciplinary teams and collaborative partners, to ensure successful delivery of project objectives. Her skill sets comprise strategic brand planning and brand positioning, the commercialisation of intellectual property, innovation management, new product/service development and qualitative market research. From 2000-2006 Jane worked as a senior consultant at The Value Engineers (Cello Group) and in 2008 set up Groundswell Innovation. Since 2013 Jane has become a northerner again, in her native Lancaster.
www.groundswellinnovation.co.uk
Bill Lewis Started in a working class family in rural West Lancashire, left school at 16 and entered the motor industry, which – with the exception of study – would occupy his time for the next 12 years. Although leaving School with O levels he graduated from Lancaster University with a Master of Arts (Distinction) in Financial Control. After a period at Fords European Headquarters, went into consultancy (KPMG) and got a taste of the world of “turn arounds” and start ups, being on an interim secondment as CEO in four “rescue” situations (three were successful). The first introduction to the world of the entrepreneur. He was invited to join an elite team at British Airways charged with downsizing and totally transforming the airline –heading two major international teams, followed by a global operations GM role. He moved to found his own consulting company focused on services to/ from China and worked for five years between multiple Chinese cities and Singapore, UK, and USA. Heading a major company wide technology and organisation transformation program for the worlds largest independent aircraft maintenance company as CIO. Bill’s current business is a “tech start up”, – now a company heading to a nine figure valuation, and a potential IPO. In addition to his role with Temasys, he is active in counselling and mentoring entrepreneurs and has a new on line mentoring and counselling practice.
Alistaire Jama is Managing Director of Kennedy Ross Consulting Ltd. His professional experience has centred on achieving ‘frontline’ sales objectives for large blue chip organisations. He is passionate in developing individuals to improve and obtain results previously thought could never be achieved and believes fundamentally that optimum results in any organisation emanate from your people first and foremost. “Nature plays a role but nurturing your people’s talent is the key. My strength, empathy and action to inspire and transform. My goal, to equip all levels of professionals with the optimal levels of business awareness and social skills. This will allow the professional to analyse and interpret their behaviours constructively, which will lead to tangible improvements in customer relations, organisational performance and employee morale.” His Specialities include; demonstrably improving business performance through understanding, identifying and implementing customer centric strategies, guaranteeing to improve the business’s ‘frontline’ overall performance, through effective training and development. An expert in ‘Transformational Leadership’ and a driver of cultural change management.
Darren Kirby is the Managing Director and founder of Sytech IT. After graduating Computer Science degree, he started his career in IT support, providing support to 180 SMEs and going on to join the European division of a USA based, private equity owned Photographic distribution business. Having started as technician, the exposure to commercial and strategic side of business lead him to study the EMBA with Lancaster university, which brought deeper understanding of the experience gained through academic frameworks. Following the EMBA, he went on to become Managing Director of a previously owner managed IT Service company, doubling its size in just over 2 years and winning the Shropshire business award for Change Management. Today, Darren has founded a new IT consultancy and services business, specialising in enabling the business strategy through the successful selection and implementation of business technology and business processes. The background of both technical and commercial put SyTech IT in a unique position to translating business problems in to technical solutions. With the support ethos that any user should be able to place a single phone call to have issues resolved. He feels giving back and developing others is important, doing this through engaging in student projects and placements, as well as volunteering as Chair of a local Dyslexia charity and with Staffordshire Chamber of Commerce business mentoring program.
Kelly Anne Sharp founded Voice Work in 2010 with over 20 years’ experience in the field of voice. Her work includes performance, theatre work and voice training, speech and voice therapy. She originally trained and qualified in Music Theatre Performance then as a Speech and Language Therapist. Kelly Anne founded Voice Work to promote healthy voice use and to work with her clients to develop their voice and verbal communication skills for both personal and professional development. Her passion is empowering clients to use their voice in a more effective manner, delivering confidence to the individual and results for the organisation.Kelly Anne has extensive experience of working with; executives, NHS clinical work, singers, actors, toastmasters, teachers, professional speakers and individuals with managerial roles within complex public sector such as HMRC, NHS, Lancashire County Council and Preston City Council, and private organisations such as TCC Language Translation Service Ltd., FCR Consultancy and ESSE Engineering.
Kevin Shaw is Owner and Chief Executive of Heatherlea, a specialist wildlife tour operator based in the Scottish Highlands. Now one of the largest companies of its kind in the UK, Heatherlea was founded by Kevin and wife Caryl in 1991, offering Scottish wildlife holidays from a guest house in a village near Aviemore. The company purchased a 3-star hotel in 1998, began overseas holidays in 2003, and is now firmly established as a leading UK operator of wildlife tours throughout the world. Before founding Heatherlea, Kevin occupied a number of management roles in leading UK companies, specialising in brand management, procurement, key sales and general management. Since moving to Scotland, Kevin has been a Director of Moray, Badenoch and Strathspey Enterprise for six years, and occupied similar positions at the Highlands of Scotland Tourist Board and within his local Community Company. Kevin graduated in Economics from Lancaster University in 1977. More recently, he founded the Heatherlea Bursary in Environmental Science at the University, now in its eleventh year. Kevin is a member of the Chancellor’s Guild, has been a member of University Court for nine years, and in 2009 was honoured to be appointed a Fellow of Furness College. Kevin has led a number of client projects within the BBA course in the Management School, and also served as a panel member of ‘Create’ (a LUSU Enterprise project), assisting enterprising students to formulate business plans.
Jenny Woodward is the Managing Director of The Paper Cup Company.
The company is based in Clitheroe and prints personalised cups made to order. The company gained a Green Apple Environment Award in the packaging sector in 2011, competing against 500 other companies. Manufacturing has now moved back to the UK (from China) to allow for a quick turnaround in orders: an interesting example of ‘on-shoring’. The company has received many accolades. Recently, local MP Nigel Evans placed an order to supply paper cups to 10 Downing Street for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebration.They now have over 40 members of staff. Just recently the firm has moved into manufacturing paper cups in Lancashire. Substantially increased turnover, of around 50%, in the last twelve months showed that the business had the potential for a lot more. They are now the fastest bespoke printed paper cup manufacturer in the world, making cups in 24 hours.
https://www.printedcupcompany.co.uk/
Suzi Wynne is the Managing Director of Wynne Business Ltd.
Wynne Business was established in 2012 when a gap was seen to provide professional business development support to SME’s looking to launch products into multiple retailers. With 18 years experience of selling into supermarkets, high street retailers and department stores Suzi set up Wynne Business using the proven processes that work in gaining new listings and keeping them.Wynne Business’s service model comprises of offering clients: sales development, account management, sales coaching and category research. Using her theoretical marketing knowledge Suzi applies an integrated marketing approach to the way Wynne Business wins listings and generates sales.
