Responsible for the marketing and development of the business which in 1999 comprised of 2 office locations, .>30 staff with an annual turnover of ~ £900k. This has grown (mostly organically) to 7 offices, <150 staff and a turnover of < £8.5m.
Broadly, my duties included the marketing strategy and business development activities across the UK and most recently to expand the team with additional senior regional BDM personnel. I edited newsletters, designed company brochures and organised seminars and conferences.
The Market Sectors in which I operated encompassed, developers, housebuilders, RSLs, local authorities, land owners, architects, planners, retail, education and healthcare.
Apart from my involvement in being an integral part of the successful growth, I believe my greatest achievement has been to ensure its continued prosperity by creating a true marketing orientated company – every employee is aware that they have a positive pro-active role to play.

As a key member of the marketing team, my role was to generate new business in the retail and local authority market sectors for a range of data capture, surveying and software services. My clients included Sainsburys, Tescos and Boots.

I led a team to sell a range of contract and hygiene services throughout East Anglia which consistently were the top achievers in the UK . I was also directly responsible for high-value, key clients and successfully negotiated the largest single contract the company had been awarded of £4.5 million (1988).

Primarily responsible for negotiating with major advertising agencies, mainly based in London & Manchester, to encourage national advertisers to use our provincial range of newspapers – 2 x Morning Dailies, 2 x Evening and 14 x Weeklies.
I became a leading member of the Regional Newspaper Advertising Bureau (RNAB), the purpose of which was to promote the regional press through co-operative advertising schemes across the UK.
In addition, I produced a highly successful monthly Agricultural Supplement with contributions from the leading figures in the industry and government.

Having a successful proven track record with both regional and national organisations, I decided that I should discover if it was possible to create a successful business from a standing start. Within 5 years I had service contracts running throughout Norfolk and Suffolk and employed over 60 people. My experiences in this venture covered all aspects of developing and managing a business including accountancy, financial planning & control, marketing & business development, recruitment & staff management.
In 1994 I decided that I would sell the company as a way to finance my passage through university. My shares were purchased by my co-directors and the company continues to flourish with many of those contracts won 20 years ago still forming the bedrock of this organisation.

This position furnished me with the chance to expand my knowledge into other product ranges and to develop my burgeoning management skills with a national company.
Working closely with the Regional Manager, I was responsible for the management and support of three Salesmen in addition to personally selling to farmers in my own geographical territory.

Starting out as a storeman/sales assistant, I learnt about pharmaceutical and animal health products, plus the agricultural industry in general - in particular livestock farming. I also undertook a part-time course in animal husbandry at the Berkshire College of Agriculture. This provided me with excellent experience so that when I was promoted to Field Sales Representative in 1969, I was able to capitalise on the opportunity and reached the position of Senior Representative by the time I left 10 years later to broaden my career experience.