Partner Article

Six associate directors link up with Teesside management consultancy

Teesside-based Focus on Success Ltd has announced the recruitment of six associate directors from across the North East and Yorkshire.

The management consultancy company, which aims to improve businesses in the region, has appointed Bob Marris, Andy Knowles, Kevin Newson, Meg Heath, Sarah Dunwell and Lisa Lockey.

As experienced business owners and advisers themselves, the team will work alongside individual companies within their own areas of expertise, offering the help and advice needed to ensure each one is successful.

Managing director, Gary Lumby MBE, said: “We have been placing non-executive directors and chairmen into SMEs across the North East and Yorkshire for the last four years.

“The success of our appointments and the impact they have made on the businesses they are working with, means the demand for our services has expanded rapidly, with many more SMEs wanting to go down this route.

“SMEs and their professional advisors are starting to understand the benefits of having a non-executive director on their board - as part of an extended management team - and are realising this is a really low cost option to help grow any business.”

Bob Marris, whose expertise lies around strategic business planning and who has previously managed and delivered government backed business support initiatives across the region, believes the team will be able to make a significant impact on businesses in the area.

He said: “Being part of a group with such a range of skills and expertise is very powerful, much more so than being effectively a ‘one man band’.”

Finance director, Lisa Lockey, has held a number of board posts over the last 15 years and has experience in a variety of sectors, for multimillion pound companies.

She said: “I’m really looking forward to working with companies with ambition, who recognise that they can use the experience of a non-executive director,” she said.

“I can’t wait to play a part in helping them reach their goal quicker and may even help them avoid some costly mistakes along the way.”

Andy Knowles, managing director of JAK Inc Ltd, has a proven track record of building both online and offline award-winning business models and is looking forward to bringing his expertise to the company and helping unlock potential within the business owners.

He said: “It’s a great team to be a part of because we have such a great variety of business knowledge among us.

“I hope to be able to bring what I have learned over the last 20 years into the group and also the companies I will be working with and I’m looking forward to sharing my stories and learnings with my new clients.”

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