New Anglia Growth Hub appoints new manager
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Norfolk and Suffolk’s business support service for small and medium-sized enterprises, has announced its new manager.
New Anglia Growth Hub, which is managed by Suffolk Chamber of Commerce on behalf of the New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), has appointed Richard Glinn to front up its operations.
Richard re-joins the Growth Hub after working for five years as its senior business adviser from its inception in May 2014 until August 2019. He replaces Nigel Best who has served as the team’s manager for three years and is retiring at the end of January.
Richard has considerable expertise in a range of commercial sectors including finance, business development, retail, property and the automotive industries and appreciates the challenges business owners face, particularly when it comes to navigating the business support landscape.
John Dugmore, Suffolk Chamber’s chief executive, welcomed Richard’s appointment: “New Anglia Growth Hub has established itself as a key part of the regional business landscape offering both direct advice and support and by signposting growing businesses to appropriate funding sources.
“Suffolk Chamber is delighted to be responsible for such a hardworking team and I know that Richard will help guide them to even greater success over the months and years ahead.”
Richard said: “This is a new challenge. Previously it was tremendously satisfying to get out and about, visiting fantastic growing businesses in Norfolk and Suffolk. My role now will be to motivate, guide and support the Growth Hub team, which has recently increased. We are all aware of recent political developments and it is important that the New Anglia Growth Hub reacts to the changing and evolving needs of local businesses.”
The Growth Hub, which is part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund and BEIS (Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy), was set up in 2014 to provide a single place for businesses to access information, advice and guidance to support growth.
So far, the Growth Hub has provided over 45,000 hours of support to more than 9,000 businesses.
A staggering £2.6m has been paid out in Small Grant Scheme grants to 265 growing businesses in the region, leading to the creation of 77 jobs.
With four new business growth advisers joining the team late last year, the Hub team now consists of fourteen ‘on the ground’ advisers, providing face-to-face advice and guidance, as well as a team of office-based staff, who deliver a wide range of administrative and business support.
Chris Starkie, chief executive of New Anglia LEP, added: “We are delighted that Richard has been appointed to lead the team of advisers. He has a real understanding of the needs and challenges of businesses of all sizes having previously been an adviser with the Growth Hub for several years. His wealth of experience in business and knowledge of the region means he is perfectly placed to lead our growing team of experts.”
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