Mark Taft Email & Phone Number

Leicester, Gb

Leicester, England, United Kingdom

Working on the Charnwood Scale-Up Programme, my role is to identify businesses within the Charnwood District that have an aspiration to grow and scale their business. Working with those selected business owners to get under the bonnet of their business to identify the barriers which maybe holding them back and from there develop a growth action plan focussing a priority business improvement project where they can engage with the external market to bring in the expertise required to remove this barrier to accelerate their growth. The programme can support this by 50/50 matched funding towards the project cost.I also work closely with the partners within this region which includes Charnwood BC, Loughborough Uni, Innovate UK, DBT and other support agencies which can help the growth aspirations of the businesses.

East Midlands - Leicester, Derby And Nottingham

As a Local Enterprise Manager across the East Midlands, I supported hundreds of businesses within my local area either from ideation stage, early-stage start-up or businesses looking to grow and scale. Working closely within the business marketplace to support, develop and add value to Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) by providing business advice, bringing together local businesses through my eco system, and delivering a range of workshops to lay the foundations for business owners which included business model canvass, pitching, understanding your finances, vision and goal setting, mindset and understanding your customers.I also worked collaboratively with local enterprise partners, growth hubs and business support organisations, proactively spending time supporting businesses. As well as hosting local events to boost businesses and help them to grow, I provided them with expert insight on business funding and helping provide access to additional expertise, support, and training.

Leicestershire, England, United Kingdom

Operating in the role of a manufacturing growth manager, I have worked with multiple stakeholders across the Midlands to identify and engage SME manufacturers in the UK’s leading and largest manufacturing support programme. This work includes helping clients to identify critical growth challenges, develop packages of support to remove these and facilitating the introduction of highly skilled consultants, coaches and NED’s to work with these businesses. Key focus has been on the promotion of the Manufacturing Growth Programme across my extensive network to maximise opportunities in key territories of Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire, whilst providing introductions and linkage to other territory managers. Working to establish the awareness of MGP and ensure clarity in the marketplace I have engaged extensively with key LEP and Local Authority stakeholders in the Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire (D2N2) region.

Leicester, United Kingdom

A commercially minded business development manager with proven ability to add value and drive growth through key account development, business development and effective business partnering, business analysis and financial planning.Responsibility for one of the key brands within the Mercia Group, working closely with multiple stakeholders across the business with the purpose of challenging, influencing and shaping the future direction of the business

Leicestershire

Leicester, United Kingdom

Working within the Leicestershire area my role is to help high performing businesses with the potential to grow to achieve their ambitions in a variety of sectors and sizes from start-up companies to medium size enterprises in a number of industry sectors ranging from pharmaceutical to aerospace engineering. Specialities include: • Business improvement coaching• Sales and marketing strategy development • Environmental management systems• Strategic business reviews• Identifying and managing growth opportunities • Sourcing and reviewing business consultancy support• Extensive experience and knowledge of the business support community including access to funding and sourcing specialist consultancy supportAchievements:• Helped over 300 SME’s in Leicestershire access GrowthAccelerator and the supported them through the barriers which they were experiencing within their business to achieve their growth aspirations.• Helped a Flooring Services company in Leicestershire increase their turnover from £1.1.m to £2.1m and create 5 new jobs.

Coventry/Derby

My role was purely new business generation targeting the Derby and Coventry region. In my role I was responsible for the following areas: • Developing partnership relationships with accountants, insurance brokers, IFA’s, pension providers or any client that as a client database with a view to setting up joint seminars to promote Peninsula’s services.• Managing the day to day activity of a telemarketer that is responsible for my dairy.• Achieving the desired quarterly target set by the business• Cold Calling prospects either by the telephone or calling into companies premises.• Attending regular networking events – 4networking, BNI, Chamber of Commerce to develop relationships, create opportunities and spread my name as the local consultant for the area.• Being creative and innovative in thinking of ideas and initiatives to create new opportunities• Building a business plan each quarter on how I am going to achieve my target• Regular review meetings with my Regional Manager• Regular dialogue with my telemarketer to review daily activity to ensure we meet our targets and objectives

Drive and achieve sales revenue targets for the territory.Develop and maximise business opportunities within territory, coupled with developing highly effective key relationships.Leverage existing group relationships to obtain new businessBuild effective internal working relationships with key stakeholders to deliver service excellence to our clients

I was employed within a Business Development role managing in the East Midlands territory, ensuring that my diary is up to date and scheduled efficiently.• Attending sales presentations with new and prospective clients.• Agreeing sales terms with new clients and effectively launching new schemes within agreed timescales.• Agreeing marketing awareness campaigns to achieve maximum penetration rates throughout the business.• Acting as account manager for any new schemes launched for the first three months of each contract, this included problem solving and dispute resolution.• Adhering to targets of a minimum of 6 new schemes per month.

Employed in an Account Management role to promote IT Training and education to a number of strategic accounts. My role Involved developing the relationships and networking the accounts to make sure all the contacts are aware of the full range of services that Global Knowledge provide with a view to capturing their IT and project training budgets. This role also had a strong emphasis on “New Business” generation to increase pipeline and develop accounts that previously have never used Global Knowledge.

Employed in an Account Management role to promote IT Training and education to large commercial and public sector clients within the UK. Involved in developing the relationships with established accounts and networking the accounts to make sure all the contacts are aware of the full range of services that Xpertise Training provide with a view to capturing their full IT training budget.