Nigel Farren Email & Phone Number

London, Gb

London Area, United Kingdom

I help startups, small businesses and charities obtain grants, loans and investment. Circa 80% of grant and 99% of VC applications, fail. A loan is unlikely unless you can evidence the ability to repay. Don't waste time, money and effort applying before you are ready. Get a free, fundability assessment and rating plus a follow-on comprehensive report with actionable feedback on how to improve your chances of success.

I assessed the ability of startups / SMEs to secure grants for research and development of innovative technology in the agriculture, energy, financial, healthcare sectors and more.

I provided consultancy services to SMEs and Charities related to their business plan and strategy. Advised on reducing costs and risk. Restructuring debt and operations. Establishing/developing online services. Funding applications. HR-related issues. Cash-flow forecasts. Creating new delivery models. Advice on approaching lenders and around the delivery of contracts. I also assessed grant applications by charities on behalf of a leading grant provider.

Welwyn Garden City

Created a new income generation strategy, a business plan to secure social investment and proposals related to new income - generative services such as Companionship and Power of Attorney services.

Hertford

On behalf of the Council, I managed a 3 year project to improve the health and well-being of circa 2,500 sedentary adults aged 65+ through physical activity. Targets exceeded by 40%.

London, United Kingdom

Established Energise London as a social enterprise, it's mission being to improve the energy efficiency of homes and buildings, reduce fuel poverty and make renewable energy affordable for all. It ceased trading when Government abandoned it's energy efficiency and renewable energy programmes.In 2013, we launched London's first social enterprise-led Green Deal programme which was supported by the Rt Hon Greg Barker MP, Secretary of State at the Department of Energy and Climate Change and Boris Johnson, when Mayor of London.Achievements included:• Providing information and advice to circa 5,000 vulnerable London residents• trained over 500 representatives of civil society organisations, schools and health professionals to identify and refer vulnerable residents in fuel poverty and / or at risk of ill-health due to living in a cold home.• Carried out 700+ ECO / Green Deal pre – assessments • Identified 1,500 households that needed help making their homes warmer. • Made 150 referrals to the Priority Service Registers of energy suppliers• Made over 600 referrals to Council care & repair services; Decent Homes teams; CAB benefits check teams; social landlords and Green Deal Providers/installers.• Delivered 5,000 thermometers to help the elderly living in low temperatures.• Delivered 20 awareness raising events at hospitals and community centres to make residents aware of what help was available.• Created a 300 strong community referral network.• Created a pipeline of new business opportunities including a £300,000 solar PV project for schools in Barnet.Our professional advisers included Grant Thornton UK LLP, one of the world's leading accounting / advisory firms and Latham & Watkins LLP, one of the world's largest law firms. Our partners include leading assessors, installers, financiers and manufacturers.

London, United Kingdom

Established Homes Matter as one of the first online, estate agencies offering a fixed fee of £799. It was an uphill struggle because local, estate agents tried to close us down and Rightmove would not allow us to advertise our services. Our office was also firebombed and I was eventually forced to close the business.

Greater New York City Area

TradeCard provided an online, B2B Marketplace for global trade transactions (participants included world-leading exporters/importers, financial institutions, logistics service providers, customs brokers and agents. (now merged with GT Nexus). • I started their business in Europe as the sole employee.• Generated £6 million of contracts with leading world banks.

Greater New York City Area

Established an online, business information portal for banks, their customers and suppliers. Partnered with Ernst & Young and Reuters in New York and secured USD15 million of funding. However, then along came the dot.com crash which led to funders withdrawing their offers and closure of the business.

London, United Kingdom

As initially the sole employee, I established a startup in the UK for Polk & Co, USA, recruited staff and built it into market leader in Europe. in 1997, Polk was acquired by TFP and I was appointed M.D. to merge their european business with that of Polk, implement change, cut spending and increase the customer base. I successfully led the transformation, managed the necessary cultural change, increased profitability and spearheaded the move from print to online data provision.

London, United Kingdom

Headhunted by one of the world’s top 10 banks at the time to implement change, cut spending and improve performance at their UK subsidiary. This involved securing management, stakeholder and employee buy-in, creating a new, corporate culture and delivering a new business strategy / plan.

B.Sc, Geology

Education record