Regions Supported By the Manufacturing Growth Programme
The regions eligible for support from the Manufacturing Growth Programme are shown on the map below.
Please click your region to view details of your local Growth Manager.
Regional Growth Managers
Manufacturing Growth Managers
Adrian Waters
Northamptonshire
Adrian is a business professional with over 25 years of commercial experience in UK, pan-European and Global markets – at Board and Managing Director level. As a MAS Advisor, he has used this experience by working with senior leadership teams to determine strategic plans and the associated implementation of practical, measurable steps towards improvement and growth.
Degree in Economics, Politics & International Studies from Warwick University, member of Chartered Institute of Marketing and of Guild of Motoring Journalists. Adrian is also married with two teenage children, enjoys tennis and cycling when time permits.
adrian.waters@egs.live
07790 358 557
Christopher George
New Anglia
Christopher is an experienced professional with over 25 years knowledge and experience in sales and marketing within the manufacturing sector along with 15 years working for various car manufacturers in the sub 10,000 fleet. Delivering sustainable change in a vast range of industries, whilst constantly updating and developing core competencies and knowledge.
Previous experience has resulted in a failing territory becoming one of the best performing areas in the country with the Chris management. Out of work, Christopher is a keen DIYer, enjoys gardening, property restoration and reading.
christopher.george@egs.live
07973 778 222
James Bosworth
Leicester and Leicestershire
James is an experienced professional and has worked across SME and LE sectors in food and general Manufacturing for over 20 years. He has gained extensive experience building sales channels across European platforms, operated as a business leader coach and mentor in new market environments. James has also built on his experience supporting high growth business and was a dedicated MAS Advisor across the East Midlands.
In his spare time, James is a cycle enthusiast, enjoying taking part in cycling events and for pleasure.
james.bosworth@egs.live
07790 358 583
Marcus Pearson
Greater Lincolnshire
Marcus has worked in a vast number of manufacturing businesses across all sectors in his 15-year career in business support. Particular areas of specialism include helping managers to identify and understand key and critical barriers to performance, the development of appropriate plans and strategies to address these and through an extensive network of contacts and providers introduce highly skilled individuals/organisations to provide direct intervention support.
When not at work, Marcus can either be found in the gym, on the golf course or taking the family dog – a boisterous and highly spoilt German Short Haired Pointer – for long walks.
marcus.pearson@egs.live
07790 358 517
Robin Simpson
South East - East Sussex
Robin has an extensive client history, working with FTSE100 and Fortune250 concerns, as well as providing support to hundreds of small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). A specialist in business growth and development, he has previously helped many of those Companies through the Manufacturing Advisory Service (MAS) and Growth Accelerator (GA).
Robin has an MBA, an MA in Strategy, and a Diploma in Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP). Personal interests include maritime history and he is a keen coastal walker… which most recently has been with his baby son.
robin.simpson@egs.live
07773 228 147
Sharn Haywood-Higgs
Greater Birmingham and Solihull
Sharn is an experienced professional with over 10 years accumulated knowledge in the manufacturing industry and has worked with ambitious SME’s who have the passion and need to grow. Sharn has supported clients by listening to their needs and directing them to the best support available. Delivering sustainable change in a vast range of industries, whilst constantly updating and developing her core competencies and domain knowledge.
Prince2 Practitioner qualified amongst other certifications, Sharn is married with a son and spends her spare time supporting her son’s hobby – football.
sharn.haywood-higgs@egs.live
07790 358 654
Amanda Freeland
Hertfordshire
Amanda has over 20 years of experience in providing and managing SME business support programmes. Most recently she was the Head of Service for Hertfordshire Growth Hub. She enjoys working with clients to develop and implement growth strategies, and with stakeholders to help their members and contacts find out about the support available to them. In her previous roles has developed programmes for specialist consultants and coaches to ensure that their expertise could easily be accessed by local firms.
A long-time resident of Hertfordshire, she is keen to support its manufacturers to benefit from the opportunities provided by the Manufacturing Growth Programme. A fluent French speaker, in her spare time Amanda enjoys travel, cooking, gardening and reading in her spare time.
amanda.freeland@egs.live
07973 946 529
Daren Booth
South East - Kent
Daren is an experienced business support professional working across a number of sectors delivering high quality and client centric support, working with small business owners to develop growth plans and scale opportunities. Previous work has helped enable growth aspirations to business to accelerate growth, improve productivity and profitability, develop new and alternative routes to market and identify development opportunities.
ILM L7 qualification in Executive Coaching and Leadership Mentoring amongst other accreditations. Daren is a keen Formula 1 and football fan, enjoys walks and cycling by the coast in Kent.
daren.booth@egs.live
07971 062 279
James Smith
York, North Yorkshire, East Riding
James has significant business experience through being a director and shareholder of a £5m SME manufacturing business, giving huge insight into the day to day challenges, frustrations, stresses, opportunities and responsibilities of doing so. James is a huge advocate of business support programmes and has detailed knowledge of the manufacturing sector and the associated business support landscape.
Educated to degree level with two additional post graduate qualifications, James is very passionate about delivering meaningful and quantitative results for SME businesses.
james.smith@egs.live
07790 358 525
Michelle Connor
Coventry & Warwickshire
Michelle has over 17 years’ experience in the Business Support arena including being an Investors in People Advisor/Assessor supporting manufacturers with health checks and developing action plans with Owner Managers. Michelle is a Leadership Specialist who has worked with a large number of manufacturing businesses providing strategic guidance and delivering business and leadership solutions. Michelle understands and appreciates the issues that face business owners with her pragmatic approach enabling clients to access support to grow their businesses and achieve results and support them to achieve their growth ambitions.
Michelle has a Bachelors degree in Business Studies amongst other accreditations including the SFEDI qualification in Business Development and Skills Development. Michelle likes to travel and spends time in West Cork, she is also a keen walker and gardener.
michelle.connor@egs.live
07790 358 674
Roy Matthews
South East Midlands
Roy’s experience began when he formed and grew an SME manufacturing company supplying decorative interior components to the demanding automotive sector. As Operations Director, he was responsible for continuously improving the performance of the factory and ensuring that customers received the best quality and service. As a dedicated MAS Advisor, Roy was able to apply experience and expertise into a variety of sectors to improve company performances.
With a First-Class Honours Degree in Chemical Engineering among other qualifications, Roy is also married with three sons, enjoys sport, DIY, foreign travel and his Koi Carp.
roy.matthews@egs.live
07790 358 523
Catherine Bray
The Marches & Worcestershire
Catherine is a practiced business consultant having worked directly with business owners and senior management teams to provide strategic guidance and deliver practical business solutions. Having worked with many SME manufacturers across a diverse urban/rural geography and through running her own business, Catherine understands and appreciates the issues business owners face and can quickly build confidence with clients allowing them to fully explore their business challenges.
A strategic business communicator with a proven ability to exploit commercial opportunities with a Masters in Business Administration (MBA). Catherine is also married with two boys and two cats, loves good food and drink, holidays, snow and sun.
catherine.bray@egs.live
07790 358 610
Helen Fortune
Black Country
Helen is a successful individual with extensive account management and customer service experience supporting business start-ups, growth and training. Working on Enterprise, helping businesses identify and implement the foundations needed for a successful business, helping identify the barriers to their growth through dialogue and the completion of the Strategic Business Review. Helen’s ultimate aim is to add value to all of the businesses she works with.
In her spare time, Helen volunteers as a co presenter on Black Country radio show ‘Smile it’s Saturday’, Helen also loves food and the whole experience that surrounds it.
helen.fortune@egs.live
07790 358 605
Max King
Black Country
Max is an experienced professional with over 30 years’ experience and accumulated knowledge in the manufacturing industry, which includes 6 years at Board and Managing Director level. Delivering sustainable change in a vast range of industries, from SMEs to large multinational organisations. Max also has 8 years’ experience as a Manufacturing Management Consultant identifying problems, implementing changes and improvements to efficiency, productivity and profitability.
With a First-Class Honours Business Degree, Max is also an International dog show judge and Chairman of the National Terrier Club.
max.king@egs.live
07790 358 688
Neil Harriman
Humber and Greater Lincolnshire
Neil is an experienced professional with over 25 years accumulated knowledge in the manufacturing industry, which includes 15 years at Senior Management level. Neil is a passionate, self-motivated and tenacious business improvement professional with a proven track record of building and leading high-performance teams. Delivering sustainable change with projects across multiple functions, including projects that improved efficiency within steel inventory that released cash, at the same time as improving customer service.
With a Masters Business Administration degree, Neil is also an avid Rugby Union fan, he likes to travel, enjoys good food, quality wine and spending time with his growing family.
neil.harriman@egs.live
07790 358 637
Sarah Goodwin
South East - Essex, Thurrock and Southend
Sarah has extensive experience with working with a wide range of businesses helping them grow, accessing grant funding and growth opportunities. Previous experience at the local Growth Hub, Sarah supported manufacturing businesses of all sizes in Essex to identify new routes to market and product development.
Sarah’s first career was competing as a rider and schooling horses. A switch to media took her to becoming a sales director and then running her own magazine and website. Moving into business support two and a half years ago she enjoys working with the huge variety of businesses. Out of work Sarah enjoys everything that a large family and dog offer, attempting to keep fit and making candles.
sarah.goodwin@egs.live
07973 778 255