THE drive by the provider of the region’s Business Link service into new regions and areas of business support is gathering pace after it secured a major contract in the North West.
Seaham-based Business & Enterprise UK (BE-UK) has been appointed to provide the Leadership and Management Advisory Service in the North West region by the Skills Funding Agency.
This comes after BE-UK unveiled ambitious expansion plans following the Government decision to close the regional Business Link services. BE-UK has cut over 100 jobs at its Seaham offices as a result of this decision, but is also aiming to develop its business growth, improvement and economic development support services across the UK.
After recently securing its first contract in London, it has now landed this one in the North West.
Alastair MacColl, chief executive of BE-UK, said: “This new contract is fantastic news for us. It underlines the fact that we are able to compete on a national stage and reinforces our ability to develop a UK-wide operation from our base in the North East.
“We have been exporting skills to other parts of the country for some time now, and winning this contract takes us closer to realising our ambition to help generate vital private sector jobs and re-balance the economy in every part of the country.”
BE-UK will provide business leaders and strategic managers – over a geographic area including Manchester, Merseyside, Lancashire and Cumbria – with specialist advice to help them to improve their business and exploit growth opportunities.
MacColl added: “Earlier this month, we started work on an international trade programme in the West Midlands and won a place in the Sunday Times’ Top 100 Companies to Work For list.
“The fact that we have won this latest contract against stiff competition is a tribute to the talent and commitment of our team – each and every one of them.”
Late last year, BE-UK also purchased the commercial arm of Newcastle- based Northern Defence Industries (NDI).
BE-UK says the acquisition will allow it to build revenues from this division of NDI from a “couple of hundred thousands of pounds a year to a couple of million”.
BE-UK’s revenues for the last financial year totalled £41m.
