Speakers
CHAIRMAN: Paul Wright
PASS Consultant
Paul has been providing training and consultancy in purchasing and supply chain management to a wide range of clients since 1998. Paul and his associates have worked extensively for public sector organisations in the UK including regional development agencies, business links, councils and cluster teams. Overseas he has worked extensively for the oil and gas industries. Before founding PAWA Paul spent a decade at ICI in a variety of roles, including business development. His last role was as a engineering contracts manager responsible for global and regional framework agreements.
Steve Connolly
Relationship Manager, Business Link Northwest
Steve is Business Link Northwest’s Relationship Manager for Greater Manchester, where he is responsible for coordinating engagement with key stakeholders and developing strategic relationships with organisations in the public and private sector.
After graduating with a Business Information Management degree, Stephen worked as a Business Advisor before taking up a management post with BT. He then went on to join Liverpool Chamber of Commerce as Deputy Chief Executive, and was simultaneously Chief Executive for MERIT (NW) Ltd, a group that represents ICT Managers and Directors from across the North West. More recently, Stephen headed up the corporate and individual support team at National Museums Liverpool before joining Business Link in November 2007.
Gaynor Dykes
Manager, Access to Finance service at Business Link Northwest
After working in the banking industry for 18 years, Gaynor has spent nine years working in business support and heads the Access to Finance team at Business Link Northwest. As well as being the primary source of information regarding publicly-funded finance products, the Access to Finance service supports SMEs across the North West to become investment-ready and enhance their appeal to lenders and investors.
Chi-chi Ekweozor
Director, RealFresh.TV Ltd
Real Fresh TV, a social media training and implementation consultancy based in Manchester, develops and delivers industry-leading social media marketing training courses specifically designed to equip business owners with the confidence to use free social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn strategically to grow and market their companies.
Widely considered to be an early UK online video pioneer, company founder Chi-chi Ekweozor has five years’ experience in running social media marketing campaigns and was shortlisted for Channel 4’s 4Talent Multi-platform Award in 2008.
She has advised organisations such as T-Mobile, Arts Council England and PUMA on how to market effectively to consumers online using social media.
John Lorimer
Capital Programme Director, Manchester City Council
John heads the Capital Programme Division which is responsible for managing Manchester City Council (MCC)’s £300m+ pa capital programme. The group includes both technical capability and project/programme Management skills. The Division is responsible for delivery of the city’s £500m Building Schools for the Future programme.
A procurement team within the Technical Services Unit has established and maintains framework and similar working agreements with suppliers for the capital programme, which also includes regeneration projects. 95% of the Council’s capital projects are delivered through its suite of Framework arrangements, which also include professional services.
Prior to joining MCC, John worked in the private sector on major projects in both building and civil engineering in the UK, in Europe and the Far East. He is also a visiting Professor at Salford University.
Paul Murphy
Group Manager, Systems and Strategies Corporate Procurement, Manchester City Council
Paul has 25 years’ experience in local authority working for Manchester City Council, beginning his procurement career in 1994. He has an interest in sustainable procurement and the impact of procurement spend on our communities. Paul’s main activity involves working with the business community and other agencies to improve engagement with a diverse range of suppliers.
Paul O'Brien
Chief Executive, Association for Public Service Excellence
Paul is Chief Executive of the Association for Public Service Excellence (APSE). Based in Manchester, APSE has 250 local authorities among its membership.
Paul has represented APSE on the Scottish Executive Health and Physical Activity Council, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, Strategic Partnership Taskforce, Trading and Charging working party and the Local Government Procurement Forum. He is currently the independent chair of the Northern Ireland Local Government Reform Joint Forum.
Paul is a columnist with the MJ magazine and a regular contributor to numerous local government publications. He was also a board member on the partnership between APSE, IDeA and LGIU which delivered the ODPM’s National Councillor Mentoring Programme.
Paul was previously APSE’s Principal Advisor (Scotland), and has over 26 years’ experience in local government.
Vaughan Shayler
Managing Director, Accredit UK Limited
Vaughan left the public sector in 2005 to join the National Computing Centre (NCC Ltd). Having previously run small ICT companies and having purchased services as an ICT Director, he felt that this was an opportunity to tackle a long-standing passion to help SMEs improve their quality and professionalism, and in return encourage the public sector to trust in this section of the supply chain. The ambition was to help small businesses gain streamlined access to public sector purchasers and users without having to navigate difficult processes, policies and procedures that form an effective barrier to SMEs.
Having developed a standard that not only proves the quality of the business but also helps them achieve demonstrable continuous improvement, Vaughan’s new mission is to complete the other side of the deal by encouraging public sector and corporate ICT users to open themselves up to the vast array of talent, passion and genuine excellence available to them from the SME ICT suppliers currently in operation.
Richard Tubb
Business Development Director, JamesCash.co.uk
Richard is Business Development Director at Birmingham-based JamesCash.co.uk, a consulting organisation helping small businesses within the UK with their IT systems. JamesCash.co.uk provides a wide range of services including server installation, virus protection, network security, backup services and complete IT outsourcing. In 2010, Microsoft named JamesCash.co.uk as their first Small Business Champions.
Working within the IT industry his entire career, Richard has previously worked with Ernst & Young, G.E. Capital and the NHS. In 2003, Richard founded Netlink IT, providing IT services to small businesses. In 2009, Netlink IT merged with JamesCash.co.uk, where Richard took on his current role.
Richard is a well-known figure within the global SMB IT community, speaking at a wide variety of industry events including the Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference.