University and Business Successes meet CBI President
31 May 2011
Confederation of British Industry President Helen Alexander praised the work being done by the University of Derby during a visit to Derby, after seeing first-hand how universities support the creative industries.
Helen attended the CBI East Midlands Regional Council on Friday May 27, at the University's flagship Enterprise Centre in Bridge Street.
Before the meeting, she had a tour of the Enterprise Centre to see some successful small businesses. She also visited nearby Banks Mill, which houses a range of small start-up creative enterprises.
Helen was also introduced to staff at University of Derby Corporate, the business-to-business arm of the University of Derby, which works with a range of employers to boost innovation, creativity and employee skills in the region.
Dawn Whitemore, Head of University of Derby Corporate, gave a presentation about its vision for growth to delegates at lunchtime.
During her visit, Helen Alexander said: "The Enterprise Centre is a fantastic building and a wonderful setting which looks a great place to work.
"Supporting start-up companies and businesses to grow is vital and the University is demonstrating how it is achieving this. Life is all about learning and I have been very impressed with what I have seen."
Support provided by the University of Derby to small businesses includes access to funding and advice, signposting to other agencies, and access to its own Innovation and Knowledge Transfer team.
Helen was greeted by the University's Andrew Hartley, Acting Pro Vice-Chancellor, and Lee Sanderson-Mann, Head of Business Incubation, who conducted the morning's tour.
Andrew Hartley said: "We were delighted to be able to show Helen some of the creative and innovative new businesses that operate from our business incubation centres. Derby is one of the UK's centres for new creative and technology businesses and the city is a great location for small businesses to be successful and flourish."
The CBI is the UK's leading business lobbying organisation. It supports business and regionally champions a range of businesses across a variety of sectors; including manufacturing, education, aerospace, transport and logistics, biotech, construction, food and retail - all strong sectors in the East Midlands.
Helen Alexander is president of the CBI and chairman of Incisive Media and of the Port of London Authority (PLA). She is currently non-executive director and chair of the remuneration committee at Centrica plc (2003) and Rolls-Royce Group plc (2007), and senior adviser to Bain Capital.
She was Chief Executive of the Economist Group till 2008, having joined the company in 1985 and been Managing Director of the Economist Intelligence Unit from 1993 to 1997.
As part of the visit Helen met the people, and Derby graduates, behind the following business success stories
Ewan Mathers
A Derby photographer who specialises in contemporary wedding photography and portraits. He graduated from the University of Derby with a BA (Hons) in Commercial Photography in 2010 and took a studio at Banks Mill, providing him with a professional studio setting. He secured funding from ECIF to grow his business and a year after moving to Banks Mill he has now moved into his second year of incubation. www.ewanmathers.com
Retro-Tek
This venture is a collaborative project which seeks to transform empty homes through sustainable solutions. The collaborative group was formed by University of Derby graduate Colin Bridges and Joe Grey of EKV Design, Dr Boris Ceranic from the University of Derby and Derek Cotterill from the University of Lincoln.
Its aim over the next ten years is to build a sufficient team of contractors, professionals, suppliers, investors and local authorities to upgrade a minimum of 97,000 empty homes and commercial properties on a national scale, into sustainable and energy efficient occupied buildings. Finance would come from sources including the Regional Growth Fund, private investment and incorporate the Feed in Tariff, Renewable Heat Incentive and the Green Deal. www.ekvdesign.co.uk
Seed Creativity
An innovative and creative media production and training provider in the East Midlands. It has a range of clients from large international companies to small businesses. The company was created by Dan Lamoon and Jonny Prest, the founders of From Dusk 2 Dawn magazine. Dan is a Derby graduate who completed the SPEED business programme when setting up his enterprise and he recently moved from an incubator space at the Innovation Zone to premises at Banks Mill Studios.
The University of Derby is proud to be part of Universities UK-led Universities Week, which is running from June 13 to 19 (2011). It will be getting involved with national activities highlighting the surprising links and relationships that universities have with the people and businesses in their local communities, of which this story is a fantastic example. http://seedcreativity.co.uk.
