Local business leaders named as Midlands Engine Export Champions

Fourteen business figures from across the region have been named as ‘Export Champions’ as part of a programme to encourage and inspire businesses to export internationally.

They are:

– Liz Fothergill CBE DL, chairman, Pennine Healthcare (Derby)
– Kevin Oakes, chairman, Royal Crown Derby (Derby)
– George Paul, executive director, Bradbury & Son (Buxton)
– Jane Shepherd, managing director, Shepherd PR (Ashbourne)
– Stuart Garner, CEO, Norton Motorcycles (UK) Ltd (Castle Donnington)
– Dr Nik Kotecha, CEO, Morningside Pharmaceuticals (Loughborough)
– Shahid Sheikh OBE, managing director, Clifton Packaging Group (Leicester)
– Matt Gilmartin, managing director, Concept Smoke Screen (Boston)
– Gary Headland, CEO, Lincoln College Group (Lincoln)
– Malcom Hall MBE, managing director, Hall-Fast Industrial Supplies (Mansfield)
– Susan Hallam, manging director, Hallam Internet (Nottingham)
– Karen Prior, group finance director, Anpario plc (Worksop)
– Anil Puri, chairman, Purico Group (Nottingham)

The creation of the Midlands Engine Export Champions Programme follows the launch of the government’s Midlands Engine Strategy.

Over 600 delegates attended the Midlands Engine Trade Summit at the Vox Conference Centre where they participated in specialist workshops and heard first-hand the steps they can take to export their goods and services overseas.

In addition to engaging with SMEs and local businesses, the Export Champions will promote the Department for International Trade’s Exporting is GREAT campaign and digital tool great.gov.uk which helps UK businesses break onto overseas markets.