National mentoring programme launches with UK’s biggest companies  

A mentoring programme involving some of the UK’s biggest companies, including BAE Systems, Siemens, GSK and Sharing in Growth, is launching in Greater Birmingham and Manchester.

The Greater Birmingham & Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership (GBSLEP) Growth Hub and its Manchester equivalent have become the first regions to pilot the Be the Business initiative, which will run for six months.

Thirty-six business leaders from the manufacturing sector in Greater Birmingham and Solihull and Manchester will provide 43 mentees with one-to-one and virtual sessions, where they will give personal and practical advice on issues including decision-making and business planning to talent acquisition and risk management.

Be the Business was created to help close the UK’s productivity gap, and is chaired by Charlie Mayfield, chairman of the John Lewis Partnership. The scheme hopes to help manufacturing  companies improve their productivity and overcome barriers to growth.

Saqib Bhatti, director for Growing Businesses and Representing SMEs at GBSLEP, said: “The GBSLEP Growth Hub was founded to make it easier for companies in our region to seek the right support in order to fulfil their growth potential.

“Working with Be the Business and the Business Growth Hub in Manchester, this new pilot programme provides firms across Greater Birmingham and Solihull with free personal coaching from a leader of a globally successful business, who might hold the key to unlocking better economic performance.

“The prosperity of small and medium-sized businesses in our region is crucial to our overall economic success.”