Catena expands into Leicestershire

East Midlands business network Catena has created a new Leicestershire franchise.

The franchise will be headed up by Shaun Whiting, who has worked in financial services for over 30 years. Whiting will work alongside Catena founder Claire Bicknell to grow the new branch.

Catena expanded into Lincolnshire in 2020 and established a second Nottinghamshire franchise dubbed “Nottingham Too” in the same year.

Whiting said: “I’m so excited to be taking Catena into Leicestershire in partnership with Claire and her team.

“Claire and I had discussed the potential for a Leicestershire franchise territory and the timing was right for me as I transitioned from my financial services career.”

Bicknell, who founded Catena in 2013, said: “I’ve always been keen to expand the Catena model into new locations, radiating out from our Nottingham hub. However, in order to do that, we need a very specific sort of individual who is not only super-connected but also brings that extra element in terms of knowledge and an ability to get under the skin of members’ businesses and find out who needs help from whom.”

“Shaun is precisely that kind of person”, she added.