Lupton hails progress as pro.manchester targets SMEs

PRO-Manchester – the financial and professional organisation, has signed a major deal with Royal Bank of Scotland and NatWest to extend its reach into the SME sector.

Due to launch on September 13, the three-year deal with the lender was revealed by Paul Lupton, chairman of the organisation at an event last night. He said the sponsorship of the SME Club was a step toward the organisation’s goal this year of being self-funding,

“We are a membership organisation and we have to make sure we are financially strong. In recent years we have benefited from external funding – in 2010 we received £270,000, 2011  £184,000, the coming year we get nothing.

“The organisation has therefore had to change quite substantially and we have to make sure our cost base is consistent with revenue generation.

“I am pleased to say we’re on track to deliver a balanced budget for this year and we’re in great shape.”

Deloitte corporate partner Lupton, who took over as chairman in the summer, was speaking at a reception last night at Harvey Nichols attended by around 250 leading professionals.

As well as putting pro.Manchester’s house in financial order he said another of his key aims is to build on the success of this year’s inaugural annual conference.

“Manchester needs to be the gateway for business in the North and I think we’re working on a new name for the event – which will be the pro.manchester Business Conference – and it will be more focused on corporates.”

Lupton said pro.manchester was an increasily important organisation and hailed its growth from its roots as the Manchester Financial and Professional Forum when it was founded 25 years ago, to its status within the city today, with 300 members.

“In an increasingly competitive and connected world, one organisation that speaks for the whole professional community and delivers a focused message on behalf of us all will be increasingly important in ensuring that not only does Manchester maintain its status as the UK’s second city, but that we widen the gap over the other regional centres.”

“Organisations acting autonomously will not deliver the 50,000 new jobs predicted for the sector, ” he added.