Team

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Craig Humphrey

CEO

Craig has a wealth of experience working across both private and public sectors, with a career spanning more than 30 years.

His role as Leader of Rugby Borough Council was extended in 2010 when he became the first Executive Leader in the country. Praised for his strong and progressive leadership by the Prime Minister and Secretary of State, Craig is now at the forefront of the growth agenda within Coventry and Warwickshire.

Recognising the need for businesses to have a single point of contact for support, he instigated the nationally recognised model of account management alongside robust data to assist decision making across the sub-region.

Out of hours, Craig raises funds for The Motor Neurone Disease Association and likes nothing more than spending a few hours trying to manoeuvre a golf ball around Lutterworth Golf Club in as few shots as possible.

 

 

Phil Peak
IIC&M

Deputy CEO

Phil spent more than 20 years in senior IT and sales and marketing roles working for manufacturing giants such as Rolls Royce, Rover Group, Jaguar, British Shipbuilders, GEC and GKN.

In 2000, he moved into business ownership, taking three of his own businesses through the complete business lifecycle, from start-up, through growth and acquisition, to exit.

Now Deputy CEO of CW Growth Hub, Phil has a great deal of real-world business experience to offer SMEs.

Phil’s spare time is spent with his family, tinkering around with classic cars and following sports.

 

Adam Norburn

Company Secretary

Adam is a qualified accountant with more than 30 years' financial management experience, working his way up from trainee to the CEO of Rugby Borough Council, working as a Strategic Finance Manager at Northamptonshire County Council along the way.

Adam has been responsible for leading a whole host of major transformational projects and has cultivated successful relationships across the public, private and voluntary sectors throughout his career.

Outside of work, Adam enjoys socialising, is a keen quizzer and loves a wide variety of sports, especially football, rugby, cricket and golf.

Sarah Gambrall
BSc (High Hons), MLitt

Head of Projects, CW Growth Hub

Sarah joined the Growth Hub in September 2018 following completion of a master’s degree in legal and constitutional studies. Sarah has interned for various companies in the United States, including those in the public, private and non-profit sectors. Her duties in previous roles included legal and marketing research, dealing with insurance claims and bank loan processing for State Farm Insurance, as well as constituent profiling on a local mayoral campaign and guiding students at Indiana University through a community development course.

Outside the office, she enjoys travelling throughout the United States and Europe, following the latest legal and political news, going to the gym and watching American football!

Gary Thyeson

Head of Operations

Gary joined the Growth Hub from a key player within the Health & Wellness sector where he was responsible for the implementation of key elements of company strategy along with the operational management of call centre and customer service functions.

With roots in the automotive sector Gary has a mechanical background and has since accrued diverse and extensive experience across customer service and team environments within Financial, Health and Training industries.

Out of work Gary enjoys spending time with family and friends as well as following motorsports, especially Formula One.

Nic Erskine

Executive Director, CW Place & Champions

Nic joined the Growth Hub in October 2022 after seven years with Coventry & Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership, initially as CW Place Manager.

Nic leads the team which organises the highly regarded CW Champions, a leading business network of 150 Coventry and Warwickshire based organisations which meets to help raise the profile of the region through its programme of well attended events and media activities.

Prior to working at CWLEP, Nic worked in a Strategic Engagement role at the IET and IMechE in London.

In his spare time, Nic is a keen cross-country runner and enjoys an early 10K before breakfast. Most weekends he can also be found on the touch line supporting his three football mad sons.

Helen Morgan-Parra
BA Hons, MCIM

Head of Marketing & DPO

Helen has an extensive background in marketing, with a focus on digital marketing. She is the Growth Hub's go-to marketing expert and coordinates the marketing activities of the Growth Hub group of businesses and the business support programmes the Growth Hub delivers. Helen is also the Data Protection Officer for CW Growth Hub, Growth Hub Business Solutions, and C&W Champions.

Helen worked for a charity who own a number of hotels and guest houses for 10 years, as their commercial manager, where she was responsible for all aspects of marketing and business development. In her spare time Helen enjoys reading, gardening and has a passion for writing.

Jim Clark

Account Manager

Jim has over 30 years’ experience of building two privately owned manufacturing businesses, from £500k turnover to £40m.

With a background in sales & marketing, Jim moved through his last business to become MD/Owner and along the way developed a good understanding of:

manufacturing, logistics, global sourcing, global sales, B2B sales with major retailers, and successful completion of 2 management buyouts.

During his career Jim has supported SMEs through their full lifecycle from inception to growth and also their sale.

Outside of work, Jim enjoys socialising with family and friends, walking, watching sport - mostly football, and he helps out with Stratford Food Bank when time allows.

Justine Chadwick
CertEd

CW Growth Hub - High Growth Business Specialist

Justine has 30+ years consultative business development experience, working with both the private and public sector. Justine understands the challenges of starting a business after creating a software company with a US royalty partner in the 90’s. Her experience includes consulting with businesses to develop learning solutions, working for professional bodies, commercial companies, recruitment agencies, awarding organisations, certification bodies, training providers and learning & tech. providers. Justine has supported SME’s and blue-chip organisations to develop their online proposition to deliver training to global teams, achieve accreditation, professional status, and certification. Highlights include being part of award-winning journeys for companies such as Ernst & Young, Cap Gemini, Nokia, Apple, and Microsoft.

Out of work she enjoys spending time with family and friends, open water swimming, pilates, yoga and travelling to new destinations.

Jim Vithanage

Account Manager

Jim started his working life as a radio engineer in the Royal Navy working on helicopters during this time he worked on a research & development squadron gaining top secret clearance. He worked as an engineer, pre-sales support on IT equipment until 1997 when he became a technical salesperson. From 2004 until 2009 Jim was an international sales manager for an American wireless communications manufacturer selling equipment to police and Ministry of Interiors around the globe where he secured large contracts in the Middle East and Eastern Europe. Most recently, Jim has worked for the Department for International Trade as a Defence & Cyber Security Cluster Advisor.

In his spare time, Jim enjoys yoga, playing tennis, walking and reading Sci-Fi novels.

Linda Savitri
BA, MA

Account Manager

Linda has extensive experience in stakeholder engagement, business development and project management both in the charity and public sectors. In 2016, she successfully designed and led the very first non-profit organisation Fair in Bali, Indonesia. Since then, she has facilitated numerous collaborative efforts between non-profit organisations, businesses and local governments to promote financial sustainability and social impact. Having completed her undergraduate study in International Relations, she went on to pursue a master’s degree in Development Studies at the University of Melbourne, Australia. 

In her spare time, Linda continues to work with youth-led impact organisations in Indonesia, providing mentoring and skills training support to young people. She also enjoys cooking Indonesian food and baking sweet treats for family and friends.

Adam Plumb
BA Hons

Account Manager

Adam has years' of experience in many fields including recruitment, project management and internal process improvement.

Since graduating in 2014 with a degree in Business and Enterprise Management, Adam has gained experience working in multiple industries including automotive, healthcare, wholesale and construction. During this time he also gained experience setting up and running his own consultancy business. Recently Adam has completed additional study on Project Management and Change Management courses.

Outside of work Adam enjoys socialising with friends, going to the gym and playing a number of sports including rugby, squash and golf.

Laura Delahunty

Account Manager

Laura joined the team in March 2017 as a support administrator, since then, she has progressed and been involved in a number of roles and projects at the Growth Hub.

Laura’s focus is now on supporting businesses across the Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough – working with them on their growth plans and future projects and making them aware of the services they can access to overcome their business challenges. On occasion, she is also involved in various internal projects and maintaining the Growth Hub CRM system.

In her spare time, Laura enjoys being creative, from cooking treats for friends and family to crocheting or sewing gifts to sell – she also enjoys spending time teaching her dog fun new tricks!

Ellie Nowill

Support Administrator

Ellie joined the Growth hub in July 2022 following the completion of 3 years' at Warwickshire College studying Public Service, culminating in distinction.

She has integrated seamlessly into the team as a trainee administrator and particularly enjoys helping both individuals and supporting businesses. A talented athlete, Ellie was ranked 5th in the UK for high jump in 2015.

In her spare time, she enjoys exploring new places, spending time with her family and admits to being a petrol head!

Jon Bass
IIC&M

Finance Specialist

Jon is CW Growth Hub's Finance Specialist. An experienced manager and administrator, with a background in financial services spanning 30 years, Jon was previously employed by NatWest and Royal Bank of Scotland Group. He went on to become a business coach, membership recruitment executive and work and health project advisor at Coventry & Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce.

Outside the office, he stays busy with his role as Honorary Secretary of the Old Laurentian Society. As a keen socialiser, he can sometimes be found in the Dun Cow in Dunchurch with a pint of Bass.

Kat Moon

Marketing & Events Executive

Kat joined the Growth Hub in September 2023 after working at a well-established PR company in Coventry, where she completed her level 2 and 3 in Business and Administration. In 2019, Kat won the Coventry and Warwickshire First, Young Professional Award for Apprentice of the Year in Coventry and Warwickshire.

Kat has been event coordinator for Coventry and Warwickshire Champions since September 2020 where she helped lead the events from online back to face-to-face meetings, following lockdowns and has helped the membership grow and reach a wider audience within the region.

Outside the office, Kat enjoys playing video games, watching Japanese animation, spending time with her nieces and nephews and going for long walks with her husband.

Cathy Gall

Office Manager

Cathy joined the Growth Hub in March 2018 as a business administrator and PA to the CEO. Her role is to provide organisational support to the Growth Hub team and act as the customer interface.

Prior to joining the Growth Hub, Cathy worked in the public sector for 13 years supporting the leadership team and she has a wealth of knowledge and experience in this area. 

In her spare time, Cathy enjoys walking, especially caddying for her son on the golf course. She also likes to cook and spend time socialising with friends and family.

Rich Hales

Skills & Employment

Richard joined the Growth Hub as an account manager, managing CW Employment Solutions, and offering recruitment advice to businesses across the region. With a background of over 20 years' in the recruitment sector, including running his own recruitment business, he has covered a wide range of sectors and can offer businesses free advice on their recruitment strategy, as well as advising candidates on their career options.

Outside of work Richard is involved in a wide range of projects, including being Vice Chair of Trustees at Kenilworth Multi Academy Trust and is working on a project to build a new secondary school in Kenilworth.

Paul Sullivan

Digital Technology Specialist (DTS), Made Smarter Programme

A seasoned business professional, Paul has been involved with many successful start-up projects some of which have developed into multinational companies, and has formed, owned and managed companies of his own.

His career of over 40 years has been in business development across a variety of sectors working with some of the most iconic brands in the world including Jaguar, Aston Martin, Ford, BMW, Bentley, Volvo in Automotive, He has extensive experience in Body Structure and New Vehicle Development from concept design to product launch. His knowledge of the Automotive sector is recognised within the UK and European sectors. Having worked for OEMs and extensively in the supply chain he has a vast amount of knowledge in car construction processes, senior management, business development and strategic partnerships.

 

Sebastian Croft

Project Support Officer

Following on from various successful project placements at the University of Warwick, including the Eutopia Alliance programme, the Teacher Researcher Network, and the Institutional Teaching and Learning Review, Sebastian joined the Growth Hub in August 2023.

With both BA (Hons) and MA degrees in History and Film from the University of Southampton and Warwick respectively, he has balanced his Made Smarter project commitments with his own independent academic endeavours, including authoring various chapters for film-based journals and books and independently starting up his own screencast series on YouTube for audiences.

Along with being a passionate Newcastle United fan, Sebastian is an avid podcast listener, a lover of nature, and can be found making a lot of noise at his local gym.

 

Andy Davis

Strategy and Analytics Executive

Andy joined the Growth Hub in October 2022 after two years at Coventry & Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership as Strategy & Analytics Executive Officer.

Before joining CWLEP Andy held partnership roles at both Coventry University and the University of Warwick. Prior to these the bulk of his career was spent leading the research, insights, and analysis team at Warwickshire County Council, promoting the use of data and evidence within the council and across local partners in Coventry & Warwickshire.

Outside of work Andy enjoys cycling around south Warwickshire, running around a badminton court, cooking, socialising with friends, and listening to lots of 80s pop. He is also the Treasurer of LARIA, the Local Area Research & Intelligence Association, and one of two independent members of the Warwickshire Police & Crime Panel.

The Growth Hub’s parent company, Coventry & Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership, closed on Friday 31st March

The Growth Hub’s services remain unchanged and we are now a stand-alone organisation, known as CW Growth Hub. We remain committed to helping Coventry and Warwickshire’s SMEs, providing high quality business support and advice. To keep up to date with all the latest news from the Growth Hub and our partners please sign up to our newsletter

Client testimonials

Without the Growth Hubs help and assistance, we would never have been able to increase our sales & output and also grow our local business. With this help in purchasing new equipment we have expanded our operations and gained a new and increased customer base.

Nuneaton Roof Truss,

Over the past few years, Armstrongs has built up a fantastic relationship with Gary Thyeson from the Growth Hub. His advice on grants and funding has been really valuable to both Armstrongs and some of our clients. His knowledge of local business support has been helpful in signposting us to relevant support agencies as required. We look forward to working with Laura Delahunty moving forwards.

Armstrongs Accountancy LTD,

In the short time since first engaging with the Warwickshire Growth Hub we feel that Laura has understood our vision and has been so very supportive in linking us to the specialist teams who are now supporting us with training, finance and recruitment. A great service that every growing organisation should connect with

MES Systems Limited,

I have had an excellent experience working with Laura from the Growth Hub, from day one, she was taking detailed attention to my concerns and ideas. She was able to put me in contact with different organisations and people to find out answers to my questions and help me to solve some inquiries I was having. I feel this support definitely had a positive impact in my plans. 

 

PALACIOS LTD,

It’s been a fantastic inaugural eight months for the TalentTech Recruitment team and, although the reality of setting up and running a company can be a somewhat daunting experience, we have been extremely grateful for the superb help, advice and guidance given to us along our journey by Gavin Barnett and the team at CW Growth Hub. Gavin’s introductions to both Warwick & Coventry Universities and his wider business network have been absolutely invaluable.

TalentTech Recruitment LTD,

For many individuals out there, it is very hard to figure out ways and know which direction to go when it comes to setting up a business. The challenges of taking your idea and bringing it to life and not knowing where to go and who to speak to for advice. it can get very frustrating..

King of Saffron LTD,

This grant [which we received with the help of the Growth Hub and Coventry City Council] will really help us get on track for business growth and succeed with our vision. Personally, I would also like to thank the team for supporting me through the grant application process. You have been very approachable and attentive throughout.

Exeter Analytical (UK) Limited,

Thank you for the comprehensive and professional guidance

Burbidge & Son Ltd,

Over the years since the Growth Hub was set up we have habitually gone to our Account Manager as a one-stop shop for all business-related information.  It has been a really convenient way of finding suppliers, advisors and, on one occasion, we even asked for assistance with finding customers.  We are invited to a wide range of business events including business development workshops, Brexit roundtable discussions, seminars on various topics and have also been asked to speak at some events.  When we have needed additional information, for example, finding finance sources or help with selecti

Marchantcain Design Limited,

Thanks to CW Growth hub getting us access to grant funding we have been able to invest in the latest computer monitoring system, which will enable us to compete with the national companies within our industry.

Comrie Leisure Limited,

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Part of the Government-supported growth hub network