Daren Booth

Daren Booth

SME Innovation & Growth Specialist

Deal, England, United Kingdom
1K followers 500+ connections

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ILM

About

I am a trusted and pragmatic business support, growth and leadership development specialist. I work exclusively with ambitious and innovative SME businesses in the South East - Kent, Medway and East Sussex as part of the Innovate UK Business Growth national team.

Innovate UK Business Growth is a key part of the UK innovation agency’s investment in the innovative businesses that drive economic growth. It complements Innovate UK project funding with intensive, specialist-led support for such ambitious businesses.

Each high-potential, innovative business in our portfolio benefits from the objective perspective of a dedicated innovation and growth specialist local to them. Specialists consider business in the round and, working closely with its leadership to identify the most productive ways to accelerate growth.

Activity

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Experience

  • Innovate UK South East Graphic

    Innovation & Growth Specialist - Innovate UK Business Growth

    Innovate UK South East

    - Present 1 year 4 months

    South East

  • Oxford Innovation Advice Graphic

    Manufacturing Growth Manager

    Oxford Innovation Advice

    - 6 years 6 months

    Kent / Medway / East Sussex

    - Field delivery of the Manufacturing Growth Programme across Kent, Medway and East Sussex (South East Local Enterprise Partnership).
    - Manufacturing SME client recruitment, strategic project development and brokerage of specialist consultancy, coaching, supply chain and manufacturing development solutions.
    - Management of own grant budget, compliance and allocation of EU grant awards leading to increased job growth and sustainability, product development and revenue growth.
    - 360+…

    - Field delivery of the Manufacturing Growth Programme across Kent, Medway and East Sussex (South East Local Enterprise Partnership).
    - Manufacturing SME client recruitment, strategic project development and brokerage of specialist consultancy, coaching, supply chain and manufacturing development solutions.
    - Management of own grant budget, compliance and allocation of EU grant awards leading to increased job growth and sustainability, product development and revenue growth.
    - 360+ projects at £2m+ identified and successfully completed.

  • Social Enterprise Kent Graphic

    Business Support Director

    Social Enterprise Kent

    - 6 months

    Herne Bay

    - Responsible for the commercial activities of the CIC including management of and delivery of a wide range of training programmes.
    - Development of a section 106 Canterbury City Council strategic growth initiative for Retail and Hospitality sector in Herne Bay, Kent.
    - Commercial modelling of an employers skills matrix and subscription service to manage skills and training compliance in Health and Social Care sector.

  • Oxford Innovation Advice

    Oxford Innovation Advice

    3 years 10 months

    • Oxford Innovation Advice Graphic

      Business Growth Manager

      Oxford Innovation Advice

      - 2 years 8 months

      South East

      - Field delivery of the national GROWTHaccelerator Business Development Coaching programme across the South East.
      - Regional management and specialist delivery of a pilot workshop development programme for micro and start-up businesses utilising the Business Model Canvas rationale.
      - SME client recruitment, strategic project development and brokerage of effective coaching and leadership development solutions.
      - Formal EU grant allocation and full compliance of £750k+ award funding.

    • Oxford Innovation Advice Graphic

      Regional Leadership & Management Specialist - South East

      Oxford Innovation Advice

      - 1 year 3 months

      South East

      - Field delivery of the national GROWTHaccelerator leadership and development programme across the South East.
      - Identifying and developing core leadership and management skills of SME owners, managers and Director teams.
      - Supporting procurement of suitable training and leadership development solutions.
      - Upskilling of a Business Growth Manager team to incorporate and adopt an increased culture of leadership development and skills competence in regional SMEs.
      - Formal EU grant…

      - Field delivery of the national GROWTHaccelerator leadership and development programme across the South East.
      - Identifying and developing core leadership and management skills of SME owners, managers and Director teams.
      - Supporting procurement of suitable training and leadership development solutions.
      - Upskilling of a Business Growth Manager team to incorporate and adopt an increased culture of leadership development and skills competence in regional SMEs.
      - Formal EU grant allocation and full compliance of £400k+ award funding.

  • Skills South East Ltd

    Skills South East Ltd

    4 years 3 months

    • Specialist Leadership & Management Adviser

      Skills South East Ltd

      - 3 years 3 months

      East Kent / South Kent / Mid Kent

      - Identifying and developing core leadership and management skills of Kent based SME owners, managers, Director teams and CEOs.
      - Supporting procurement of suitable training, executive coaching and leadership mentoring solutions.
      - Formal EU grant allocation and full compliance of award funding.

    • Skills Broker

      Skills South East Ltd

      - 1 year 1 month

      East Kent

      - Full skills diagnostic and brokerage support to local Kent businesses.
      - Supporting employer and employee engagement in skills development.
      - Facilitation of Train to Gain NVQ, VRQ, leadership and technical training.

  • Senior Skills Advisor

    South Kent College

    - 1 year 2 months

    South Kent

    - Management of all employer engagement activities.
    - Lead for commercial training activities through the colleges Training for Business revenue stream.
    - Project management of Train to Gain delivery across the college.
    - Project management of numerous ERDF funded programmes.

  • Barclays Bank Graphic

    Local Business Manager

    Barclays Bank

    - 1 year

    East Kent

    - Relationship manager with portfolio of 150+ high calibre local business customers.
    - Risk management and assessment with commercial lending authority.

  • Managing Director

    Businesseverything Ltd

    - 2 years 6 months

    East Kent

    - Associate and freelance coach, consultant, trainer and project manager.
    - Consultancy support to Business Link, Technology Enterprise Kent and East Kent Education Business Partnership.
    - Project manager and lead coach for the New Entrepreneur Scholarship Programme (National Federation of Enterprise Agencies) in East Kent and Coastal East Sussex.

  • Business Manager

    Motorline Toyota (Franchise Dealership)

    - 1 year 2 months

    Canterbury

    - Management of and agreement to all sales of personal and commercial finance, insurance and warranty products within an active and busy motor franchise.
    - Supported dealer principal to maximise product suite growth and profitability margins.

  • Barclays Bank

    Barclays Bank

    16 years 11 months

    • Barclays Bank Graphic

      Small Business Manager

      Barclays Bank

      - 7 years 11 months

      East Kent

      - Primarily relationship manager to start up and small business in East Kent; portfolio of 500+ clients.

    • Barclays Bank Graphic

      Counter Manager / International Clerk / Cashier

      Barclays Bank

      - 9 years 1 month

      Whitstable

      - Rapid progression through junior, supervisory and team management roles.

Education

  • ILM

    Level 7 - Executive Coaching & Leadership Mentoring

    -

Licenses & Certifications

Languages

  • English

    -

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