What Is Humber Business Week?

Job Title: Marketing and Business Development Consultant

Job Info: Pat is a seasoned marketing professional with over three decades of experience in marketing and business development. Her role encompasses managing multi-channel marketing projects, fostering a business development-led culture, and aligning the firm’s marketing strategies with its overarching business goals through innovative marketing initiatives and a client-focused business development strategy.

Involvement with HBW: Pat is a member of the Steering Group for many years and assumed the role of Chair in June 2023 upon the retirement of Kath Lavery. Pat says “My ambition is that Humber Business Week will be seen as ‘more than just events’ and become a platform for best practice, knowledge sharing, talent development, and inspiration. Committed to building upon the past success of Humber Business Week, we are now exploring new ways to further promote the region’s business landscape and support its thriving entrepreneurial spirit by showcasing the region’s talent, and future potential through diverse and impactful events and content.”

Job Title: Marketing Manager

Job Info: Paige leads Future Humber and Bondholders marketing and communications strategy, shaping an annual programme of activity to engage members and promote the Humber region. She works in partnership with Humber stakeholders to deliver initiatives that have a significant impact on the region’s brand, building consistent messaging about the Humber, to tell the story of a region rich in culture, opportunity and prosperity, to attract investment and fuel local economic growth.

Involvement with HBW: As Vice-Chair of HBW, Paige delivers the Bondholders launch event and supports the steering group by reaching businesses and talent across the region and connecting them with Humber Business Week.

Job Title: Chief Executive Officer

Job Info: Jamie oversees the largest infrastructure charity in the region. HEY Smile Foundation supports other charities across the Humber area through funding, collaboration and working with the public and private sector. Smile’s work empowering charities, people, and communities is the heartbeat of Smile Foundation Charity’s new direction. By inspiring communities, being a generous leader, and making a positive impact across the region, Smile creates a ripple effect that transforms communities and changes lives. ​Smile draws unique strengths from its mixed model of operation: grant making and community investments; community development and support; nurturing a diverse asset base comprising people, knowledge, history and work alongside our corporate partners.

Involvement with HBW: Jamie is keen to work alongside the board to showcase the benefits of working with the voluntary sector, focusing on how local businesses can get the most out of their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) whilst still having fun!

Job Title: Head of Executive Education & Business Engagement

Job Info: Leads the University’s development of Executive Education, Professional programmes and training that are industry-focused. His role facilitates partnerships and develops projects and programmes that address future skills and leadership solutions for the Humber region, nationally and internationally.

Involvement with HBW: Joe has been on the Steering Group for over 5 years and is involved in helping to transform and transition HBW through COVID. Joe has also been responsible for delivering the successful Leadership Lab workshops for the last three years as part of HBW and involved in other University events during the week.

Job Title: Creative Director

Job Info: With over nine years of experience in marketing, Ana heads up the content and creative departments within Diony.

Involvement with HBW: Providing marketing support that includes social media, design and media. Been involved since the start of 2023. Since joining, we have given the brand a complete refresh and modernisation.

Job Title: Managing Director

Job Info: Alistair is the MD and Founder at Diony, an ambitious brand and performance marketing agency that works across the UK, Europe and the US to help brands grow online.

Involvement with HBW: Alistair has been involved since the start of 2023 with an aim to build, drive and evolve the current marketing and social channels and new web platform for Humber Biz Week to extend its presence further afield from the Humber. Providing direction & strategy based on new and fresh ideas to take things to the next level.

Job Title: Founder

Job Info: With 30 years in business, ten as MD, I now work with ambitious business owners who are struggling to release the potential of their business. Using the principles of our unique Loom Model © we help the owner increase the profits of the business and regain control of their time. The business is then in a position for the owner to sustain, scale or sell, now or in the future.

Involvement with HBW: Business Week has been a staple of my annual calendar since the beginning both attending events and being a part of events. Last year I put on an event to officially launch my business. Having experienced all parts of the week itself I was keen to join the Steering Group to use that for the benefit of others.

Job Title: Inward Investment Project Manager

Job Info: Working across East Yorkshire my role is to support new investors and indigenous companies with information about the range of services available to support their needs.

Involvement with HBW: I have been a member of the group for seven years and being part of HBW provides an exciting opportunity to raise awareness not only with our internal business support teams but also with new and existing businesses on the benefits of taking part.

Job Title: Media and PR Professional

Job Info: A media and PR professional who dates back to the days of hot metal and Imperial Typewriters. Phil has worked locally, nationally and internationally with some of the biggest organisations in the industry and for the last 15 years has run his own consultancy, Ascough Associates. He is a former President of the Hull & Humber Chamber of Commerce and current Chair of the Local Skills Improvement Plan.

Involvement with HBW: Connecting with the skills and training sector through the LSIP and encouraging the involvement of various clients. Phil also provides comms and PR support.

Job Title: Operations Manager

Job Info: Passionate about his job, Chris heads up the Operations Team at the MKM Stadium, overseeing all matchday and non-match events. Ensuring the customer journey is as smooth and professional as it can be.

Involvement with HBW: Chris is a new member of the steering group, joining last year to offer his experience and guidance when holding an event. Chris is one of the faces behind the success of Destination Monday at the MKM Stadium for the past several years.

Job Title: PR and Content Executive

Job Info: A communications professional at Sewell Group, producing written and digital content to position the business as a great, innovative and ethical group amongst our internal and external stakeholders.

Involvement with HBW: Sewell Group has been part of Humber Business Week since the very beginning, hosting and attending events and representing the interests of local businesses on the steering group.

Job Title: Business Support Project Manager

Job Info: Over 25 years’ experience working in public and private organisations as well as community business partnerships, supporting both businesses and individuals in their growth and development.

Job Title: Director of Knowledge

Job Info: Leading a diverse portfolio, I drive initiatives related to knowledge exchange, consultancy, CPD, and executive education. My responsibilities extend to managing collaborative partnerships, overseeing the commercialisation of our academics’ intellectual property, and providing support for start-ups and spinouts.

Involvement with HBW: Emma has been involved with the steering group of HBW for two years now and has enjoyed coordinating the University’s role as an event holder and supporter of the week.

Job Title: CEO

Involvement with HBW: “This is the first year of being on the Steering Committee for Humber Business Week, its great to be part of such an amazing team of volunteers, and to be just a small part of bringing Biz Week together this year.”

Job Title: Growth Hub Manager

Job Info: Leading the government funded Growth Hub business support agency in Hull and East Yorkshire since 2018, Jon oversees a team of business advisors and a suite of business support programmes to help drive the growth of businesses in Hull and East Yorkshire. Jon has over 10 years’ experience working with SMEs in the region and strives to ensure that business access to advice, support and funding is as streamlined as possible.

Involvement with HBW: Jon joined the HBW steering group in 2019, in order to represent the then Humber LEP and later HEY LEP, to ensure that the LEP plays a core role during each annual HBW. Jon oversees coordination of the HEY LEP’s business week activities, by liaising with the LEP’s Employment & Skills team, Inward Investment team and Investment Programme team, ensuring that the LEP plays a full an active part at each HBW.

Job Title: Sales Office Manager

Job Info: Katie heads up the sales team for all non-matchday events held at the MKM Stadium, ranging from large conferences, corporate dinners to small staff meetings, weddings and birthday parties. Katie has over 19 years of event management experience, starting with the business at the age of 16.

Involvement with HBW: After many successful years of organising and hosting events at the stadium for different businesses during Business Week, Katie joined the Steering Group five years ago offering her knowledge and support to all stakeholder members and organisers when holding their events.

Job Title: General Manager

Job Info: Mark has been the General Manager of Bridlington Spa since January 2020 and prior to that was the Marketing Manager from 2012. He is responsible for the day to day operations of the venue overseeing a staff team of over 100. He is responsible for business planning, financial management as well as ensuring a diverse programme of events and activity 364 days a year, attracting more than 200,000 people to the venue. He has been involved with The Business Day since its inception in 2017, and as the Producer since 2020.

Involvement with HBW: Mark has been part of the HBW Steering Group since 2020. He is responsible for producing The Business Day at Bridlington Spa, culminating as the final day of Humber Business Week. Hosted by Gyles Brandreth, previous speakers for The Business Day include Lord Sugar, Jo Malone, Clare Balding, Baroness Brady and Bob Geldof. In 2025, the keynote speaker will be Piers Morgan.

Job Title: Enterprise Development Manager

Job Info: Transferred to Hull City Council following local government reorganisation in 1996. Since then, Phil has led major regeneration projects, European funding bids, international trade, sector-based initiatives, flood relief, World Cup Host City Bid, business support, Enterprising Britain, European Enterprise Awards, key account management and inward investment.

Job Title: Head of Partnerships

Job Info: With over 18 years’ experience of supporting businesses with CSR, Tessa is part of Smile’s exec team and heads up partnerships. She works with businesses to generate support for both Smile and the wider community. Her strength is collaboration, identifying opportunities for businesses to ‘give back’ locally with ease, through a range of strategic projects, events and volunteering, whilst ensuring employee engagement, brand exposure and fun!

Involvement with HBW: Tessa joined the steering group in 2024 to help bring new ideas and showcase the strength of the voluntary sector and the business benefits of working in partnership with charities.

Job Title: Head of Marketing

Job Info: Alison drives the strategic marketing at Forrester Boyd, working alongside the partners to raise the firms’ profile and to ensure that client experience remains at the heart of everything we do. Along with her team, they manage not only the marketing function but also driving the support for the business development function. Having worked in marketing for over 30 years, the last 10 in professional services, Alison has a wealth of experience and has seen many changes and challenges that marketers have been faced with over the years.  In addition to her role within Forrester Boyd, Alison is also a trustee of the firms newly founded charitable foundation, The Bradbury Foundation. With her passion for helping marketers and firms to realise their potential Alison is also the Chair of the Marketing Taskforce within the UK200Group, a membership of over 50 accountancy and law firms across the UK and also sits on the UK200Group’s membership services committee.

Involvement with HBW:  Alison sat on the Steering Group for a year before the pandemic. This year sees her return to the steering group helping to raise the profile and involvement of firms on the South Bank of the Humber. “Humber Business Week is a great platform to showcase the exceptional talent and entrepreneurship that resides in the Humber. It is a chance to open the doors, share out stories, our knowledge and our insights and to inspire the younger generation.”

Job Title: Executive Education and CPD Administrator

Job Info: Sharon works as the Executive Education and CPD (Continuing Professional Development) Officer at Hull University. In this role, she is responsible for overseeing the delivery and administration of professional development programs for individuals and organizations as part of Executive Education & Business Engagement Team.

Involvement with HBW: This is Sharon’s first year as secretary for Humber Biz Week (HBW), where she plays a key role in supporting the event’s organization. Her responsibilities include coordinating meetings, taking minutes, serving as the communication hub for inquiries, and assisting in event planning and logistics.

Job Title: Group Director of Business Engagement

As Group Director of Business Engagement, Chloe Tate leads the TEC Partnership’s work with employers, connecting businesses to the skills, training, and talent they need to grow. She is passionate about collaboration and strengthening industry–education links.

The TEC Partnership is excited to be part of Humber Business Week and to work with partners across the region to champion innovation, skills, and opportunity.

Job Title: Managing Director

After being brought up in the sunny climes of Zimbabwe, I arrived in London under dubious circumstances, with a rucksack, a sheepskin coat that had seen better days,  £50 cash  and a lot of ambition.

Since that time (and no small amount of adventure) I have worked in all aspects of business corporate and micro. I have been involved in starting several ventures from market stalls to screen printing, from public speaking training to local newspapers, and most recently, E-Factor Group Ltd.

I am a passionate believer in the importance of local business in The Humber region and encouraging enterprise in all parts of the community. I can honestly say, through all the roles I have held, there is nothing more challenging, more scary and yet more invigorating than running your own business.

Why I am involved in Humber Business Week.

I and everyone at E-Factor Group and The Business Hive are absolutely certain that local businesses are the lifeblood of this area’s economic growth and our mission is to ensure they are given all the meaningful support and recognition they deserve.  Being part of a week that promotes business across the entire Humber, and helping to make sure SMALL businesses are seen as a key part of that is the reason I am engaged with Humber Business Week.

Job Title: PR and Media Director

Job Info: David brings a wealth of journalistic experience to the well-established  creative communications agency, based in Hull, but active globally. He brings strategic insight, support and compelling content to clients across various businesses and organisations, helping raise profile, influence and succeed.

Involvement with HBW: A true ‘Humberist,’ Dave provides a holistic view of the region’s opportunities and challenges, with extensive knowledge of its key economic pillars, built on experience from reporting on business activity for nearly two decades. He brings access to an extensive network, including Humber Marine & Renewables, where he also sits as a director.