Concordia Services Limited
Sponsored to university by Pilkington Glass, Christine Jones began her career with the organisation in their strategic marketing department. Moving to the subsidiary Triplex Safety Glass she developed a working knowledge of the motor industry from the supplier perspective. She moved into the fashion retail world as a business analyst for the Wallis Fashion Group before they became part of Sears Holdings. Still within the retail world she worked for the UK arm of an American retail consultancy Management Horizons.Short term contracts with Geest plc and her own consultancy business specialising in strategic marketing and business planning followed. An enjoyable but brief venture into drinks retailing where she imported premium Czech beer and French cider brings her career to the West Midlands as Chief Executive of the Chamber of Commerce Herefordshire & Worcestershire, and Business Link West Mercia.
She started as an area manager for Herefordshire, was rapidly promoted to operations director, becoming the chief executive in January 2001. In addition she was a director of the British Chambers of Commerce for three years, chair of the West Midlands Business Link Chief Executives’ Forum for the first two years, was part of the formation of the Marches Farm Enterprise Programme with Harper Adams which later became the Farm Business Advisory Service. In turn this created the Women in Rural Enterprise group. She was the Business Link CEO representing the region on the Advantage West Midlands Enterprise Board. In addition, she was a director of the Rural Regeneration Zone Board and Transforming Telford Shadow Board, a Board member and previous chair of Malvern Hills Science Park, director of the Central Technology Belt company, director representing the private sector on the regional Broadband company, she chaired the Race Equality partnership in Herefordshire, she was a Board Member of both the Herefordshire and Worcestershire Partnerships, she remains a director of the Edgar Street Grid Regeneration Company in Hereford and is a governor of the University of Worcester She has also recently been invited to be a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.
Since standing down as Chief Executive of the Chamber of Commerce in March 2007 , she started Concordia Services Limited, a company designed to capitalize on the skills and talents of the shareholders combining change management, team and individual development, coaching and mentoring as well as corporate event management.
Her experience of the public/private sector interface was vital in securing a major contract with the South West Regional Development Agency where Concordia are overseeing the rationalisation of the Business Support service in the South West.
The event management team have delivered a major Award Dinner for over 500 people, run workshops for around 100 for Business Link West Midlands, organised exhibition/workshops for 250 delegates and organised a tour of Herefordshire for a major corporate client.
Since the action-packed official launch of Concordia Services in September 2007 this inaugural year looks set fair to exceed all expectations.
Please select a team member from the list below for more information;