There are nine Regional Development Agencies (RDA’s) across the whole of England. Their role is to offer assistance to local businesses and to encourage economic growth in their areas. The South West Regional Development Agency (SWRDA) has chosen new local Worcestershire business Concordia Services Ltd. to oversee a major change to their vital Business Link arm.

Former Herefordshire and Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce CEO Christine Jones and former Area Director of Herefordshire and Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce Barbara Lyons have joined forces and created Concordia Services Ltd. They specialise in coaching, mentoring, business development and event management, all key skills required by SWRDA for the company chosen to oversee the re-development of the Business Link Service in their area.

Since responsibility for managing the six Business Link operations located in the South West (the largest geographical area of any RDA in the UK) was handed to SWRDA, they have rationalised the Business Link operation into a first stop shop for local businesses. Bringing all the Business Link services together will mean that any local business in need of support will only need one point of contact, Business Link. This streamlining will also maximise the money available to individual businesses to start, grow, innovate, expand and export.

With their combined experience of over 40 years of business management, mergers and company acquisitions, the staff at Concordia Services Ltd. is ideally placed to assist the SWRDA in this exciting new challenge.

‘We were delighted to be asked to work with the South West Regional Development Agency on their Business Link contract during this vital year of change’ said Concordia Services Ltd. CEO Christine Jones.

‘We aim to deliver a ‘no wobble’ transition of the current Business Link service into an access brand for all publicly funded business support and develop a regional knowledge bank underpinning the service with input from all major stakeholders’ claimed Christine Jones when asked how Concordia Services Ltd. would approach the project.

‘Our experience at working on the public/ private sector interface put us in a strong position to win this important contract’ added Barbara Lyons, Concordia Services Ltd. Executive Director.

The initial process will see Concordia Services Ltd. explore how the new Business Link team will look. They are also involved in the recruitment process not only for this new team but also for the new CEO for Business Link in the South West. Once recruited Concordia Services Ltd. will then be responsible for implementing a transparent transition to the new team who will take over the day-to-day running of Business Link.

‘There was only one choice when it came to finding the right company to help us with this important and challenging project’ Rosemary Wells - SWRDA

Concordia Services Ltd can provide a full range of business management, coaching, mentoring and event management services to any business across Herefordshire and Worcestershire. To find out how Concordia Services Ltd could help your business contact Barbara Lyons