A new £3.7m project to establish world class business leaders within enterprises across South East Wales has been launched by Deputy First Minister Ieuan Wyn Jones.
The University of Wales Institute, Cardiff (UWIC) is to lead the ambitious 20 Twenty Leadership programme aimed at driving forward growth and productivity in over 200 companies in Cardiff, Vale of Glamorgan, Newport and Monmouthshire.
Through the UWIC programme, business high flyers will be able to undertake a bespoke course, or 'journey', leading to a professionally recognised Postgraduate Certificate in Leadership, which can be upgraded to an Executive MBA, together with membership of the Chartered Management Institute.
The ten month course will include workshops, action learning, master-classes and one-to-one coaching sessions with established business leaders. The workshops will focus on leading change, managing innovation, harnessing low carbon opportunities, raising finance, improving marketing and delivering improved sales performance.
As part of the four year project, which is to receive £1.3m from the European Social Fund through the Welsh Assembly Government, a survey is being carried out of over 3,000 SMEs to identify current needs, difficulties and the state of optimism in a range of sectors.
The new programme will address those issues that are highlighted through the survey, helping business leaders to respond directly to the challenges and opportunities they are currently facing.
Speaking at the launch of the programme at Cardiff Heliport the home of Veritair Aviation Ltd, first business to benefit from the programme, Mr Jones, who is also the Minister for the Economy and Transport, said:
"Our ability to compete effectively on the global stage will be based on our ability to provide strong business leaders, who in turn will drive a motivated and highly skilled workforce.
"The 20 Twenty Leadership programme will help generate a step change in the performance of companies, and contribute to improving prosperity across the region. This demonstrates how our effective use of European Structural funds is being invested to boost the Welsh economy."
Lesley Griffiths, Deputy Minister for Science, Innovation and Skills, said the programme supported the Assembly Government's Skills that Work for Wales strategy:
"The strategy recognises that improved management performance is one of the most effective ways for a company to achieve success and outperform its peers. Leadership and management skills are critical for business success which in turn will drive economic growth in Wales."
She added that it will also complement the Assembly Government's £65 million flagship programme, Enhancing Leadership and Management Skills, which has been part funded by the European Social Fund.
It is anticipated the project will forge links with other prestigious organisations and networks, to ensure the programme offers participants first class learning resources, and establish a forum for up and coming business leaders to pursue and share their business visions and ventures.
Professor Brian Morgan, from UWIC's Cardiff School of Management said:
"We've developed a new approach that engages business in working with experts from academia and the business world to create an association of suppliers possessing the leadership skills which existing and new customers are now demanding.
"It is no longer enough for businesses to have in place the systems needed to support high quality management – it is vital to ensure they can do much more than ‘tick boxes’ by developing leaders with skills that extract maximum value from such systems on behalf of their customers, employees, communities and shareholders.
"The programme is specifically designed to support the growth of SMEs in Wales. It is a development programme for SME managers who have the ambition and potential to grow their business and increase market share as the economy comes out of recession and undergoes major change to meet the challenges of the 21st century."
Phil Hall-Davies, Chief Pilot, Veritair Aviation Ltd, added:
"I have signed up for this programme because I am very keen to cultivate and hone my management skills, this is also an excellent opportunity to expand this course in to a higher level qualification in the future."
Phil's a Flying Success
Phil Hall-Davies, chief pilot of Veritair - Cardiff's only commercial helicopter operator - is the first participant to be recruited to take part in the 20 Twenty Leadership programme.
While an accomplished aviator, Phil works alongside Managing Director Julian Verity, assisting him to run the business.
Mr Verity said:
"As a small to medium sized enterprise we are not in the position to invest in our own management programme, yet we require top quality leadership skills to run the business successfully.
"The 20 Twenty Leadership programme will enable Phil to acquire the skills needed to boost our business partnership and, in turn, lead to offering more and better services for our customers."
Veritair's services include passenger transport, TV/film flying, load lifting, offshore support and emergency services. The company operates from bases at Cardiff Heliport, Aberporth and Haverfordwest.