Meet our friendly team.

Stuart Armstrong brings over 4 years of valuable experience working for Business Durham, Durham County Council's business support service.

With the Durham Business Growth programme Jims’s primary role with be as a Productivity & Growth Advisor working with County Durham business owners, leaders and managers to improve specific business areas.

Guy Bashford, Business Durham’s business engagement and account manager, drives business growth in County Durham with a career spanning two decades.

With the Durham Business Growth programme Andy’s primary role with be as a Productivity & Growth Advisor working with County Durham business owners, leaders and managers to improve specific business areas.

Business Support Specialist Lesley Hawke brings a passion for SME growth and an understanding of business development, marketing strategy and overseas markets to the Programme Team.

With the Durham Business Growth programme John’s primary role with be as a Productivity & Growth Advisor working with County Durham business owners, leaders and managers to improve specific business areas.

With over 13 years of expertise in business support, Michelle Mann is an invaluable asset as a Business Engagement Officer at Durham Business Growth.

Jo Martin is a dedicated and experienced business engagement officer who focuses on rural businesses. She has a deep understanding of rural and community development and brings a wealth of experience to Durham Business Growth.

Craig Mayhew brings over five years of experience in business engagement to his role as a Business Engagement Officer for Business Durham, focusing on the South West region of County Durham.

With over 30 years of experience, Andrea McGuigan is a dedicated chartered marketer and business development professional.

As an entrepreneur in his own right, James Miller knows first-hand the challenges that can be faced when setting up a business and can call on his experience when advising other business owners and SMEs.

Having been actively involved in building businesses, both large and small, over the years, Trevor has a wealth of experience in dealing with companies of all sizes and at all levels.

Chris Perry is a seasoned professional with over 15 years of experience working within SMEs, focusing on business growth and development.

After starting his career as an Engineer in Mechatronics in the automotive industry, Graham delivered a highly successful career in trouble-shooting for corporate divisions, eventually leading North American operations of an Automotive tier 1 from $30Mn - $300Mn of acquisition-fuelled growth.

With almost 20 years’ experience working in the business support space and making it easier for SMEs to do more and go further, Phil is well-placed to help you make the right decisions at the right time to grow your business.

Graham started his own business writing and publishing computer games while studying at Manchester University in the 1980s. In the early 1990s he sold this business to Psygnosis, where he produced games, for instance in the Lemmings series.

A highly analytical and customer-focused business adviser, Gemma draws on many years of experience working on the Business Support Helpline and various funding contracts to help businesses like yours navigate the challenges and opportunities you face.

Lisa Wall, a seasoned Business Engagement Officer with 18+ years of experience in County Durham, has a rich history of championing local businesses.

Keith started his working life in technical services with a North Eastern electro-mechanical engineering business and was part of the team that introduced the first electronic Jacquard to the textile industry.

Steve Wilkinson, who joined RTC North in October, is an individual with a fervent dedication to the field of manufacturing.