Malcolm Yates has over thirty years experience Training and Development, he has a Masters Degree in Human Resource Development and he is a Chartered Fellow of both the Chartered Institute of Personnel & Development (CIPD) and the Institute of Leadership & Management (ILM). He is a qualified Psychologist and a skilled practitioner in psychometric and occupational testing. He has worked and still works, closely with Dr R.M. Belbin and has gained the status of being one of the ‘Belbin Associates’, he has supported many areas of Belbin’s research, especially into team development at the shop floor level. He also contributed to the development of Belbin’s IT system ‘Interplace’, which is at the cutting edge of HR development. Before starting his own consultancy in 1993, Malcolm held several senior HR roles and support over hundreds of companies in several industries. Malcolm’s career started as an apprentice electronics engineer and progressed through many engineering roles. His specialty in training and development are Leadership from shop floor level to main board, Team Development for all, Interpersonal Skills, Communication Skills, Coaching & Counseling and Transactional Analysis.

Sue background was in administration with a Secretarial Diploma and Distinctions for Bookkeeping, Commerce and Secretarial Duties and began her career with the Local Authority’s Education Department and later the Department’s Inspection and Advisory Service.  As a full time mum, Sue helped Malcolm set up the business, taking control of the finance and administration, which included producing the handouts and folders as required by Malcolm, as well as inputting all the (then) paper forms from the 16PF tests and for the Belbin profiles. In 1999 Focus Management for Business Ltd was formed and Sue took the role of Financial Director, playing a key role in the growth and expansion of the business. In recent years Focus has secured funded contracts, which brings a myriad of administrative challenges; however, Sue works closely with our funding partners and awarding bodies to ensure we are at the forefront of quality provision.

Joined Focus in February 2011 with a wealth of experience in skills development having worked for organisations such as: The National Skills Academy for Process Industries, the Sector Skills Development Agency (Now the Commission of Employment and Skills), Skillfast-UK a Sector Skills Council, the East Midlands Development Agency for Cluster Development, A Textiles Trade Association – Managing European funding and MD of own company, setting it up and after 6 years, selling it as a going concern. Neil also served 25 years in the Royal Air Force as a Telecommunications Controller and held a senior HR and training role. He is a member of the Institute of Directors, the Chartered Management Institute, the Institute of Leadership and Management and the City and Guilds Association.

I joined Focus in February 2010 having retired from a Further Education College.  My career has spanned over 40 years; 20 years spent in industry and commerce and 20 years in education and training, giving me a wealth of knowledge and breadth of experience.  During my time in the private sector I worked as Sales and Marketing Director for a Lancashire textile firm.  My educational experience covered various college roles, including teaching in the Business Studies department and eventually managing a number of curriculum areas.  I enjoy seeing people develop through participation in education and training programmes.  My current role is ‘Audit and Quality Manager’ which gives me the opportunity to work with our staff, together seeking to continuously improve our performance.

After attending a management course, delivered by Focus in 2006, I joined the company in a Sales and Marketing role. Having gained a wealth of managerial experience, in a variety of roles and through different industries including; MD of a telesales company, owner manager of a dance school, retail management and business development for a telecoms company. Sharon has played a major role supporting the growth of Focus over the years and utilizes her excellent relationship building skills in, not only sourcing new clients, but maintaining our existing client base. Sharon is now a Skills Coordinator within the Business Development Team and contributes greatly to provision of our Quality Service.

Following a 20 year career with Metal Box where he became Buyer for 3 manufacturing factories Derek established his own Business in Health & Safety at Work Products and Training. He sold this business in 1991 to become a Business Adviser with North Notts TEC where in addition to supporting Start-up and Small Businesses he devised and managed a programme of highly successful Management Training Workshops. From 1999 to 2007 he was contracted with UK Trade & Investment and was responsible for marketing their services to Exporters across The East Midlands. From 2007 was Regional Leader for Business Scene managing very successful Networking events and has joined the Focus Team as a Skills Co-ordinator.

Joined Focus in August 2010 and administers the ‘absolute minefield’ of funding and learning paperwork. Academically qualified with 2 A levels and gained vocational qualifications through a variety of roles in administration and hotel management. The extensive experience gained not only supports our excellent management systems and well organisation administration, but provides advice and support to other team members and is key to our collaborative work within learning consortiums. Stacey is also a member of the Chartered Management institute.  

A professional individual with over 20 years experience in training and coaching in both UK and overseas markets and in both commercial and enterprise related fields. He is at his best when presented with difficult situations requiring first class communication and listening skills. His specialities are; Management and Personal development, Sales, Negotiation, Finance for Non Financial Managers, Project Management, Train the Trainer events and Coaching in Presentation Skills. Brent has tutored a Post Graduate Certificate of Management programme for The University of Nottingham and on their behalf delivers management summer schools for overseas students. He is a member of the Institute of Business Councillors and the Chartered Management Institute and is a fully qualified NVQ Assessor.

Joined the company in April 2009 and brings together her significant operational management experience with her love of training and coaching people. Hilary is responsible for Management and Leadership training as well as NVQ assessing. Her 20 years management experience was in pharmaceuticals and the CSO industries, where she started as a sales representative, took up a training role and progressed through Regional Sales Manager to Sales Director responsible for all UK sales teams and Project Director running national teams of Nurse Advisers. Her recent roles include: Performance Coach responsible for the development of Regional Sales Managers in the pharmaceutical sector and then a Recruitment Consultant. Hilary is a mother of two young children and successfully balances her home life whilst still making a valuable contribution in business!

Ian joined Focus in November 2008 as a Trainer/Assessor, delivering NVQs in BIT, H & SW, Management, Team Leadership and Customer Service. Ian’s expertise is widespread with over 35 years’ industry experience in cement manufacturing and construction, which includes over 23 years of managing performance and leading change. Starting as a chemist, Ian progressed through management roles, including quarry management, production and plant management. In the area of Safety and Change management and being NEBOSH accredited, Ian introduced processes, which not only won company and national accolades, but led to his appointment as the National Safety Manager for Lafarge Cement UK in 2006. Ian not only set up the training programmes but trained the trainers, who coached staff to ensure a companywide safety process. Ian is now an IOSH qualified trainer and delivers our IOSH Working Safely and Managing Safely programmes.

Born and educated in Louth in Lincolnshire and then onto Lincoln college to study Business Studies. Sandie began her working life in the financial sector with Abbey National and quickly climbed the ranks and owned her own house by the age of 18! Other roles included ‘Senior Financial Adviser’ with Prudential Property Services, moved in to management and training roles for Woolwich Property Services, who were then taken over by Haart. Sandie found further challenges in the Land and New Homes industry, working for Countrywide, covering the East Midlands, gained tremendous knowledge and experience in planning law and worked with both large and small builders across the UK. She set up her own business for a period of time, but due to market forces in 2008, like many others, it could not be sustained. Sandie says “being a trainer/assessor in Focus is very rewarding, meeting many new people within many diverse sectors of business. Everyday can present a new challenge for me and I gain tremendous satisfaction when my candidates attain their qualification!

Sue is our Functional Skills teacher and assessor, having previously taught English, Maths and IT to children and adults in schools and colleges in the area.  In the past, she has also enjoyed delivering teaching courses and women’s confidence building programmes.  Teaching is Sue’s second career, having previously held senior positions in the banking industry within Advertising, Marketing, Communications and Quality departments.  Sue has general teaching qualifications, is a designated specialist literacy teacher and holds a Business Studies degree.