The Alternative Board Leeds, North & Centre

Dave is the owner of The Alternative Board in the Leeds North & Centre region. He is a seasoned and successful executive with a broad range of experience gained over the last 26 years operating at a senior level for public, family owned and venture capital backed businesses.

His particular expertise lies in sales and marketing, operations and strategic planning. He has specialist knowledge of the B2B distribution sector, and the food and chemical industries in particular. He managed his first business at the age of 23 and fast tracked through the corporate environment holding a range of sales, operations, project management and senior business roles before ultimately becoming Managing Director of Fiske Food Ingredients, the UK’s leading food ingredient distributor at the age of 40.

He moved into the private sector and has been a Director/Managing Director of two privately owned family businesses and CEO of a VC backed technology business. It was in this role that he experienced the full benefits and value of a Board of talented Non Executive Directors that assisted him in signing a major licensing contract with a €5bn European dairy business.

Having originally graduated in Chemical Engineering, Dave received further business training at the University of California and Ashridge Management College. He has a passion to help business owners focus on the key strategic issues, plan the way ahead and deliver on their targets to drive even greater value and success. His role at The Alternative Boards allows him to do just that.

Andy is a creative business leader with a passion for helping other business owners succeed. He has operated at a senior level in major manufacturing and large public sector organisations, and in small family owned and start-up businesses.

Andy’s particular expertise lies in business development (sales and marketing), leadership, vision and values, and business planning. He has specialist knowledge in the manufacturing and sustainability areas.

Andy studied industrial design at university and has always brings this creativity into his work. In 17 years with Europe’s leading glass manufacturer, Ardagh Glass, Andy developed through a range of design, marketing, strategy and business development roles, culminating in winning a Queens Award for Enterprise in 2003.

In 2005 he had “an amazing journey” to set up a new organisation for ‘Yorkshire Forward’, the  then regional development agency. Over 8 years this grew into a 50 strong company with a £5m turnover. They supported 1,500 SME’s, developed a £12m investment fund, built a consultancy unit and delivered three successful European funded business programmes. Following a change in Government policy Andy then managed a ‘spin-out’ into the private sector and downsizing to meet commercial realities. Tough times, but  learning he draws from regularly.

Andy’s MBA and coaching qualifications developed his passions for leadership, communications and business strategy. He has grown two SME businesses during the recession and his focus is now to help business leaders to do best, what matters most. To plan, to inspire others through great leadership and to deliver on their business and personal visions. The Alternative Board is the business that allows him to do this.

Andy is a guest lecturer at the University of Leeds on Corporate Governance MSc, and an associate on the University of Bradford MBA programmes. He is also a highly active Growth Accelerator coach.

He continues to work as an associate to the Learning and Development Consortium and retains an advisory role for Leeds City Region’s Local Enterprise Partnership.

With a background in economic development, strategy and growing businesses from a cold start, Paula is a serial entrepreneur with a passion for driving and scaling businesses.

Paula set up her first business a management consultancy in the early 1990s growing it to an international business winning contracts across Central and Eastern Europe and in China.

She has added to her increasing portfolio by acquiring a business networking franchise which operates across Yorkshire whilst also developing business events, research, consultancy and coaching services.

Paula has a unique background working for Corporates and also for Government. This has given her a perspective on the workings of many sectors in industry and a deep understanding of how Governments both national and local work.

Passionate about helping business succeed, Paula’s skills lie in the areas of large scale projects and investment often with international ambition. She advises businesses on how to achieve sustainable growth. Drawing on her years of experience working with mid-level and start-up businesses she is able to give a clear understanding of what’s involved and the strategies needed to get to the next level.