Construction boss David Lowe has been appointed to the advisory board of Manchester Metropolitan University’s Centre for Enterprise.
David, the managing director of Manchester & Cheshire Construction, joins five other regional business leaders on the advisory board. He is the first from the construction sector.
The Centre for Enterprise, founded in 2001, is part of Manchester Met’s Faculty of Business and Law.
It supports regional businesses by running programmes centred on growth, leadership, entrepreneurship and sustainability. The programmes are underpinned by research activities.
The advisory board meets four times a year to provide guidance to the centre’s management team and to provide links to the region’s business community.
David has worked in the construction industry for 36 years and was appointed MD of Manchester & Cheshire in 2011.
Under his leadership, the Salford-based business has more than doubled annual revenues to over £10m, and staff numbers have increased 45 per cent from 40 to 58.
Last July, the company was named SME of the Year at the North West Regional Construction Awards.
David has a long-standing connection with the Centre for Enterprise. He was part of the first Manchester cohort to enrol on the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses programme, which was run in the region by the centre.
Prof Lynn Martin, director for the Centre for Enterprise, said:
‘David is a respected all-rounder who brings valuable expertise and knowledge to the board from a different sector. We’re delighted to welcome him to the advisory board and look forward to his input as we grow.’
The other advisory board members are: Mark Blakemore, finance director at law firm BLM; William Robinson, a director at brewery Frederic Robinson; Tim Newns, chief executive of Manchester’s inward investment agency MIDAS; Rob Pailin, regional director RBS Corporate, and Janet Taylor, managing director of recruitment firm Harvey McQueen.