We listen, we reflect, we resolve
South West Growth Service was formed by independent and experienced business consultants Chris Lorimer, Andrew Southall, Katharine Bourke and Phil Johnston in 2016. Passionate about the South West, their combined determination to make a difference in the region is driven by a sense of responsibility to their communities. With Andrew taking a step back in 2019, the team is joined by Susi Titchener, another very experienced operator who deepens SWGS's skillset.
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The South West has some of the most innovative and creative small- and
medium-sized businesses which, with the right support, could become
global case studies.
In addition, the South West has some of the finest business expertise that
SWGS can help showcase to benefit aspirational organisations who need
external support to progress.
Katharine Bourke
Born on a Dartmoor farm, Katharine is a passionate supporter of and advocate for businesses in the South West. From starting out recruiting accountants for the City, she built an IT business with her husband from a good idea to a business employing 10 staff before returning to consultancy. She spent four years as a Growth Manager for the government's GrowthAccelerator and Business Growth Service in Devon and Cornwall. Passionate about working and living in the South West, she's an advocate for talent in this region.
Her core areas of expertise include:
- facilitating change management
- executive coaching and mentoring
- engaging and motivating groups
- communication skills training
- team building activities and away days
- business and people development
- mBIT certified coaching
- Zen leadership & FEBI assessments
Chris Lorimer
Chris' background is originally in banking, where he worked as a Head of Small Business and a Corporate Director at Barclays and then led operational excellence activity across International and Private Banking. He has been an independent management consultant since 2013 and his client base spans education, training, marketing, manufacturing, business services, and the public sector. He is the founder of two active business networking groups.
His core areas of expertise include:
- business strategy
- lean start-up advice
- leadership development
- raising finance
- commercial operations
- sales and marketing
- operational improvement
- business development
Susi Titchener
Susi Titchener is an experienced change and organisational development practitioner, with a wealth of skills in coaching and training for managers and leaders. She has a career background that began in catering management, before moving into management consultancy with Coopers & Lybrand. She has sailed around the world the wrong way around, supports women in business chairing a SW women's network group and brings a wealth of endurance in the management of change experience and business connections to her client work.
Her core areas of expertise include:
- leadership and team skills assessment and development
- executive coaching
- psychometric assessment, BPS certified
- Qualities of Practice and Engendering Balance Leadership practitioner
- organisation change and conflict management - consultancy and training
- career transition
Phil Johnston
Phil has over 30 years senior commercial and marketing experience in both public and private sectors, with a significant track record of helping brands and companies accelerate growth by evolving and implementing effective marketing and brand strategies. Phil excels at getting businesses in any sector to attract new customers as well as getting existing customers to come back again and again. Phil has worked extensively as a business expert for the Business Growth Service as well as being a Marketing Strategy, New Product Development and Launch Innovation Specialist for Business West, Innovate to Succeed and Horizon 2020 business programmes.
His core areas of expertise include:
- strategy development
- business growth and innovation
- leadership & management
- international growth consultancy
- branding & marketing
- brand reputation
- stakeholder management
Katharine Bourke
Born on a Dartmoor farm, Katharine is a passionate supporter of and advocate for businesses in the South West. From starting out recruiting accountants for the City, she built an IT business with her husband from a good idea to a business employing 10 staff before returning to consultancy. She spent four years as a Growth Manager for the government's GrowthAccelerator and Business Growth Service in Devon and Cornwall. Passionate about working and living in the South West, she's an advocate for talent in this region.
Her core areas of expertise include:
- facilitating change management
- executive coaching and mentoring
- engaging and motivating groups
- communication skills training
- team building activities and away days
- business and people development
- mBIT certified coaching
- Zen leadership & FEBI assessments
Chris Lorimer
Chris' background is originally in banking, where he worked as a Head of Small Business and a Corporate Director at Barclays and then led operational excellence activity across International and Private Banking. He has been an independent management consultant since 2013 and his client base spans education, training, marketing, manufacturing, business services, and the public sector. He is the founder of two active business networking groups.
His core areas of expertise include:
- business strategy
- lean start-up advice
- leadership development
- raising finance
- commercial operations
- sales and marketing
- operational improvement
- business development
Susi Titchener
Susi Titchener is an experienced change and organisational development practitioner, with a wealth of skills in coaching and training for managers and leaders. She has a career background that began in catering management, before moving into management consultancy with Coopers & Lybrand. She has sailed around the world the wrong way around, supports women in business chairing a SW women's network group and brings a wealth of endurance in the management of change experience and business connections to her client work.
Her core areas of expertise include:
- leadership and team skills assessment and development
- executive coaching
- psychometric assessment, BPS certified
- Qualities of Practice and Engendering Balance Leadership practitioner
- organisation change and conflict management - consultancy and training
- career transition
Phil Johnston
Phil has over 30 years senior commercial and marketing experience in both public and private sectors, with a significant track record of helping brands and companies accelerate growth by evolving and implementing effective marketing and brand strategies. Phil excels at getting businesses in any sector to attract new customers as well as getting existing customers to come back again and again. Phil has worked extensively as a business expert for the Business Growth Service as well as being a Marketing Strategy, New Product Development and Launch Innovation Specialist for Business West, Innovate to Succeed and Horizon 2020 business programmes.
His core areas of expertise include:
- strategy development
- business growth and innovation
- leadership & management
- international growth consultancy
- branding & marketing
- brand reputation
- stakeholder management
