UON academic joins Be the Business Mentoring scheme

A University of Northampton academic, Shaowei He, has been announced as a mentor for Be the Business’ Mentoring for Growth scheme.

The programme supports ambitious small and medium-sized businesses with experienced mentors from across the UK’s leading business experts, including Siemens, BAE Systems, Amazon, Rolls Royce, Ernst and Young, Grant Thornton, Deloitte, McKinsey, and Accenture.

Speaking about his appointment, Shaowei He, Associate Professor in International Business, and Director of the University’s China and Emerging Economies Centre said: “A fresh perspective from an external expert allows SME owners the capability to take a step back from running their business, and focus on the critical thinking, and problem-solving that SME owner needs to take their business to the next level. My expertise as a mentor will support business owners to begin to make small, manageable, and achievable improvements across their businesses.

“My academic focus is international business, economic geography, and innovation, with a particular focus on opportunities with China and other emerging markets. Through this, I hope to be able to inspire SME business owners to think about, and structure international business development, which will have a positive impact, boosting British business for the benefit of the whole economy.”

Mark O’Mahoney, Communications Manager, Be the Business, said: “At Be the Business, we have brought together some of the most talented business brains in Britain to help small business leaders develop their talents and grow their businesses. We were delighted to welcome Shaowei to the programme. His blend of academic expertise and real-world business experience will make him a tremendous asset. Shaowei is a great example of the calibre of people we have had come forward to step in to use their expertise and experience to help SMEs recover from the impact of the pandemic and get back on the path to growth.”

If your business could benefit from a boost from mentoring as part of the Be the Business schemes, visit their website for more details.