Chris Fleetwood is Chairman of the Regional Portal.

Current positions

From January 2005 - Non Executive Director – Chieftain Group Plc

Chieftain is a quoted engineering company based in Newcastle.

From February 2000 - Managing Partner: “io solutions” – E-business strategists

I established “io solutions” to help UK companies realise the full benefits of e-business.

The website can be viewed at www.iosolutions.co.uk. 

In addition to advising a number of companies I act as an independent advisor on ICT to One North East and the Innovation Unit of the DTI.

I have presented seminars on e-business at both Cambridge and Sunderland Universities and my paper on Internet security was published in the International Journal of e-business.

I was a founder member of the Regional ICT Strategy Board and its Executive Group, the Regional Infrastructure Group and an advisor to Northumbria Universities E-Business Centre.

In addition I serve as a NED on the North East Business Support Network Board. I have been asked by ONE to represent them on the European E-Justice Ethics Committee.

From January 2004 – Non Executive Chairman ADIT North East – The DTI has established nine RABs in the UK to aggregate broadband demand for the Public Sector and procure solutions from telecommunication companies.

Each RAB is a limited liability partnership involving the DTI, Regional Development Agency and other Public sector agencies.

From May 2003 – Non Executive Chairman: Onyx Internet – the Region’s leading independent business ISP

From April 2002 – Business mentor to Askaris Limited – a highly specialised Internet and Network security business based in the North East

From November 2001 – Non Executive Chairman: The North East Regional Portal – a company formed by the RDA to facilitate the Region’s ICT agenda. It is the first operational activity of an RDA to be established in this manner.

From September 2001 – Non Executive Director: Northern 3 VCT Plc (A quoted Venture capital trust)

From October 2000 - Non Executive Chairman: VPTA Limited

VPTA (Vickers Pressings Tolwood Automotive) an automotive components manufacturer is a tier one supplier to Nissan and Ford.  The company was acquired through an MBO in late 1999 funded by Northern Venture Managers (NVM) and Barclays. I joined the Tolwood at the request of NVM. Tolwood acquired Vickers Pressings in 2005.

From September 1995 – Non Executive Director: Darlington Building Society – The DBS is a medium sized mutual Building Society with assets of £0.55Bn

Principle Former position 

1988 to 2000 – Chief Executive: Whessoe Plc

Whessoe a fully quoted company was transformed under my leadership from a UK based heavy engineering business to a multi national group with subsidiaries in Australia, France, Italy, Norway, Sweden, the USA and Far East, specialising in electronics, software instrumentation & control systems. Whessoe’s operating companies were in general national or international market leaders in their respective fields of activity. Market capitalisation during this period increased by nearly 320%.

My first hand experience in terms of strategic development, restructuring, mergers, acquisitions, divestments, “City” knowledge, change management and performance improvement is extensive.

Whessoe was acquired in a contested hostile take-over in 1998.

Further Experience

From February 2000 –December 2002 Associate Member: Business Investors Group

I was Chairman of the associate members of BIG a group of “business angels”.

From 1996 to 1998 – Chairman North East Industrial Development Board

The NEIDB advises the DTI in connection with regional selective assistance. I was a board member for approximately six years.

Other

Qulalified as an accountant with Touche Ross in 1976. On leaving the profession, the following year, I joined David Brown Tractors.

In 1980 I became Finance Director for the UK operations (Turnover £500M) of J I Case a US company that owned David Brown and International Harvester.

I became FD of a division of Courtauld’s for a year and was subsequently head hunted to join Whessoe Plc initially as FD.

Education and Qualifications

FCA (Winner of the Howitt prize; first place in the country for Management Accounting)

BA(Hons) Business Studies

Technically and scientifically literate with substantial knowledge of IT the Internet / Web and E-business, advanced PC & Web skills.

Other attributes

Financially literate, good communicator, strong strategic skills, good negotiation capabilities, professional and trustworthy with a proven track record.

I have a particular interest in understanding the factors that differentiate those companies that exhibit exceptional performance from those that are merely average and in this context I have developed a number of relevant business models.