Seven Hills co-founder Michael Hayman has been appointed as Chair of the Small Business Charter.
Developed by the Chartered Association of Business Schools, Lord Young, and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (now Department of Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy), the Small Business Charter currently accredits 54 business schools across the UK for playing a strong role in supporting small businesses, local economies and student entrepreneurship.
As Chair, Michael will work with the Small Business Charter as it delivers its Help To Grow: Management Course on behalf of the UK government, which is a significant Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy and Treasury backed initiative. The programme will provide 30,000 SMEs access to world-class business schools’ expertise on everything from leadership to financial management and marketing.
Michael will also work with the Small Business Charter to communicate the value of management education to SMEs; and to connect businesses, business schools and government to boost growth, productivity, innovation, and entrepreneurial success through improved management and business practice.
Michael takes on this role having been involved in the development of the Small Business Charter itself, as part of the original working group for its formation. He also chaired the inaugural award ceremony for the first 20 recipients of the Small Business Charter Award at 10 Downing Street, in 2014, alongside Lord Young.
Speaking about his appointment, Michael said: “I’m delighted to become the new Chair of the Small Business Charter at such a critical time for business. The shape of the economy is changing – with ever more of us likely to set up our own firms and make jobs rather than take them – and we have world class business schools which can assist them. The Help To Grow: Management Course is a major opportunity for small firms to accelerate potential and we look forward to helping them achieve it.”
Anne Kiem OBE, Executive Director of the Small Business Charter and Chief Executive ofthe Chartered Association of Business Schools, said: “It’s a pleasure to welcome Michael as Chair of the SBC board. He brings a wealth of experience, knowledge and industry insights that will greatly benefit our work, the future direction of the Small Business Charter, and how we idenfity and support high-potential businesses around the country. We pride ourselves on boosting the conditions that support entrepreneurship in the UK, and we’re thrilled to have Michael join us to support that mission at this important time for British business.”
Michael has been a campaigning voice for small businesses for more than a decade, co-founding Seven Hills in 2010 to work with mission-driven, growing businesses and the organisations that back them; and StartUp Britain the following year – the national initiative for early-stage enterprise fully supported by HM Government. He was awarded an MBE for services to enterprise promotion, entrepreneurship and education in 2014.