Clive Bawden
Results orientated, commercial award winning executive and non-executive Director
My Story
A linguist by background, I trained with KPMG in Birmingham as a Chartered Accountant (ICAEW) before a career in industry with Inchcape plc and Saint-Gobain, both roles taking me overseas as well as into the world of marketing, sales and general management. Armed with new skills (including completing my chartered marketing qualifications and an MBA (Dist), I then had the joy of working for a small, fast growing corporate finance firm. Working with driven people, meeting entrepreneurs every day (going through good, and at times very bad experiences) and helping build a robust sales and marketing function from scratch which doubled its size (turnover, people and profits) during the deepest recession in modern history, this role stood my in great stead for what came next.
After 8 years as Business Development Director, I chose to strike out on my own, resigning from this role with no job or project to go to, just secure in the knowledge that in theory I had a network, some skills and a desire to put them to good use. Look After Business was born!
Since then, I have been lucky enough to work by and large with some great companies and founders (and one or two bad ones – it happens!), giving me some great skills which i can use to benefit your business.
For example, amongst other things I have:
- Worked for large corporates and SMEs in senior roles, in the UK and overseas
- I understand corporate politics, both large and small, and know how to get results in spite of them!
- I set up an award winning online venture for a major corporate in the early 2000s and have had a LinkedIn account since 2003
- I have worked in digital business for over ten years already and know what is required to make online work for you
- I remain a Chartered Accountant – hence good at systems, processes and quickly auditing what is good and bad. This means that I won’t waste your time before tackling what needs to be done
- As a trained Marketer and regional exam prizewinner – I excel at marketing strategy and systems and will help you sharpen up your marketing messages and effectiveness
- MBA with distinction – I possess all around business acumen and will help you shape your strategic vision and create shareholder value
- I chaired the IoD Young Directors Forum and represented the UK at a G8 Young Business Summit. I have learnt a lot from being involved with some of the world’s brightest and most dynamic entrepreneurs and will use these lessons to help your business grow
- Trustee/NXD with a number of major charitable or quasi charitable institutions – I am able to put my skills to proactive use in many different sectors, and understand the difference between executive and non executive roles
- Completed the infamous Etape du Tour cycle race (a leg of the Tour de France cycling race for amateurs) only two years after taking up cycling, on a day when over 1,000 other participants failed to finish – I have energy and commitment to getting results and will use this to help you achieve your aims through our work together
TESTIMONIALS
Awards
District Society President, ICAEW West Midlands 2018-2020
Elected representative Chair for over 6,500 members of the world-leading Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales.
Non-Executive of the Year 2018 (West Midlands region)
Awarded this role for my contribution as Non-Executive Director of the CBSO, Warwickshire Cricket Board and Skateboard England.