Name: Ashley Bolser

Company: Bolser Agency

Bolser is a digital, mobile and technology agency with a background in direct response.  We deliver marketing strategy through technology, in particular via mobile applications and mobile web.  We have the pedigree and understanding to handle and intelligently use the resulting data and consumer interaction.

We are pioneers that pride ourselves on our delivery. We deal with detail and technology without forgetting about the marketing strategy. With fantastic, committed, intelligent employees and great systems in place, we are able to demonstrate our understanding of how to get people to interact and respond to brands. We demonstrate our successes across a national and global level.

Our skills at Bolser:

  • Marketing strategy

  • Creative execution

  • App development

  • Database development

  • eCRM programmes

  • Mobile advertising

  • Content Management Systems (CMS)

  • Games development

  • Email marketing

  • Segmentation

  • Technology and ecommerce solutions

We work for some of the biggest and brightest global companies including:

  • Microsoft

  • Asda

  • EE

  • BBC

  • Virgin Festivals

  • Adidas

  • Sony

  • Hermes

  • Big Brother

Ashley’s snapshot biography:

For over 30 years Ashley has worked for the UK’s largest direct and digital agencies. The last 14 years he has been running his own business. Some of his career highlights include:

Launching Pizza Express BOGOF vouchers ‘The most successful marketing campaign in the UK, ever!", Asda Financial Services, Capital One UK, and Thomson Founders Club, Ground-breaking, ad award winning Virgin Vfestival App, Generating millions of customers for Nokia Music, Asda Optical and Financial Services via email, instore and database marketing and finally the Integration of cutting edge marketing technology for Orange, EE, Hermes and Microsoft.

bolser.co.uk

 

Name: Oliver Garside

Company:    Dakin Flathers Ltd 

 

Dakin-Flathers

Dakin-Flathers is the largest manufacturer in the world of Carbon Bandsaw Blade and the largest manufacturer in Europe of Bandknife Blade. We have a wide range of products for cutting wood, food, plastics, metals and foam. They are used extensively in the woodworking industry, food industry, metal-working and engineering industries, factory environments and the DIY market. 

Exporting is an important part of our company’s strategy and our products are sold in over 80 countries. We are number one in our products in most countries in Europe and parts of South America and Asia. As a result of our superior product performance, we supply many other bandsaw manufacturers worldwide.

Our products are produced using technologies and materials developed exclusively for Dakin-Flathers. This enables us to produce products which consistently outperform those of our competitors. Further information about our products and our company can be found on website at www.dakin-flathers.com

Name: Richard Hobson 

Company: We Seal

Richard Hobson is the CEO of We Seal, a British company he founded in 1994 that now specialises in the design, manufacture and distribution of bread bag sealing machines and closures. Today 95% of UK bagged bread is sealed by We Seal products.

His long experience and expertise in adhesive tapes started with double sided tape and sowed a seed of specialism in spool winding and converting supplying global brands such as 3M, Avery Dennison, Nitto, Essentra and YKK,  still active and the second largest service provider in this area globally.

The bread bag closure typically represents less than 2% of the bread packaging but puts Richard in the unique position to pull together the baking industry to work towards a common and aligned goal.

 

Name: Steve Hutton

Company: School ICT

School ICT is the country's leading provider of Management Information Systems (MIS) support services to schools. We help schools to make the most from their data to enhance the working practices of their staff and improve the outcomes of their pupils. Tracing its routes back to Leeds City Council's education IT services division, the company was formed from the ashes of a failed TUPE process in 2009. Having focused on expanding business throughout the country, the company now provides support services to 600 schools across more than 50 Local Authority areas from its offices in Garforth, Leeds.

Name: Marshall Sugden

Company: Sydney Packett & Sons 

At Packetts, we are proud to be one of the UK’s largest truly independent Insurance Brokers.  We are also one of its oldest and most respected with a history dating back to 1920 - nearly 100 years. Over that time we have provided our clients with a service above and beyond what is expected. We have built long-term relationships based on trust, understanding and service, across our four areas of specialism:

  • The Commercial sector

  • Not-for-Profit sector

  • Training organisations

  • Specialist Insolvency services

This commitment to our clients and service has seen us awarded Chartered Status, a title currently held by only 5% of UK Brokers. This title is only awarded to firms committed to developing and maintaining the knowledge and capability of their people so they can deliver the highest quality advice as well as following a demanding code of ethical practices that put the client at the very heart of what we stand for.

Personal service and quality of advice have always championed everything we do. It is why we are not just there for you when you need impartial expert advice on the type and level of insurance you need, we are also right by your side when the worst happens and you need to make a claim.

Marshall’s snapshot biography:

Having spent over 20 years running and managing a National broking firm, Marshall bought into then lead the MBO of Packetts in 2014. With a keen eye on sales and development, Packetts has seen double digit organic growth in each of the subsequent years.

Away from work, Marshall is keen on cycling and interval training. He has 3 grown up children and is married to Marie.

Name: Rupert Pearson

Company: Olicana Products Ltd

Olicana Products is a specialist manufacturer of tubular metal products for Automotive, Medical, Office Furniture and Bath manufacturing Industries. The business has been owned and run since 1996 by Rupert Pearson.

Equipped with the latest state of the art manufacturing equipment such as All Electric CNC Tube bending machinery, Fibre Optic Tube Laser Cutting technology, Robot MIG welding as well as Robot TIG welding, the company excels on high volume, technical products.

Customer drawings are imported in 3D and using existing software they can be ‘unbent’ to determine the position of all holes, slots etc. Thus the tube can be cut automatically with all its holes and cut-outs using the Tube Laser cutter. Other software allows for the bend program to be automatically re-created on our latest state of the art tube bending machinery.

The company invest heavily not just in machinery but in technical expertise to allow complex product to be manufactured economically at our factory in Ilkley, West Yorkshire. The company enjoys long relationships with customers and has proved that it can compete globally on price even when compared to the best in China, Taiwan and Europe.

Olicana works very closely with customers to assist in the design and development of their tubular metal products to optimise function, design, quality and price.

Sales@olicana.com

www.olicana.com

Name: Howard Pickard

Company: LBBC

 

LBBC Group Ltd is a privately owned family business, primarily run by the Pickard Family. Howard (Managing Director) and Robert (Operational director) are the fifth generation of Pickards’ to run the business that is based in Stanningley, Leeds. It was first established in 1876 and having been restructured in 2003, now operates principally as two divisions, LBBC Technologies and LBBC Beechwood.

Howard’s role is strategic direction, business development, and supporting the General Managers of the two divisions. He has been at LBBC for over 20 years and as MD for 15 years. The restructuring of the business in 2003 was a critical event in the company’s history and has involved a significant amount of culture change and role development to ensure the businesses remain competitive. Continuous attention is paid to the family shareholding of the business where there has been significant rationalising over the last 10 years.

LBBC Technologies and LBBC Beechwood specialise in:

LBBC Technologies

  • Design and development, assembly and support of industrial autoclave systems

  • World leader in a number of product areas

  • The core technology of pressure containment involves other applications such as the design and supply of pressure hatches for the current Astute Submarine programme.

  • Turnover is approximately £5.0m (70% exports) with 30 employees.

LBBC Beechwood

  • Provision of niche subcontract engineering services.

  • These being steel fabrications, particularly pressure vessels, heavy component machining and dished heads.

  • Turnover is approximately £2.0m (0% exported) with 35 employees


Howard’s snapshot biography:

Outside of work Howard remains a keen hockey player, skier and golfer. He is married to Sandrine and has two young daughters.