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North East marketing training company expands following NPIF II funding

Press release 15 November 2024

A North East marketing and PR training company is looking to capitalise on its creative expansion plans following a loan from NPIF II – NEL Smaller Loans, which is managed by NEL as part of Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II (NPIF II).

nesma, which was founded in 2009 by local marketing professional Veronica Swindale, delivers accredited training qualifications from both the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) and the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) and a wide range of related training courses. 

Portrait of the team from nesma

The loan has enabled the Newcastle based business to launch its SkillsPartner programme, bring in more specialised staff to create new content and courses, streamline delivery and enter the many different markets available to it. nesma is also looking to double its revenue year on year over the next 5 years.

It is the only training provider North of the Watford Gap to deliver training on behalf of both Institutes due to the strict criteria that must be met in terms of quality of staff, evidence of results and the way the business is governed. nesma is also a SOSTAC® training provider and is the only firm in the UK licensed to deliver this unique collection of training.

In response to Covid and then market demand, nesma converted its training to a 99% online model and prides itself on the classroom environment that has been maintained through live professional tutoring and the facilitation of rich discussions and relationships amongst learners. It also boasts a 94-100% pass rate on a quarterly basis.

nesma’s online training model has enabled the business to grow its international client base from 0 in 2019 to 10% of all learners and has now delivered training across 30 different countries. 

Veronica Swindale, Founder and Managing Director, says:

I set up nesma to deliver marketing training because I’m passionate about empowering people. I believe that if you have choices over your career, you have a more enriched life, and I believe that better education and the confidence that brings, gives you those choices. We’ve helped thousands of students complete their qualifications with us and I’m very proud of that.

I am extremely pleased to have got the business to a point where we can add value, not only to individuals, but to the marketing and communications capability of whole organisations through our SkillsPartner programme. I made a strategic decision to bring Paul Sutherland into the business as our Commercial Director last year, and he has helped me shape our vision and led on the transition to make us future fit.

I approached NEL based upon a recommendation from a colleague. I found working with them very straight forward and I look forward to continuing the relationship with them as we grow.

Mike Guellard, Senior Investment Executive at NEL adds:

nesma has incredibly strong foundations within the market it operates. The plans presented to us were ambitious but achievable with a clear focus on expansion into both UK and international markets. The launch of SkillsPartner provides yet further opportunity for growth and we were pleased to be able to provide the NPIF II funding needed to make that growth a reality.

Sarah Newbould, Senior Manager at the British Business Bank, said:

It’s great to see a Northern business using NPIF II funding to support it through the next stage of its growth, providing specialist training courses and qualifications to businesses nationwide. Marketing is an industry that is constantly evolving, especially as businesses look for new and fresh ways to interact with audiences and support the growth of their business. This round of funding will help nesma create jobs and increase its revenue, which is a key goal of NPIF II.

The £660m Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II (NPIFII) covers the entire North of England and provides loans from £25k to £2m and equity investment up to £5m to help a range of small and medium sized businesses to start up, scale up or stay ahead.

The purpose of the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II is to drive sustainable economic growth by supporting innovation and creating local opportunity for new and growing businesses across the North of England. The Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II will increase the supply and diversity of early-stage finance for the North’s smaller businesses, providing funds to firms that might otherwise not receive investment and help to break down barriers in access to finance.

For more information about NEL’s investment criteria, visit nel.co.uk or contact the investment team on 0345 369 7007.

Further Information

If you are a journalist and have a media enquiry, please contact mediaenquiries@british-business-bank.co.uk.

Notes to editors

About NEL Fund Managers

NEL Fund Managers Limited is North East England’s most active business investor, providing financial products to small and medium-sized businesses right across the region, and is authorised and regulated in the UK by the Financial Conduct Authority.

About the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II

Operated by the British Business Bank, the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II (NPIF II) provides a mix of debt and equity funding.  NPIF II will offer a range of commercial finance options with smaller loans from £25k to £100k, debt finance from £100k to £2m and equity investment up to £5 million. It works alongside the Combined Authorities, Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs), and Growth Hubs, as well as local intermediaries such as accountants, fund managers and banks, to support the North’s smaller businesses at all stages of their development. 

The funds in which the NPIF II invests are open to businesses with material operations, or planning to open material operations, in: Cheshire, Cumbria, Greater Manchester, Lancashire, Merseyside, City of Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, North Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire, Hartlepool and Stockton-on-Tees, South Teesside, Darlington, Durham, Northumberland, Tyneside, Sunderland.

  • Smaller Loans from £25,000 to £100,000 – GC Business Finance & River Capital (North West), Business Enterprise Fund (BEF) (Yorkshire and Humber) and NEL Fund Managers (North East)
  • Business Loans from £100,000 to £2m – FW Capital (North West), Mercia (Yorkshire and Humber) and NEL Fund Managers (North East)
  • Equity Finance up to £5m – Prateura Ventures (North West), Mercia (Yorkshire and Humber), and Maven Capital Partners (North East) 

Applications for funding are made directly to the relevant fund managers who can be contacted via the NPIF II webpages northernpowerhouseinvestment fund.co.uk.

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