ROGER HOUSE

BA(Hons) Graduate in Design (Kingston-Upon-Thames); in business for over 30 years, from architectural design, flooring sales and manufacturing, running a farm park, the family advertising agency in London, marketing, design and business consultancy. He works with companies both large and small and has played a role in building several successful multi-million pound companies in Kent, winning European awards on the way. He has the experience of employing over seventy staff across his various companies.

As Regional Chairman of the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) in Kent and Medway and Policy Chairman for SE England, he works with many of the key movers and shakers in the region and represents a business membership of 7000 companies in Kent and Medway and circa 39,000 across the southeast in what is the largest business representative organisation in the UK (217,000).

COMMERCIAL ROLES AND INTERESTS

• Managing Director Big Solutions Ltd; Managing Director Education for Enterprise CIC
• Business development consultant, marketing, public relations, strategic marketing   planning, media management, creative design, corporate image development and   communications
• Journalist and presenter, (public speaking)
• Business trainer and mentor
• Education researcher and education training materials developer
• Publishing
• Professional lobbyist, public affairs specialist
• Small Business Ambassadors™ - taking business people into schools
• Sfedi Ambassador
• Accreditation Programme for business people working in schools (Sfedi and LSC)

PUBLIC ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

KENT
• Member of Kent Economic Board and Advisory Board
• Member of The Kent Partnership
• Invitee, The Kent Ambassadors
• Member Backing Kent Business group
• Member Kent Skills Commission
• Member West Kent Partnership
• Working with Kent universities
• Past member of the Broadband development group

SOUTHEAST
• FSB SE Policy Unit Chairman
• Past Vice-Chairman SE Regional Assembly
• Member Regional Skills for Productivity Alliance
• Member SE Stakeholders regrouping committee (post Assembly)
• Member South East Business Forum (CBI, IoD, ICAEW, SE Chambers, EEF, FSB)
• Member SEBSAB (SEEDA - Business Simplification Board, overseeing Business
• Link, 2009 Business Link contract advisory panel member)
• Member SE Economic Development Council (with SE Minister)
• Invitee; SE Sector Skills Alliance group
• LANTRA Ambassador
• FSB Education and Skills portfolio
• European Government small business liaison

NATIONALLY
• FSB Board Director (Deputy)
• FSB National Policy Committee member
• Member BIS Business Skills for Procurement work group
• Sector Skills Councils FSB national liaison
• RSA Fellow
• Member Hansard Society
• SFEDI Ambassador

PHILANTHROPICALLY

• Vice-Chair Board of Engineering Skills Centre, Swale
• Visiting Speaker (politics) Canterbury Christchurch University devising programme   with lecturers to create a Political Apprentice scheme
• Visiting speaker on business, Canterbury Christchurch University faculty of   business
• Common Purpose Graduate 2002

In the course of his FSB work, he has been to 10 Downing Street to meet the PMs Chief Political Adviser (The day our Olympics bid win was announced), Buckingham Palace for Tea and was been one of a very small group that interviewed the President of the EU Parliament in August 2007. He also meets with the Chairmen and CEOs of most of the regional agencies and organisations and Government Ministers in carrying out the policy work of the FSB. His unit delivers bi-monthly briefing notes to MPs, Leaders and CEO’s of local Authorities in the southeast.

Currently Roger is the co-owner and Managing Director of BIG Solutions Ltd, a strategic marketing and business development company which also handles public affairs contracts. He is co-founder of Education for Enterprise CIC (A social enterprise company delivering the educational project into schools and beyond). Here he has worked with thousands of young people in secondary schools, together with teachers and Education Authority staff. E4E has been commissioned by the LSC to create a quality standard for business people working in schools to be SFEDI accredited. He is currently supporting an apprentice skills centre in Swale as a Board member delivering a broad business and political network. The company also specialises in educational research and consultancy.

Roger has built an extensive network of personal contacts from micro business owners to the most senior executives in national agencies and Government at all levels, taking in people from business, politics, faith, voluntary and academic sectors.
Roger is also a writer and presenter. Trained in public speaking and all media interview techniques. He regularly writes for the press with a personal column and presenting the FSB’s major political issues and initiatives in the SE. He has delivered speeches and sat on speaker panels across the southeast and from TUC at Congress House, The House of Commons and in Brussels.

PERSONAL INTERESTS

• Meeting his wife in spare moments watching Coronation Street and going out for a   curry
• Their two children, supporting their education and literary and musical talents
• Going cycling when found the tyre pump
• Photography when in the mood
• Driving (just as well with the travelling across the southeast)
• Reading (Don’t try to bother him when in a good book)
• Strolling to the village pub (a CAMRA winner) at the end of the road with a   neighbour

WHAT OTHER PEOPLE HAVE SAID ABOUT ROGER
SE Policy Unit Chairman & Kent Regional Chair
Federation of Small Businesses
“Roger has a detailed knowledge of what SME's need in the South East and is passionate to articluate these needs. He is thorough, professional and a very good negotiator. I will look forward to working with him again.” June 7, 2009
Ara Martirossian , ICAEW SESCA President, ICAEW

“Roger is a prolific networker and highly effective champion of small businesses in the South East region. His knowledge and insights are highly valued by myself and colleagues at SEEDA. Roger is a key member of the South East Business Support Advisory Board and a regular contributor in helping SEEDA develop programmes of support for small businesses.” June 6, 2009
Julie Kapsalis , Director of Business Support, SEEDA

“Roger's leadership of the FSB's South East Policy Unit has always provided us with mission-critical insight into the needs, wants, desires of small businesses in the region. In addition, he has brought his influence to bear on the public policy environment in the region on a number of occaisons, to win some improtant strategic battles for the regions businesses.” May 31, 2009
Jim Sims , Business Development Director, ngage solutions

“Roger is creative but also has the practical skills to develop initiatives. Extremely good at public relations and influencing with an indepth knowledge of local, Regional and National Government. Exciting to work with.” May 29, 2009
Gill Perkins , Regional Area manager South West, Federation of Small Businesses
worked directly with Roger at Federation of Small Businesses

“Roger has extensive knowledge of the needs of small businesses in the County and has built strong links with relevant key stakeholders in the South East to champion their needs, ensuring the voice of small business is heard.” May 27, 2009
Jo James , Chief Executive, Kent Invicta Chamber of Commerce

“Roger has consistently delivered for the FSB, for SEEDA and for his partners across the South East Region over many years. His knowledge of and enthusiasm for the key issues that drive positive change are well known and respected - as is his support for young entrepreneurs.” May 27, 2009
Peter Cowen , Partnership Director, BT

“Based on my extensive experience of working with Roger, I am pleased to commend his enthusiasm and practical commitment to supporting small buinesses and an enterprising culture more generally. He has a strong partnership ethos and the ability to work across all sectors utilising his professional expertese and communication skills.” May 27, 2009
Jeff Alexander , Executive Director, SEEDA

“Roger has a passion for small business issues and is a font of knowledge on all things SME. Never afraid to point out that the Emperor is indeed naked, and understands life at the business coalface.” May 27, 2009
Alex Pratt , Non Exec Director, SEEDA

“Roger is passionate about helping small business and is a main driver behind the FSB in the region. He also knows the movers and drivers in the south east.” May 12, 2009
Richard Romain , Marketing Consultant, ASK Kent Limited

“I've worked with Roger in his role at the FSB and Regional Assembly. Roger was instrumental in setting up SEBUS with the other leading business representative organisations in the South East. He is a great guy to work with and always gets his point across in a friendly and constructive manner.” May 11, 2009
David Seall , Region Director, EEF

Vice-Chairman SE REGIONAL ASSEMBLY
“I have worked with Roger for several years at a regional strategy level. He has a excellent knowledge of the issues and how they affect and interact with others, especially the impact of regional policy on local business.” July 20, 2009
Mark Pearson, Member, South East England Regional Assembly

Managing Director, BIG Solutions Ltd
Kent County Council has worked together with Big Solutions Ltd (a member of the PWL Consortium) on developing their concept, Making Micros Matter. I have been consistently impressed with the depth and clarity of knowledge and the innovative strategic thinking demonstrated by this company. The ability to bring together public and private establishments is no easy task and they have clearly demonstrated they have access to critical parts of both sectors at all levels together with a wealth of original thought.
Nick Vickers Head of Financial Services, Kent County Council

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