Using experience to inspire businesses

10:07am Monday 12th May 2008

THE new chairman of the Business Link North-East has backed the If We Can You Can challenge.

After beginning his career as a teacher, Roy Stanley became the founder and chairman of multi-million pound global engineering company The Tanfield Group and is head of the region's biggest business support organisation.

Almost a decade after establishing Tanfield, Mr Stanley is keen to inspire others and has backed the If We Can You Can challenge.

"I think the If We Can You Can campaign is a great idea," he said. "Encouraging and bringing through a new generation of entrepreneurs will prove invaluable for the future economy of the region."

Mr Stanley taught for more than ten years at a comprehensive school in Newcastle before starting a business to gain leadership skills to become a headteacher. His business, which recorded a turnover of £50,000 in 1999, is expected to see sales of £240m.

"Tanfield was thought about, conceived and developed in the North-East,"

he said. "When I decided I was going to set up in business for myself, I thought whatever was going to happen, good or bad, I was going to learn from it."

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