The ABM officially launches in Northern Ireland

27th October 2023 – The Association of Business Mentors (ABM) is launching today in Northern Ireland, reflecting the significance of this vital business support function for local businesses and calling for government, policy makers and business leaders across Northern Ireland to join forces to boost the uptake of professional business mentoring among our local businesses to help drive business growth.

The Impact of Business Mentoring for Local Businesses

To mark today’s launch, an event at Stormont is being hosted by Gordon Lyons MLA, who held the last position for the Minister of the Economy at Stormont.

In his address to an audience of business leaders, professional business mentors and policy makers, Mr Lyons comments, “Working with a professional business mentor can have a tremendous impact on the growth of any business. The ambition we have set out in our 10x economic vision needs innovation and enormous support for our business owners and executives to ultimately grow our economy, and mentoring can play a huge part in this.”  

Championing the ABM at today’s launch is the ABM Chair for Ireland, Michelle Lestas who said,

“It’s time to shine a light on the impact of business mentoring professionals in Northern Ireland. If every local business embraced the power of mentoring, the economic impact would be transformational. The ABM is committed to professional business mentoring as a vital part of the business landscape, as the organisation continues to work to ensure that businesses are supported by trusted, experienced and dynamic professional business mentors.”  

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The ABM is an important partner in the UK Government’s Help to Grow Management programme, funded by the Department for Business and Trade.  This support places a spotlight on well-matched, experienced business mentoring to transform the growth and viability of businesses.

Today’s launch is attended by Simon Fordham, ABM Chair and a number of dignitaries and businesses from across NI.  During the event, the ABM will highlight the need for action in the following five areas:

• To raise awareness of the impact of professional business mentoring on business growth.
• To collaborate with local businesses, political communities and policy makers to demonstrate the value of mentoring and to guide ambitious business leaders to seek professional support.
• To provide partnership programmes that deliver accessible mentoring opportunities to businesses.
• To raise the standard of professional business mentors, including through accreditation, codes of practice, continuing professional development and qualifications.
• To support advances in mentoring that embrace the future economic climate and long-term growth ambitions for NI businesses.