Ervine Okuboh - Chief Executive

Ervine Okuboh is a London based economic and business development practitioner. Born in Liverpool UK of Nigerian-Barbados parentage, he worked in the diplomatic service for the Nigerian government as an information and consular officer from 1975 till 1984.

Subsequently he embarked on a career in the economic development sector and became one of the UK's first enterprise agency directors in the United Kingdom when he became the director of the Northern Black Business Association in 1986; leading a team of business development advisors to assist SME companies in the Greater Manchester and Merseyside areas to access mainstream markets. He has also held many senior managerial positions within UK local, regional and central government departments including the Departments of Environment, Business Enterprise and Regulatory Skills (BERR).

Ervine has a considerable network of business contacts at local, regional, national and international level, attained at the highest level, during the last 35 years. He has successfully led numerous UK and foreign companies through start up to business growth and skills development.

He has extensive and in-depth experience of working in the public, private and voluntary sectors in the SME business development sector and has been at the forefront of the UK's largest business, skills and economic regeneration programmes over the aforementioned 30 years, delivering over £12.3 billion worth of regeneration programmes in Liverpool, Manchester Leeds and four major regeneration programmes in London. Ervine has also undertaken major consultancy and business development programmes in Nigeria, Barbados USA and Jamaica, bringing investment to these regions. In addition to the above, Ervine has a very successful track record of bid writing, designing fundraising packages and directly raising funding and finance for projects, initiatives, as a business development consultant achieving business growth for SMEs. He has successfully raised over £10 billion for both corporate and SME clients.

Some of his achievements include:

• Advising senior UK public and private sector senior managers on the delivery of major international and domestic trade, investment and development projects in the UK and Africa.
• Established the AFFORD Business Club in London, providing business training, management support and finance to UK based SME businesses trading in selected African countries. This role also involves establishing AFFORD as a principal business support unit in the centre of business support services network in the UK.
• Grant Thornton’s Growth, Infrastructure and Advisory division (GIA) delivering the government’s £1 billion Business Growth Programme. Ervine’s role was to target and identify several firms/clients in the London area and work to design business skills/innovation programmes for SMEs and individuals. Identifying and supporting appropriate companies to participate in the Business Growth Programme. Providing business development management services.
• Designed/formulated and implemented London Development Agency’s flagship business programme, Procurement Development Programme for SMEs tendering for £2.9 billion public sector contracts. Management of the SME Business programme for the Greater London Authority area.
• One of six senior managers who spearheaded the UK government’s £500 million five year, commercial development programme of Liverpool city centre east. Managed community economic development programme for 5 year £350 million City Challenge regeneration scheme for Liverpool city centre.
• Managed business and economic development team providing services to SME companies, social enterprises and charities; including finance, training, counselling and business support for the Leeds inner urban area. In 1989 he was appointed Director of Leeds City Council’s Chapeltown Business Centre, a large purpose built, development, providing workshop facilities, offices and retail units, finance and business training to small businesses within the Leeds inner urban area.

In addition to his function at MEDS, Ervine is currently also the Senior Advisor to the Commonwealth Alliance and a non-Executive Director of Veinvest Ltd, a UK based global company, an International Consultancy firm providing management consultancy in Private Equity, Strategy, Business Development, Joint Venture, Partnership, major investment and project management services to companies in Africa, the Middle East and Asia.