New expert brought in to boost government鈥檚 relationship with small businesses
New 'Small Business Crown Representative' will make sure government gets best value and small businesses have improved access to government contracts.
- New 鈥楽mall Business Crown Representative鈥� will make sure the government gets the best value and small businesses have improved access to government contracts
- Martin Traynor OBE is an experienced business leader and deputy chairman of the University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust
- Martin also helped to set up visitor centre following discovery of King Richard III鈥檚 remains
An experienced business leader has been given the task of boosting the relationship between the government and small businesses.
Martin Traynor OBE is the deputy chairman of the University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, runs his own training and consultancy business and is the former Group Chief Executive of Leicestershire Chamber of Commerce.
He has now been made the government鈥檚 new Small Business Crown Representative 鈥� a role which will see him make sure the government gets the best value from small business and small businesses have the best possible opportunity to work with the government.
Martin Traynor said:
I鈥檓 delighted to take on the role of Small Business Crown Representative and to build on the work of my predecessor, Emma Jones.
The government buys a wide range of goods and services from businesses right across the country.
This represents a huge opportunity for many of the UK鈥檚 small businesses and I will work with colleagues from across the government to tackle any barriers to our procurement processes.
As well as his extensive business background, Mr Traynor is also the non-executive chairman of the King Richard III Visitor Centre Trust, which set up a visitor attraction following the discovery of the former King鈥檚 remains underneath a car park in Leicester.
He is also a non-executive chairman of The Forest Experience Ltd and helped raise the 拢15 million needed to build a new visitor centre in the National Forest.
The Minister for Implementation, Oliver Dowden, said:
I鈥檓 delighted that Martin has taken on this very important role.
Small businesses are the backbone of the UK鈥檚 economy. That is why we are committed to levelling the playing field so they can win their fair share of government contracts, and I know Martin is looking forward to working with them.
As the Small Business Crown Representative, Mr Traynor will lead on the overall relationship between the government and small businesses, advise ministers on the government鈥檚 engagement with them, and identify any barriers they face when working with the government.
Former SME Crown Representative, Emma Jones, stepped down from the role at the end of last year, following two years in the post.