North East-based creative digital firm Orange Bus has taken on a commercial director as the fast-growing business embarks on its most aggressive growth plans to-date.
Graham Thrower - who has extensive experience of growing businesses, raising finance, and strategic and advisory work - has joined Orange Bus to help the company hit ambitious growth targets of between £3-5million in the next two years.
Orange Bus - originally named after co-director Julian Leighton's VW camper van - has doubled in size year-on-year since its formation in 2006 and now, having recruited eight staff in the last 12 months, has a 21-strong workforce. Last year's turnover reached £800,000, this year it is tipped to be in excess of £1.5m.
The company, which recently expanded from its infamous windmill office to bigger Quayside premises in Newcastle's Generator Studios, has an enviable client list including global names such as Sage, Barclays, Tommi Tippee and Eaga, and most recently, international media, publishing and education company Pearson.
Managing director, Mr Leighton, believes one of the key reasons Orange Bus is winning such prestigious projects is its specialism in user experience: "We are transformational for our clients through the strength of our creative input, strategic insights and user-focused delivery.
"We continue to believe that there is an opportunity in being outstanding - we set out to be a front runner in this area and have invested heavily in a top-end technical team, which has undoubtedly paid off. This, coupled with our ability to create great looking websites and integrate them with any complex third-party system such as financials and logistics, is setting us apart in the marketplace."
The company is getting all the right attention, last month it was awarded the accolade of North East Agency of the Year at its industry's MiAwards 2010 and has spent this year as Digital Agency of the Year, according to its trade magazine The Drum.
In November last year Chris Rhodes, who has vast experience in technology, media and internet markets including the development and launch of Talk Talk's "Free Broadband" service in the UK, joined Orange Bus as non-executive director.
Mr Leighton said: "Although it's been a challenging year, Orange Bus has enjoyed its most significant period of growth and it's never been a case of will we be able to grow, but more how will we manage the growth
"Having Chris involved meant we became a lot more strategic about the business and it forced us into a world of intensive planning," he said. "We have consequently spent considerable time investing in the best core development team and are now ready to move up to the next gear.
"Graham has extensive experience of marketing to multi-nationals and giving strategic guidance on how to structure rapid growth. We are confident that with his proven track record of adding value through differentiation and the breadth of his finance knowledge, he's the right person to help us navigate our way through and upwards."
Mr Thrower has gathered extensive global experience in the finance sector with the likes of Citigroup and Societe Generale, and has chaired a national music development agency through an unprecedented period of growth.
Now, having spent the last six years being heavily involved with economic regeneration, issues of access to finance and the commercial creative sector in the north of England, he is set to apply that knowledge as commercial director at Orange Bus: "There is a real market opportunity out there for dynamic, creative businesses like Orange Bus," he said. "Many of the essential characteristics are in place such as great delivery, a differentiated customer proposition and a strong client list.
"What is also compelling for me personally is that both Julian and co-director Mike Parker have realised that life becomes infinitely more complex as you grow to £3m or £5m turnover and beyond - financial and strategic issues require more planning and structured solutions. Multi-nationals want strategic partners that will care for and leverage their brand, not peripheral suppliers. We have a number of initiatives and plans to be rolled out during 2011 and I look forward to working with the Orange Bus team in what promises to be a transformational time."
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