By Philip Tallentire
Rapidly expanding industry training experts NC Group has announced an exciting major leadership reshuffle.
Liam Noble, one of the Newton Aycliffe-based firm’s rising stars, has been promoted into the managing director role.
It’s a switch that enables Liam’s predecessor as MD, Ian Nelson, and fellow NC Group founding director, Lee Childs, to join forces as the company’s joint CEOs.
Factor in the firm’s vastly experienced board of directors and the end result is a bold structural reorganisation that promises increased business acumen, a flexible and effective management team and further year-on-year expansion for NC Group, which has achieved hugely-impressive rates of growth since its foundation in 2017.
Summarising the changes, new co-CEO Ian said: “I’m moving out of the MD role, Lee’s moving out of the executive director role and we’ve appointed Liam as the new MD.
“As a business we are aiming to take NC Group to the next level, and with that in mind we’ve taken the strategic step for myself and Lee to sit between the board and the daily running of the business under Liam.
“That gives Liam the opportunity to fulfil that aim of taking NC Group to the next level under his leadership as he puts his own mark on our business while as CEOs we oversee the entire operation.
“Success is driven from the front and we will be here driving the business forward but to allow us to do that we appointed Liam. We will be a critical friend to him while we also dedicate more time to growing the business.”
While Liam settles in as managing director, Ian and Lee will continue their public-facing role as they forge working relationships with new clients and continue to liaise with existing partners.
They will build on the exceptional reputation NC Group has earned over the past seven years as an industry training specialist and allow Liam to blossom in his new senior leadership role.
Singing his new MD’s praises, Ian said: “When we brought Liam into the business we saw a lot of talent in him.
“We’re impressed with the way that he approaches situations; his empathy, his engagement skills, his knowledge and attention to detail; his good financial management; his strong oversight of quality and his role in the development of NC Group as a business.
“As a training business we always focus on succession planning and in Liam we have someone that can take a succession plan and drive it forward.”
Ian admitted stepping aside as MD was a decision he didn’t take lightly.
“I’ve always been proud of being managing director, so it’s been a massive step for me to identify a successor and hand the role over,” he revealed.
“However, as joint-CEO, our current customers, our future customers and the business network and community in this region will know that I’m still around!”
Liam joined NC Group in 2019 and over the past five years has played an important role in the firm’s success.
Reflecting on his promotion, he said: “It’s a massive accolade for me and the highest position I’ve held within an organisation, so I was obviously over the moon when Lee and Ian approached me.
“It allows Ian and Lee to move away from day-to-day operations and spend more time bringing in business. It’s up to me to make a success of the business they bring into NC Group.
“Things are going well,” Liam added.
“Their expertise is best suited to going out and utilising their knowledge in the field. They can go out and network, speak to potential new clients and open more doors to us as an organisation.
“For me personally as soon as I heard about the new role, I immediately started generating thoughts on how I can take the business forward as a managing director.”
Find out more at ncgroupltd.co.uk
• Pictured above: New NC Group managing director Liam Noble (centre) with co-CEOs Ian Nelson (right) and Lee Childs at the firm’s premises on Aycliffe Business Park. PICTURE: TOM BANKS
