Ann Porter BA MBA

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Career Social Entrepreneur

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Working at CEO and Managing Director level, I have specialised in transforming organisations facing complex challenges. I thrive on complexity, finding solutions and getting things done, regardless of sector. As a result, my career has spanned boundaries at a senior level.

 

I have held Executive Director posts in London’s NHS; led a Scottish national charity from a basic start to significant growth; built arms-length enterprises from scratch to improve public service productivity and founded my own commercial, design-led innovation company.  I navigate easily between commercial business disciplines and public service ethos.

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Experience

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  • Experience of senior leadership roles (Board level) in tough, target driven multi-million pound public service organisations

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  • Excellent analytical, financial and decision making skills integral to strategic thinking, planning and governance in complex organisations

 

  • Experience of founding and building new, sustainable ventures both within and outside public service

 

  • Knowledge of how to navigate between commerciality and public service ethos

 

  • Knowledge of how to innovate in complex public service organisations

 

  • Adept brokerage skills with the ability to forge partnerships easily to get things done

 

  • Systems thinker, intellectually curious with the ability to absorb complex information rapidly

 

Fuel for Innovation Track Record

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  • Creation and delivery of innovation programmes for public service organisations across the UK

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  • Design and delivery of a pioneering education programme for Brighton and Sussex Medical School, Entrepreneurial Competencies for Doctors

 

  • Patient-led, ground-up innovation venture in partnership with NHS London worth £250k per annum

 

  • Feasibility study for NHS Fife about the potential of NHS-led social enterprises as a measure for business growth

 

  • Scotland-wide innovation education programme for NHS Education for Scotland, delivered in 11 locations

 

  • Introduction of commercial thinking (customer experience) into the commissioning plans of NHS Leicester and Rutland

 

  • Business development for a major, national disability charity that included a high volume tendering function to maintain existing business and secure new business in a saturated marketplace with contracting investment

 

  • 18 month contract with NHS South West Essex to improve the experience of patients across the system as an integral part of the quality assurance framework

 

  • Senior Advisor with the Young Foundation, a social innovation think tank.  Advisor to a Nesta-funded social investment fund to support innovation across health and social care; founder of a major income generation scheme, Social-Entrepreneur-in-Residence

 

  • Co-founder of Feisty Women, a Scottish charity that exists to advance equality and economic justice for women over the age of 60.

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