Dear members of the Help to Grow Alumni Network,

As Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury, I have oversight for growth, productivity, and skills, and I am an advocate of Help to Grow: Management. I wanted to get in touch with the Alumni Network to give you my warm wishes and thank you all for taking part in this very important programme.

I am pleased that in November many of you were able to participate in the National Alumni Conference. I have heard this was a great success, giving an opportunity to SME leaders from across the country to share experiences and insights from taking part in the programme.

SMEs are engines of the economy and the resilience and achievements of SME leaders such as yourselves should be commended. This Government is passionate about giving SME leaders the tools to thrive and grow, and effective management is one of the main drivers of firm-level productivity. At the Autumn Statement in November, the Chancellor set out an ambitious package to supercharge small and medium-sized businesses: this included a commitment to future delivery of the Help to Grow: Management programme beyond 2025, alongside a wider announcement of a business rates support package worth £4.3 billion over the next five years to support small businesses and the high street, action on late payments, and strengthened support for SMEs to access export markets. On 1 February, the Government built on this: alongside the announcement of a new Small Business Council, the Government launched a refreshed campaign to provide a ‘one-stop-shop’ of support and advice for small firms and – with Small Business Britain – launched the Lilac Review to tackle and overcome the inequality faced by disabled business owners.

Businesses are created because of the passion and skill of leaders such as yourselves. However, I know managing a business as it starts to grow and flourish comes with great challenges. Nurturing the leadership and management of small businesses is essential for our SMEs and for our economy, and we know that participants see the Help to Grow programme translating into tangible business benefits and increased confidence. 

Since the programme was launched in 2021, we now have over 5,000 people who have joined the Alumni Network. The Alumni Network is a valuable way for you to continue your development, share ideas with other SME leaders, and promote the programme as a whole.

All of those who complete the course should feel immense pride, and I would encourage you to spread the word and tell other SME leaders about the value of the course. I would also like to thank the accredited business schools for their hard work and commitment in delivering all aspects of this programme, and their commitment to supporting the SME leaders beyond the delivery of the course.  

With all best wishes,

Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

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