- Ren Kapur will work with FSB to help advance policy change for the ‘armed forces in business’ community
Mike Cherry, National Chairman of the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), has appointed Ren Kapur MBE, Chief Executive Office of X-Forces Enterprise (XFE), to the newly created volunteer Armed Forces champion for small businesses.
The move is one of a series of deliverables set out in a new Memorandum of Understanding between FSB and XFE. These include knowledge sharing, representation, research and joint public relations opportunities.
Mike Cherry, FSB National Chairman, said: “Self-employment can be a positive option for service leavers to choose. However, the particular circumstances which service leavers are in suggests that extensive bespoke support for those considering this route is a sensible approach to take.
“I’m delighted that Ren is FSB’s new Armed Forces Champion. Ren will work closely with FSB’s Policy Chair for Home Affairs, Neil Sharpley, to help shape FSB’s ongoing work with policy makers and the public and private sectors to support those from the military communities in the small business sector.”
Ren Kapur MBE, XFE Chief Executive Officer and founder, said: “I am honoured to have been appointed by FSB in this role in support of the Armed Forces Community I feel so passionately about. There is no doubt that the skills, can-do attitude and experience gained from a career in the Armed Forces equips many with the capability they need to successfully enter the world of business and entrepreneurship.
“Since 2013 XFE have established a proven track record of progressively helping over 1300 ex-service men and women to successfully build and scale up new businesses; working collaboratively with government and policy makers to create the right environment for them to do so. I am delighted to have the opportunity to share XFE’s experience to help support FSB’s Policy Development for this sector.”
ENDS
A high resolution image of Ren Kapur with Mike Cherry is available on request.
Notes to Editors
- FSB is a signatory of the Armed Forces Covenant and has pledged to recognise the value serving personnel, reservists, veterans and military families bring to the UK small business community, including FSB’s members.
- About Ren Kapur MBE: Ren has started and run her own businesses throughout her life and is passionate about enabling individuals and communities to support themselves through enterprise. She believes that enterprise skills are equally important whether you work for yourself or for an employer.
Her focus, throughout her career, has been to support sales and marketing strategies that promote business growth and client acquisition. She has combined her years of experience from various organisations to concentrate on entrepreneurial endeavours and support new enterprise.
She has channelled contacts and working relationships to X-Forces Enterprise (XFE), of which she is CEO and Founder, supporting new enterprise in the military community. Since 2013, XFE has supported over 1,300 business ventures launched by veterans, service leavers, reservists, cadets and/or family members.
Ren was awarded an MBE for services to the entrepreneurship in 2016 in the Queen’s 90th Birthday Honours list and joined the British Army as a Reservist in October 2017.
Ren has recently been appointed Visiting Fellow at the Lord Ashcroft International Business School at Anglia Ruskin University in the UK. This fellowship reflects the breadth of working closer relationships being forged by X-Forces Enterprise in leading the military community into enterprise.
Notes to editor
Tenneka Richards,
Marketing & Communications officer
X-Forces Enterprise
+44 (0)207 811 3237
[email protected]
About FSB
As the UK’s business support group, FSB is the voice of the UK’s small businesses and the self-employed. Established over 40 years ago to help its members succeed in business, FSB is a non-profit making and non-party political organisation that’s led by its members, for its members. As the UK’s leading business campaigner, FSB is focused on delivering change which supports smaller businesses to grow and succeed. FSB offers members a wide range of vital business services, including access to finance, business banking, legal advice and support along with a powerful voice in Government. Each year FSB also runs the UK’s FSB Celebrating Small Business Awards.
About X-Forces Enterprise (XFE)
XFE is an award-winning Community Interest Company that nurtures entrepreneurial ambition in the UK military community and are the official delivery partner to the governments Start Up loans scheme and the Careers Transition Partnership (MOD). XFE have supported over 1,300 entrepreneurs to start their own businesses and has helped thousands more through training, events and mentoring provisions.
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About FSB
As the UK’s largest business support group, FSB is the voice of the UK’s small businesses and the self-employed. Established over 40 years ago to help its members succeed in business, FSB is a non-profit making and non-party political organisation that’s led by its members, for its members. As the UK’s leading business campaigner, FSB is focused on delivering change which supports smaller businesses to grow and succeed.
FSB offers members a wide range of vital business services, including access to finance, business banking, legal advice and support along with a powerful voice in Government. Each year FSB also runs the UK’s Celebrating Small Business Awards. More information is available at www.fsb.org.uk. You can follow us on twitter @fsb_policy and on Instagram @fsb_uk.