Veronica Swindale - MD of nesma
Based in Newcastle, Veronica has grown nesma into an international marketing and communications training business with a community of 16 tutors (including globally recognised authors) working with learners from 27 countries across three continents and an alumni of 1000’s.
As an ambassador for formally recognised vocational qualifications, the business helps learners achieve their ambitions and client marketing teams to develop and retain their talent. To achieve this, Veronica has forged valuable partnerships with major institutions, including the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM), the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) and other complementary organisations and is working to develop an even more comprehensive range of learning solutions to support professionals at every stage of their marketing or communications career.
We discovered more about how Veronica forged her passion for developing marketing skills.
How long have you been work working in marketing?
I first started working in marketing for the A & P Appledore Group way back in the last century! Amongst other things, my roles included market research on behalf of shipbuilding and ship repair companies worldwide, and I cut my marketing teeth as a Project Consultant. The company supported me in pursuing my Post-Graduate Diploma in Management Studies and CIM PostGraduate Diploma in Marketing at Northumbria University. I subsequently qualified as one of the first CIM Chartered Marketers in the country and have just celebrated 25 years with fellow Chartered Marketers at the CIM Head office in Berkshire.
Why do you think you have been successful?
I have focused on continuously growing our catchment, and nesma now has students in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia. Learners are drawn to our expertise, high results, culture and values. My approach has always been that every student has unique needs and that we tailor our approach and course recommendations to meet those needs along their career journey. Many students continue to study with us for their second, third, fourth and even fifth qualifications as they climb their career ladder, and it’s great to see them progress along the way.
How do you keep your business relevant?
Many of our students are funded by their employers as part of their training or CPD programmes, and that is as significant now as it was when I was sponsored when I first started. It’s great to see so many employers rewarding and supporting talent. nesma has created an environment of flexible learning so that all our students learn within a supportive community and interesting peer groups. High-quality internal and external customer care is paramount. We have created a style of teaching known as ‘the nesma way’, which is highly collaborative and supportive. Our workbased assignments provide immediate benefit to the learner and their employers. We are constantly refreshing and updating our development options. We have recently evolved our digital marketing and sustainability modules and added P R Smith’s SOSTAC® Marketing Planning qualifications as one- and two-day masterclasses. It’s important to me that even fully qualified practitioners can always find something new to enhance their CVs and knowledge base, as one of the best things about life is that we never have to stop learning and keeping nesma relevant certainly keeps me on my toes, too!
What does the future hold?
We are building the business through additional course development and growing the nesma teaching and delivery teams. Most of our business is built on word of mouth. The team is working hard on developing our presence in new territories through partnerships and collaborations. In the meantime, I would love to catch up with as many friends and associates in the North East as possible to discuss your training and development plans and how we might work together to build our relationships.
Veronica.Swindale@nesma.co.uk
Tel: 07590 018205
