Stuart Armstrong

Stuart Armstrong brings over 4 years of valuable experience working for Business Durham, Durham County Council's business support service. He started his career at Durham County Council in the housing team where he took on project-based policy work before moving into an Innovation and Research Executive role at Business Durham.

As Innovation and Research Executive, Stuart was responsible for providing economic insights, analysing county-wide data, identifying performance gaps, and working with partners to improve business productivity. He also played a crucial role during the COVID-19 pandemic, assessing applications and allocating recovery grants to help local businesses adapt and take advantage of new opportunities.

Stuart then joined the Durham Business Opportunities Programme team as a Business Engagement Officer covering the north of County Durham. He has worked to establish the Northern Tenant Network as well as managing the established Drum Business Park Network to foster connections between businesses in the region. Stuart also led the micro COVID recovery strand, which assisted companies with marketing, websites, e-commerce and more.

In his current position as Business Engagement Officer for the Durham Business Growth Programme, Stuart serves as the first point of contact for enquiries and facilitates engagement through business networks. He works directly with companies to uncover their growth potential and create tailored action plans. Stuart connects businesses to appropriate support programmes and provides guidance as a trusted advisor throughout their engagement. His on-the-ground experience also enables him to give feedback to help adapt and enhance programme delivery.

With over 4 years dedicated to business support and engagement roles with Business Durham, Stuart brings a wealth of relevant experience and expertise to help drive business growth and success in the region.