Partner Profiles
Ian Ferguson MBA - Project Director
Prior to pfbb Ian had a commercial market and business development background in Retail and Consumer Goods Manufacturing starting his career with Marks and Spencer.
Ian has considerable experience of assessing and reviewing markets for places and businesses, developing strategies and project managing implementation. Driven from a commercial perspective and a need to deliver to the target audience, improved footfall and business performance can be demonstrated in places and businesses alike.
Ian is a member of the BIS Retail Policy Forum and a member of the Association of Town Centre Management Advisory Council. He holds an MBA from Leicester University and has been course module leader for MSc in Competitive Marketing Strategy at the Leicester Business School.
Chris Hollins - Project Director
Senior Fellow of the Institute of Place Management
BSc Pharmacy
Continuing the work he had pursued for ten years as Town Centre Support Manager with Boots the Chemists, Chris operated New Horizon Ltd for the last 13 years before joining forces with pfbb. A founder member and past chairman of the Association of Town Centre Management (ATCM), he has played a leading role in driving through the acceptance of town centre management by national government, reflected in planning guidance from DCLG and the Scottish Executive.
Chris was part of the team that explored the development of Business Improvement Districts in the UK, drafting up the primary legislation to allow their creation and then helping to pilot the first few locations through to successful votes and then widening the appeal of the concept across the country.
In 2008 Chris was appointed as senior fellow of the Institute of Place Management (linked to the Manchester Metropolitan University), one of only three such awards in the world, to acknowledge his work on town and city centre development.
Melanie Ferguson-Allen - Director
Melanie has a commercial background, which includes sales management of the Royal Show and specialist events for the Royal Agricultural Society of England, and fundraising on behalf of Derby Cathedral, securing major grants to develop and establish the Derby Cathedral Centre.
In her role as City Centre Manager for Derby, Melanie created effective partnerships between private, public and voluntary sectors to support the development of a vibrant city centre and leading to the establishment of Derby’s first Business Improvement District. She managed the sales of exhibition space in Derby’s streets and open spaces, increasing turnover year on year, and project led the establishment of major events such as Derby’s first Ice Rink and its first Observational Wheel. These activities were key drivers for increasing footfall in the area.
Melanie has managed targeted marketing campaigns and media liaison to showcase retail, leisure and dining sector excellence in Derby. Trained as a Purple Flag National Assessor for the Evening Economy, she was instrumental in the preparation of Derby’s approach to improving its evening economy. Melanie is a Prince 2 Practitioner