The Times and The Sunday Times today launches The Times Enterprise Network, a new cross-platform network to advise, inspire and inform the established business leaders and aspiring entrepreneurs in its audience.

According to the latest PAMCO figures, The Times and Sunday Times reaches just under a third (2.1 million) of all micro and small business decision makers in the UK.  

Ipsos MORI reports that the titles collectively reach 69% of all business decision makers in medium-sized businesses within the UK who are Global Business Influencers, which is more than any other newsbrand. 

To better support this audience, the titles are expanding their SME coverage by launching The Times Enterprise Network. It will showcase showcase the titles’ existing content, including breaking news, views from columnist James Timpson, alongside exclusive new insights from Britain’s leading entrepreneurs.

Advice-led features such as ‘Inside track’, ‘What I learned’ and 'How I made it' will sit alongside a new business clinic, and  Times+ events will bring business leaders together to learn from each other and build new relationships. Subscribers will receive a newsletter, with exclusive content, links to the best articles of the last week and further sources of inspiration.

During its launch week, Steve Hewitt, CEO of Gymshark, Nisha Katona, founder of Mowgli Street Food, and Eddie Hearn, chairman of Matchroom Sport will be among the star entrepreneurs contributing to the Network.

BGF has signed up as the launch partner of The Times Enterprise Network, with Ford and Lloyds the first advertisers to sign up to the Network. 

As part of the launch, The Times Enterprise Network will be showcasing SCALEUP WEEK: THE BUSINESS PLAN, which runs 18th – 20th May. The campaign is a joint initiative between BGF and The ScaleUp Institute, which has active support from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and the Prime Minister’s Build Back Better Council. It represents a national moment to address critical challenges as the UK recovers economically from the pandemic and will convene a conversation on the future of scale-ups, innovation and investment throughout the country.

John Witherow, Editor, The Times said: “There’s never been a more important time to support the nation’s entrepreneurs. The Times Enterprise Network will provide inspiration and advice to business leaders on how to run and grow their businesses as the UK economy recovers from the impact of the coronavirus.”

Sales Director of The Times and The Sunday Times, Caroline Tredget, said: “We reach a significant proportion of SME owners in the UK and The Times Enterprise Network will be uniquely placed to help advise, inspire and inform our readers. Simultaneously, the Network will serve as the perfect environment for brands to target hard-to-reach business decision-makers in a trusted and aspirational environment.” 

Stephen Welton, executive chairman of BGF, said: “We’re delighted to be partnering with The Times Enterprise Network for its launch. BGF is the UK’s most active investor in growth economy businesses, and as such we are committed to supporting the needs of fast-growth companies across the country. Through ScaleUp Week we will be driving important conversations about the crucial issues and opportunities facing these companies and we believe that The Times’s audience of ambitious entrepreneurs will be perfectly placed to engage with these themes and inspire action on how to deliver change and growth.”

Richard Tyler has been appointed as Editor of The Times Enterprise Network. He was previously Director of Editorial at Fast Track, which researches and publishes annual rankings of Britain’s top-performing private companies with The Sunday Times. Prior to that he was Enterprise Editor of The Daily and Sunday Telegraph, covering entrepreneurs and government policy towards business. 

Richard is joined by Hannah Prevett, Deputy Editor. Hannah was previously Commercial Business Editor at Bridge Studio, News UK's commercial content arm, and has written regularly for The Times and The Sunday Times on entrepreneurship, leadership and management. Prior to that she was Section Editor at Management Today.