With more than 20 years of experience across manufacturing, operations and business transformation, Kate Knight joins GM Business Growth Hub's Manufacturing Team with a strong track record of improving performance, enhancing customer experience and developing high-performing teams. Combining operational expertise with a people-centred approach, she supports manufacturers across Greater Manchester to drive productivity, resilience and sustainable growth.
Kate began her career in manufacturing and operations, developing hands-on experience across customer operations, fulfilment, supply chain coordination, and business improvement. Over more than two decades, she has built a diverse leadership career spanning manufacturing, premium home improvement brands, distribution, and consumer products. This breadth of experience has given her a unique perspective on the challenges businesses face as they grow, scale, and adapt to changing market conditions.
Kate has been driven by a passion for improving performance, developing people, and creating customer-focused operations. From frontline management roles through to senior leadership positions, she has consistently focused on building high-performing teams, streamlining processes, and delivering sustainable operational improvements.
Transforming Operations Through Leadership and Process Improvement
A defining period in Kate's career was her time with BHID Group, overseeing client services, aftercare, and scheduling functions across both Neville Johnson and London Door Company. Responsible for managing the end-to-end customer journey for two premium brands, she played a critical role in ensuring operational excellence while maintaining exceptional customer service standards.
During her tenure, Kate led significant process improvements that enhanced efficiency, strengthened workflows, and improved collaboration across departments. She successfully established new teams and introduced structured processes and resources that enabled the business to better support customers throughout their journey. Following the acquisition of London Door Company, Kate also played a key role in supporting integration activities, helping align operations while maintaining service continuity and customer satisfaction.
Her ability to identify opportunities for improvement while balancing operational demands has become a hallmark of her leadership style, enabling businesses to achieve measurable gains without compromising customer experience.
People-Centred Leadership and Business Transformation
At the heart of Kate's approach is a strong belief that successful businesses are built around engaged, empowered people. She has led teams through periods of growth, transformation, restructuring, and change, always placing people at the centre of the process.
Whether introducing new working practices, creating dedicated aftercare functions, or supporting organisational change, Kate has consistently focused on clear communication, collaboration, and capability building. Her leadership has helped teams adapt to new challenges while maintaining high levels of performance and customer satisfaction.
This people-first approach has enabled her to develop strong, resilient teams capable of delivering results in fast-paced and constantly evolving environments.
Helping Manufacturers Grow Through Practical Experience
One of Kate's greatest strengths as a Manufacturing Advisor is her ability to combine strategic thinking with practical operational experience. Having worked within businesses experiencing rapid growth, acquisitions, operational change, and evolving customer expectations, she understands first-hand the realities facing manufacturers today.
She regularly supports businesses in areas including productivity improvement, operational efficiency, workforce development, customer journey enhancement, and business growth planning. Her commercial background allows her to quickly identify challenges and opportunities, helping leaders develop practical solutions that can be implemented and sustained.
Kate recognises the pressures manufacturers face, from rising costs and workforce challenges to increasing customer expectations and market competition. At the same time, she sees significant opportunities for businesses willing to embrace innovation, strengthen processes, invest in people, and explore new markets.
A Practical Approach to Sustainable Growth
For Kate, joining the Greater Manchester Business Growth Hub brought together her passion for operational excellence and her desire to help businesses succeed. As a Business Advisor and Manufacturing Advisor, she works closely with manufacturers across Greater Manchester to support productivity improvements, business resilience, innovation, leadership development, and sustainable growth.
Drawing on more than 20 years of industry and leadership experience, Kate provides pragmatic, commercially focused advice that helps businesses move from ambition to action. Her combination of operational expertise, customer focus, and transformation experience enables her to support manufacturers at every stage of their growth journey.
Kate's appointment within the Manufacturing Team strengthens the support available to manufacturers across Greater Manchester, providing businesses with access to real-world experience, practical guidance, and a trusted advisor who understands the challenges and opportunities of modern manufacturing.
Find out more about the 1-to-1 support available from our Manufacturing team here.
Read more about our fully funded Manufacturing workshops.