About

25 years of selling.
Based in Chester.

I'm Steve Robinson — a sales and business development consultant based in Chester. I've spent 25 years on every side of the B2B sales table: running hotel sales desks across the North West, leading commercial teams at Virgin Trains, owning UK sales for a national groundcare manufacturer and negotiating multi-million-pound contracts with global brewers. The work I do now is the work I wish I'd had access to as an operator.

Steve Robinson, Chester-based sales and business development consultant — Steve Robinson · Chester

Track record

The headline numbers.

A few of the metrics that have followed me from one engagement to the next.

0 yrs

B2B sales, business development and key account management.

YoY UK sales growth delivered at a UK groundcare manufacturer.

£0.0m

First-year revenue launching the Virgin Trains VIP / Group product.

£0m

Ingredients contract negotiated with Molson Coors.

+0%

YoY growth in international bulk-ingredients sales.

£0m

Annual corporate-travel book managed at Virgin Trains.

Career

Where the experience comes from.

Senior commercial roles across groundcare, travel, food & drink, hospitality and leisure — for blue-chip employers and ambitious SMEs alike.

2018 – 2023
UK Groundcare Manufacturer
UK Sales Manager / Business Development Manager
Owned all UK sales for the homeowner and commercial product ranges through dealerships, retailers and direct customers. Implemented a commercial strategy that delivered 20% YoY growth and managed direct relationships with high-profile accounts including Premiership football clubs, the Royal Household, trade organisations and universities.
2016 – 2018
Bevie Group / SPL International
International Sales Manager — Bulk Ingredients
Grew commercial bulk sales 40% YoY by winning new global breweries, distilleries and distributors, and maximising existing accounts. Negotiated multi-million-pound contracts including a £5m ingredients deal with Molson Coors. Worked cross-functionally with NPD, production, procurement and marketing.
2006 – 2016
Virgin Trains
Sales Manager · BDM Travel Trade · Corporate BDM
Ten years across three roles. Launched a Virgin VIP / Group travel product that generated £2.4m in year one. Drove commercial partnerships with regional tourist boards, conference venues and tour operators across Manchester, Liverpool, Chester, Birmingham and Glasgow. Managed a £60m annual corporate-travel book, growing it 9% YoY.
1990 – 2006
Hospitality, leisure & travel
Sales leadership across hotels, attractions, leisure and travel
Sales Manager at Arora Hotel Manchester. Cluster Sales Manager at Holiday Inn (IHG). Sales & Events Manager at Blue Planet Aquarium. Sales & Promotions Manager across First Leisure's nightclubs and bars. Earlier years overseas as a Holiday Representative for First Choice Holidays.

What this means for you

Operator-side experience.

I've actually done the job. I know what an FM, a procurement lead at a global brewer, a head of estates at a Premiership club, a corporate travel buyer and a hotel GM all care about — because I've sold to them, and in many cases sat on the other side of the table.

Equally comfortable working with owner-managed SMEs across Cheshire and enterprise procurement teams across the UK and Europe. Pragmatic, hands-on, and accountable for a number — not a deck.

Steve Robinson at the International Festival of Sponsorship, ECHO Arena, Liverpool — In the field
International Festival of Corporate Sponsorship — account management work with Siemens, Google Garage and HSBC.

Selected work

Three projects, three outcomes.

Groundcare

UK premium mower brand — distributor & key-account growth

Challenge: Premium British groundcare manufacturer needed to grow UK sales across both homeowner and commercial product lines through a mixed channel of dealerships, retailers and direct accounts.
Action: Owned UK sales as BDM. Rebuilt the dealer and retailer network, opened new commercial partnerships, and personally ran a portfolio of high-profile direct accounts — Premiership football clubs, the Royal Household, universities and trade bodies.
Result: 20% YoY UK sales growth delivered consistently across the engagement.

Travel

National rail operator — new VIP / Group product launch

Challenge: Virgin Trains wanted to launch a new VIP and Group travel proposition into a market with no internal sales infrastructure or external client base built for it.
Action: Built the commercial proposition end-to-end. Established partnerships with Premiership football clubs, sports agencies, music agents and Travel Management Companies. Owned operations, F&B, P&L and the booking centre.
Result: £2.4m revenue in year one. New high-profile client base established.

Food & drink

International ingredients supplier — global brewery contracts

Challenge: International bulk-ingredients business needed to grow commercial sales and break into the largest global breweries and distilleries.
Action: Built a portfolio of global breweries, distilleries, distributors and independent retailers. Led senior negotiations on multi-year, multi-million-pound supply contracts including £5m with Molson Coors. Aligned NPD, production and marketing around the wins.
Result: 40% YoY growth in commercial bulk sales. Long-term partnerships secured with category leaders.

Outside work

Three boys, a junior football team and a love of Chester.

Qualified FA youth coach, currently coaching a local junior football team. Outside that, family, all sports, walking and the garden. Locally rooted, locally invested.

25 years of selling.Based in Chester.