Pictured above: (l-r) Oliver Raisbeck, head of sales at Acua, and Larraine Boorman, managing director of Acua

A leading development company is continuing to expand into the international market.

Leadership and organisational development company Acua, based in the Midlands, is building on the impact it has made on business performance within high-profile organisations in the UK by moving into Europe.

The company forged new links at a two-day exhibition in Vienna designed to introduce the latest corporate training and development trends to organisations throughout the continent.

The showcase event was organised by the British Embassy and UK Trade & Investment, the government organisation that supports UK companies to succeed in the global economy and assists overseas businesses in bringing investment to the UK.

Oliver Raisbeck, head of sales at Acua, said: "Over the last 12 months our client base has grown massively in the UK, but predominantly with corporate clients that have an international presence.

"We are delighted to have recently recruited a new addition to the team who will focus primarily on the overseas market.  We expect this dedicated resource to develop our international presence.

"Being at the exhibition was another step forward in terms of our international expansion plans and proved to be extremely beneficial.  

"It enabled us to make connections with embassies and potential partners, as well as clients, which we will now be developing."

Acua has designed and delivered hundreds of leadership and management programmes to more than 50 organisations, including Santander, Ford, Jaguar Land Rover, HSBC and TNT.

Larraine Boorman, managing director of Acua, added: "We have been able to demonstrate real impact on business performance within the organisations that we have worked with in the UK and are now looking to repeat that success with organisations in Europe.

"With our parent organisation, Coventry University, we can offer development programmes accredited by a UK university which makes us very appealing overseas, where UK qualifications are valued very highly."

Acua is unique in placing sector-specific business coaches within a client's place of work to deliver a range of tailored development programmes. 

It was established by Coventry University in 2008 following extensive research that highlighted UK organisations lacked the key skills needed to drive business growth and improve performance.