Entrepreneur is ringing the changes at Peterborough construction company

Ian Cleaver (46) was hired by Mick George to develop a telecoms business for the Huntingdon-based company after winning a talent search,

Three years on, Mr Cleaver has turned his idea into the Mick George Telecoms division that is heading towards a £1 million turnover and servicing 200 individual businesses.

Its client list spans five counties and includes businesses which have annual revenues ranging between £500,000 and £10 million covering various sectors such as manufacturing, healthcare, education and recruitment.

Now Mr Cleaver is confident the division will have secured 1,000 customers within five years.

Mr Cleaver said he had submitted his idea to Mick George after it launched an initiative called the Mick George Ideas Factory - a Dragons’ Den scenario.

He said: “Out of the thousands of business plans they received they went with mine and three years on we have a very successful telecoms business within the Mick George Group, and we have big plans for the future.”

A spokesman for Mick George said: “A fundamental part of the initial strategy was to convert the mindset of prospective clients to accept that the Mick George Group, which is traditionally associated with all things construction, now offers a telecoms service.

“Undoubtedly, this objective is far from complete but significant progress has been made, and evidenced in the sheer volume of clients already onboard.”