About The Hub
Welcome To The Business Research Hub
We exist to bridge research, business, and policy by transforming knowledge into actionable strategies that drive growth and resilience.
Who Are We
The Business Research Hub was established to bridge the gap between academic research, business practice, and policy-making. We provide practical research, tailored advisory, and capacity-building services to help businesses especially SMEs navigate today’s complex and fast-changing markets.
Our Mission
We empower businesses with research-driven knowledge and practical insights that drive growth and resilience. By bridging research, business, and policy, we turn evidence into action for SMEs, corporates, and policymakers.
What We Do
- Market & Industry Research
- SME Advisory & Support
- Data & Analytics
- Training & Capacity Building
- Policy & Advocacy Research
- Partnerships & Ecosystem Building
Our 6-D Process
01.
Discover
We start by understanding your needs, challenges, and goals through consultations and scoping.
02.
Define
Together, we frame the research problem, objectives, and success indicators clearly.
03.
Design
We craft the right methodology, tools, and plan tailored to your business or policy context.
04.
Data
We collect, analyze, and interpret high-quality data to generate reliable evidence.
05.
Develop
We translate insights into practical strategies, toolkits, and recommendations you can act on.
06.
Deliver
We present results in clear, actionable formats and support you with implementation, training, or advisory.
Why Choose Us?
We understand the unique challenges businesses and policymakers face in emerging economies. Here’s why organizations trust the Business Research Hub:
We combine academic rigor with real-world business application.
No one-size-fits-all; every insight and tool is designed for your context.
We specialize in markets where growth and resilience matter most.
Bridging SMEs, corporates, policymakers, and academia.
Turning data into strategies you can implement immediately.
Equipping teams with skills for long-term, research-led decision-making.
Meet The Team
Dr Izu Nnabuife
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Dr Izu Nnabuife is an entrepreneurship and digital transformation scholar with a strong commitment to advancing research that directly informs enterprise practice and SME growth. He is the Founding Director and Principal Researcher of the Business Research Hub, a research-led platform established to bridge academic insight and strategic decision-making within small and medium-sized enterprises. With over fifteen years of international leadership experience prior to academia, Izu has led multi-channel optimisation and brand transformation initiatives, managed cross-functional teams, and delivered research-informed growth strategies across diverse markets and sectors. His work has consistently centred on aligning data, strategy, and execution to achieve measurable organisational impact. His doctoral research resulted in the development of an innovative SME training framework integrating digital content marketing, AI-driven insights, behavioural science, and digital consumer engagement. Designed specifically for micro and small firms lacking internal marketing infrastructure, the framework has been piloted with over 200 SMEs, significantly enhancing their digital capability, adaptive capacity, and business resilience in dynamic markets. His broader research interests include SME digital transformation, innovation adoption, enterprise ecosystems, and strategy in practice.
Professor Peter Stokes
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Peter Stokes is Professor of Leadership and Professional Development at Leicester Castle Business School. His broad career path spans four decades and comprises, among other roles: a tractor factory industrial apprenticeship, computer programming, IT management based in Paris overseeing European marketing operations, sales management, business consultancy, academic department and school leadership and a professorship. He has published a rich and varied body of work in, and reviewed extensively for, world-class journals in the areas of, among others: Human Resource Management; Leadership Values and Behaviours; Business Ethics; Management Philosophy; Organizational Design, Strategy, Critical Management Studies, and Research Methodology. In addition, he has published books on research methods, postgraduate research, critical management studies and organizational management. He has applied his work in national and international knowledge transfer and consultancy projects across a range of business sectors encompassing utilities, construction, publishing, aerospace, diplomatic bureaux, mental health facilities, emergency and rescue services and local government
Dr David Gordon
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Dr Gordon is a career and academically committed Marketer, with a passion for making the subject relevant for employability and professions. David has 27 years’ HE teaching experience, at an under and post graduate level, including senior academic roles; head of the university marketing subject area, associate head international (economics marketing), head of the postgraduate marketing programs, and programme leader for the MBA. David also has significant experience of working in industry. He has extensive corporate Marketing experience at Sage PLC, Pegasus PLC and 15 years at IBM; Including European and Worldwide responsibility, Sales and Business Development, and experience in Manufacturing / Retail / Telco / Security and Public Sectors. Additionally he has launched and managed two of his own small businesses (in the fashion, and entertainment industries), giving him knowledge of applying Marketing concepts at an SMB level. David’s research areas include Curriculum co-creation, Marketing pedagogy, and Authentic assessments.
Dr Demola Obembe
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Dr Obembe is Head of Department for Strategy, Analytics and Operations at Nottingham Business School. Demola has over 20 years of academic teaching and research experience, having held appointments at various UK HEIs including; University of Leicester, University of Warwick, Queen Mary university of London, University of Roehampton, and most recently, De Montfort University, where he was Head of School for Leadership, Management and Marketing. Prior to entering academia, he worked with Citibank and had a stint teaching at secondary school level. Demola’s research interests are in the areas of; strategy process and practice, knowledge and innovation management, entrepreneurship, and social capital. He has previously undertaken research in banking, construction, biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries, exploring a range of issues such as mergers and acquisitions, knowledge sharing, and general organisation studies.
Dr. Nnaemeka Ewelukwa
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Dr Ewelukwa is a seasoned legal and regulatory expert with over 25 years of experience spanning private legal practice, international academia, and public sector leadership. He brings a rare blend of deep legal scholarship, senior executive experience, and unmatched insight into Nigeria’s electricity sector and investment landscape. Nnaemeka is a globally recognized authority in energy transactions and public-private partnerships, having co-authored several internationally adopted legal handbooks, including Understanding Power Purchase Agreements, Understanding Power Project Financing, Understanding Power Project Procurement and Understanding Energy Storage. These resources, developed with institutions such as the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Commercial Law Development Program and the African Legal Support Facility, have become essential tools for power sector development across Africa. His unique ability to navigate complex legal frameworks while staying attuned to efficiently delivering the solution that informed the legal engagement, makes him a trusted advisor to clients seeking purpose-driven and technically robust counsel.
Dr Izuchukwu Nnabuife
Founding Director and Principal Researcher
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Dr. Nnabuife’s research focuses on digital marketing strategies for SMEs, with a special interest in how emerging technologies influence business owners’ decision-making. He has worked with SMEs across the service sector to design evidence-based growth strategies.
Dr Oluwasoye Mafimisebi
Lead, Strategic Management, Risk & Resilience
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Dr Mafimisebi’s research focuses on risk/crisis, resilience, management and entrepreneurship from an interdisciplinary perspective.
Would you like to start a project with us?
Let’s work together to turn your ideas into actionable research and strategies that drive measurable impact.