A policeman on the verge of retiring from the force is putting the management skills he gained as a senior officer to use in assisting the professional sector.

Mark Iveson, the Great Heck rail disaster’s leading investigating officer, is retiring from his role as Selby district commander on Sunday and launching his own business consultancy company.

Portcullis Virtual Management is being established to provide start-up and growing businesses with services and expertise they may not have available in-house.

In launching the venture Mr Iveson has teamed up with fellow Portcullis director Mick Gains, also a former North Yorkshire Police officer, who received a Queens Police Medal for crime prevention.

Since leaving the force in 2001 Mr Gains has worked in several professional capacities, including running his own businesses, sitting as a non-executive director on a number of boards and holding the Malton town-centre-manager position.

The duo are being joined by associate director Anne Headen, who will take the role of virtual PA, bringing experience from blue-chip companies such as PepsiCo and Quaker Oats.

Mr Iveson said he and Mr Gains will be drawing on the personal, management, and problem-solving skills they gained in the police force, as well as Mr Gains’ business experience, to offer a range of virtual consultancy services.

Mr Iveson said: “I have known Mick for more than 20 years and his drive, enthusiasm and commitment to this new venture along with his proven business acumen will enable us to hit the ground running.

“Along with Anne’s complementary skills we have much to offer the business community. This is a new concept in business which allows companies to buy in expertise and skills they do not have in-house, as and when they require it.

“Portcullis aims to let the business owner focus on what they do best while we provide strategic and management support.

“Each client’s requirements are negotiated on an individual basis and range from a non-executive director position on their board to one to one executive mentoring session.”

The business will also offer transitional training to help people make the leap from public-sector to private-sector work, whether as a result of redundancy or retirement.

Mr Iveson and Mr Gains saw a need to “deinstitutionalise” people from the public sector, especially military, police force or fire service personnel, and help transfer their skills into employable attributes or help them set up their own business.

Following Mr Iveson’s retirement on Sunday, Portcullis Virtual Managment will be officially launched to coincide with York Business Week, which begins on November 18.

Mr Iveson and Mr Gains will attend a number of events throughout the week, and have already signed the business up as a member of York Professionals.