Chamber expands external affairs team

Alex Bamford from Walsall and Sedgley-based, Ed Torrance, have joined the team with Alex in post to oversee all chamber events and exhibitions and Ed joining in the role of content officer.

Alex brings a wealth of experience in the events industry having worked previously at the Telford International Centre, Millennium Point in Birmingham and Made in The Midlands, following a master’s degree in events and venue management at the University of Wolverhampton.

Ed is an experienced multi-media content creator who has worked in the professional services industry after studying for degrees in English and Journalism.

Meanwhile, Shahanaz Rahman, a member of the team for the last three years, has been promoted to the role of digital communications and marketing manager, she will oversee various projects and lead on a number of initiatives and platforms which will enhance the chamber’s marketing activities.

Kristian Jones will continue to support the training and professional development programme offered by the chamber, Matthew Lowe the Chamber’s policy and lobbying work and Sarah Thompson, will continue to look after press and PR for the business along with writing and editing the Prosper Magazine.

The team, headed up by Neil Anderson, is responsible for an extensive range of services, initiatives, and events relevant to members, and the wider business community.

Neil said, “Welcoming both Alex and Ed to the chamber allows us to add capacity to the team and means we can continue to focus and be ready for the challenges and opportunities which lie ahead.

“My team have worked tirelessly throughout the last few months to support our members and businesses across the region and throughout the pandemic. These are challenging times, none more so than for the businesses community, and we will continue to develop and deliver our marketing, communications, media relations, events, and public affairs work to support the region and help our members.

“The Covid-19 emergency and Brexit have altered the business landscape and businesses have been forced to think differently about how they approach the way they work.

“Here at the chamber we are viewed as an organisation with our finger on the pulse which gets timely information, news, insights and analysis to the right people, so following a three-year period of modernisation and restructure, to become a contemporary and forward-looking organisation with the ambition to be one of the best chambers of commerce in the UK, we remain resolute and absolutely committed to making the process of doing business easier, to continue to help our members overcome barriers and limitations to growth and remain a powerful voice for the business community.”