Meet the Team

Calum Nisbet
Commercial Director

Corin Crane
Chief Executive

Karen Webb
Director of Business Services

Lorna Taylor
Director of Finance

Neil Anderson
Director of External Affairs
Alison Trinder
Start-up Business Account Manager
Gail Arnold
Head of Premium Membership

Graham Croom
Business Relationship Manager

Gurpreet Boparai
Business Relationship Manager & Future Link Manager

Joanna Smith
Business Relationship Manager

Karen Webb
Director of Business Services

Richard Brooks
Membership Advisor

Sarah Walker
Armed Forces Champion

Tracey Jovicich
Membership Administrator

Andrew Wells
Assistant Accountant
Carole Purkiss-Taylor
Export Documentation Administrator
Jim Archibald
Export Documents Officer

Lorna Taylor
Director of Finance
Malcolm Reid
Export Documentation Administrator

Mandy Perry
Finance Assistant
Gerald La Touche
International Trade Advisor
Heather Crocker
International Trade Advisor

Jayne Shields
International Trade Advisor

Marion Doherty
International Trade Advisor

Alex Bamford
Events & Exhibitions Co-ordinator

Ed Torrance
Content Officer

Neil Anderson
Director of External Affairs

Sarah Thompson
PR and PROSPER Magazine Editor
Shahanaz Rahman
Digital Communications and Marketing Manager

Calum Nisbet
Commercial Director

Kristian Jones
Training & Events Co-ordinator
Meet the Board
Below are the eight representatives of the Black Country Chamber of Commerce who make up the Chamber Board.

Black Country Chamber Chairman
Bankie Williams MA, MBA
Vistage UK
Bankie was appointed as Chairman of Black Country Chamber of Commerce in May 2018.
Prior to Bankie's commercial career, he served in HM Forces for seventeen years.
He has had a successful career holding a number of senior executive roles with P&L responsibility across Corporate, SME and Family Enterprise businesses.
A qualified and experienced Senior Executive Coach, Bankie currently chairs our Platinum Service Sector Groups.

Black Country Chamber President
Jude Thompson
CSCM IT Solutions
Jude has been Managing Director at CSCM I.T. Solutions based in Oldbury for nearly 21 years and has a vast business and IT sector knowledge working with companies all over the world.
Passionate about the local community he regularly gives up his time to attend local community events and has been a mentor for various schools and colleges throughout the region for many years.
A long term member of the Black Country Chamber of Commerce, Jude is also heavily involved in other local business groups. He is a Rotarian for Halesowen and Rowley Regis and also a member of BNI Apollo, a business network group where he has been a member for over 10 years.
Jude also co-hosts a Fish and Chip Fry day networking event which is held at Hagley Golf and Country Club every other month.
As a sponsor Jude is associated with multiple charities where he regularly raises money for causes close to his heart.

Black Country Chamber Vice President
Geoff Layer
University of Wolverhampton
Geoff has been the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Wolverhampton since August 2011. He was previously Deputy Vice-Chancellor at the University of Bradford, and has also worked in universities in Luton and Sheffield.
He chairs the University of Wolverhampton Science Park Board and is a member of the Black Country LEP, as well as a number of local groups.
Geoff has strategic leadership responsibility for the delivery of the University’s initiative to generate £250m of investment in economic growth in the region. In addition, he is a Board Member of the Equality Challenge Unit.

Ali Allibhai
As the Director of Autobase Citroen & MG, Ali has over 15 years of experience in business across the globe in multiple sectors, demographics and various segments. In April of 2019, Autobase partnered with MG to launch their second dealership.
Since Ali joined the Chamber, Ali has been involved in a number of strategic groups to help members throughout the region. In addition, he is a board member and governor of Walsall Adult and Community College, as well as being a board member of the Walsall Economic Board.

David Roberts
Wolverhampton Racecourse
David has been Managing Director of Wolverhampton Racecourse since 1999, part of The Arena Racing Company.
David's 42-year career has been in Hotels, Restaurants and Holiday centres in various parts of the country, but he has been in the Black Country for the last 20 years and has continuously been a member and Patron of the Black Country Chamber of Commerce.

Jo Smith
Fortress Interlocks
Jo is the Managing Director of Fortress Interlocks, a rapidly growing SME based in Wolverhampton.
Prior to the role at Fortress four years ago, Jo spent most of her career in manufacturing businesses within the Aerospace industry and her career has included key leadership positions within Finance, Operations and General Management.

Sarah Moorhouse
BCRS Business Loans
Sarah is Operations & Marketing Director of Black Country based business, BCRS Business Loans. She is on a mission, along with her colleagues, to leave no viable West Midlands based business unsupported.
As an Executive Director and member of the Senior Leadership Team at BCRS where her main duties include developing, implementing and delivering the strategic direction of the organisation, Sarah plays a vital function in ensuring the day-to-day operations of the business runs smoothly by making it her key objective to put effective methods in place so that BCRS runs to maximum productivity and creates the desired outputs.
Within her Marketing remit Sarah develops highly effective
marketing campaigns. Brilliantly targeting ideal customers. Making it all
happen on time and under or just on budget!

Simon Bond
Bond Legal
Simon has considerable experience in advising managers and directors at all levels on a broad range of employment and HR issues, with particular expertise in providing advice on business restructures and on the termination of employment of senior executives.
Simon is a member of the Employment Law Committee of the Law Society of England and Wales and sits as a Legally Qualified Chair of the Medical Practitioners Tribunal.

Jatinder Sharma, OBE
Walsall College
A qualified accountant and a highly experienced leader, Jatinder is Principal and Chief Executive of Walsall College, having previously held a number of senior positions in both the private and public sectors.
Before entering into Further Education, Jatinder worked and qualified as an accountant in public practice before joining the logistics sector.