Meet the Team: The People Behind the Chamber
12 Sep 2024
Published in: Black Country Chamber of Commerce News
Are you curious about the team behind Black Country Chamber and to get to know us a bit better?
As part of Wolverhampton Business Week, we will be hosting a Meet the Team event on Tuesday 24th September. Keep reading to view all our individual profiles below.
Name: Sarah Moorhouse
Role: Chief Executive Officer
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1) What are your interests / hobbies?
A film buff that loves nothing more than a good horror balanced out by peaceful woodland walks with my two dogs. A bit of Spin is thrown in for good measure too.
2) Favourite part of your job?
The people. Love working with our fabulous Chamber team, our brilliant and varied Chamber members along with the wider bostin’ folk of the Black Country
3) An interesting fact about you?
For two years was the chaperone of the Johnstone’s Paint Football League Trophy and drove it the width and breadth of the country so that fans could have a chance to have a piccy with it.
Name: Siân Roberts
Role: Sales & Marketing Director
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1) What are your interests / hobbies?
I like to go walking, enjoy watching football, and camping trips.
2) Favourite part of your job?
My favourite part of my role is working with an amazing team!
3) An interesting fact about you?
I played scrum half for the Women’s Rugby team back at uni.
Name: Lorna Taylor
Role: Finance Director
1) What are your interests / hobbies?
I love walking, visiting family & friends and socialising,
Cricket & F1. Just learning to crochet.
2) Favourite part of your job?
Being able to help colleagues and members when I can. Sitting near the desk that always has the cakes, sweets and biscuits on.
3) An interesting fact about you?
When I was in my early teens, I played cricket for Sowerby Bridge Cricket Club in the boy’s league. I was the only girl. The picture above is of an annual festival that happens the first full weekend in September where I was born in Yorkshire. It starts Friday night and finishes Sunday night.
Name: Gail Arnold
Role: Head of Premium Membership
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1) What are your interests / hobbies?
I love to spend time gardening (photo above) and reading.
2) Favourite part of your job?
The fantastic people I deal with every day and the brilliant businesses they are part of.
3) An interesting fact about you?
I used to be involved in amateur theatre.
Name: Alison Trinder
Role: Start-Up Business Manager
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1) What are your interests / hobbies?
Golf – just in my 3rd year, and I am a member of Walsall Golf Club. I love going on walks and do so most nights with my husband for an hour after work. At the weekend, I walk around Sandwell Valley with my sister, having a right good natter, catching up on what’s happened in the week, and putting the world to right… I take around 20,000 steps on a Saturday which includes the walk and 9 holes golf in the afternoon!
2) Favourite part of your job?
I love connecting people together through networking. Inspiring others and being someone for people to turn to and help with problem solving.
3) An interesting fact about you?
I can’t cook, can’t sew, can’t sing, and scared of heights, and I could tell you some stories to back those up lol.
Name: Gemma Shakespeare
Role: Sales & Business Relationship Manager
1) What are your interests / hobbies?
All things Disney!! Also, family time with my twins, target and clay pigeon shooting, horse riding and reading.
2) Favourite part of your job?
Meeting with businesses, showing businesses how we can work together and forming some great relationships
3) An interesting fact about you?
I have ridden since the age of 8 and have a horse – Tee-Jay (who is 33) who I won over 100 Show Champions with.
Name: Richard Hobbs
Role: Sales & Business Relationship Manager
1) What are your interests / hobbies?
I'm a big sports fan, particularly football and American football, both which cause me plenty of suffering supporting Wolves and Indianapolis Colts. Alongside watching millionaires run around, I enjoy cooking and gardening.
2) Favourite part of your job?
My favourite part of my job is supporting members and offering advice and introductions to help them with their goals.
3) An interesting fact about you?
I can juggle and I'm an award-nominated blogger.
Name: Steve Salt
Role: Sales & Business Relationship Manager
1) What are your interests / hobbies?
I enjoy nature, staying in the countryside; and playing guitar.
2) Favourite part of your job?
Meeting new people and helping with problem-solving.
3) An interesting fact about you?
I used to be an actor and have a knack for accents!
Name: Tracey Jovicich
Role: Membership Administrator
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1) What are your interests / hobbies?
I enjoy live entertainment, theatre, music concerts and I pretty much like any genre of music from Andrea Bocelli to Foo Fighters, which is a love I share with my daughter. The first concert I took my daughter to was Britney Spears, her choice not mine, when she was about 7 years old.
2) Favourite part of your job?
Favourite part of the job – the people.
3) An interesting fact about you?
I went to Villa Park this summer to see Foo Fighters with my daughter and son in law. Laura said how lovely it was that when she was little, I used to take her to gigs and now she is taking me.
Name: Nicola Anderson
Role: IGNITE Business Hub Co-ordinator
1) What are your interests / hobbies?
I enjoy netball, reading, writing and going to the gym (on occasion) … I attended the 0121 Legacy Movie premiere at Millenium Point Birmingham a few months ago, as I’m heavily involved with the local music scene in my spare time.
2) Favourite part of your job?
Favourite part of my job is meeting and chatting with members!
3) An interesting fact about you?
I have a personal alcohol licence and manage/run festival bars on weekends throughout the summer.
Name: Mandy Perry
Role: Finance Assistant/Export Document Officer
1) What are your interests / hobbies?
I do Ballroom and Latin dancing, boxercise and yoga.
2) Favourite part of your job?
Working with a great team and helping resolve issues connected to international trade and documentation. From sending stud bolts and nuts to Stuffed Eagles and Bearskins, we will always help find a way!
3) An interesting fact about you?
I may be one of the very few people who don’t like ice cream which gives everyone else the chance to have extra. But there’s is nothing better than watching the world go by with a nice glass of cider for me and a pint of Guinness for my partner.
Name: Malcom Reid
Role: Export Documentation Assistant
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1) What are your interests / hobbies?
I have a huge garden unfortunately, so although I hate gardening, I spend most weekends working on that. But I love to travel and take our Harry along too.
2) Favourite part of your job?
My favourite part of the job assisting exporters to export worldwide and speaking with customers, helping to solve their problems.
3) An interesting fact about you?
I have been working in export for 45 years, started in Jan 1979 (age 15).
Name: Andrew Wells
Role: Assistant Accountant
1) What are your interests / hobbies?
I like Real Ale, Live Music and Public Transport, Friends of Highgate Brewery, and all things Black Country.
2) Favourite part of your job?
For me, that feeling that you have helped somebody else out.
3) An interesting fact about you?
I’m the Chair at Friends of Highgate Brewery running social events raising money for local Charities and getting people socially together.
Name: Gemma Edwards
Role: Policy and Impact Officer
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1) What are your interests / hobbies?
I love taking Link out for walks and reading.
2) Favourite part of your job?
Finding out the details of something that will affect our members and passing on that information.
3) An interesting fact about you?
I lived in Wellington, New Zealand for six years and travelled the whole country.
Name: Stephanie Sullivan
Role: Head of Marketing & Communications
1) What are your interests / hobbies?
I’ve been doing yoga for 4 years and Pilates for just over a year. I really enjoy going to the weekly classes – it’s great to challenge yourself and see improvements. I also sing with All Woman Choir – the largest female choir in the UK. We rehearse weekly and perform throughout the year at both large concerts and smaller events. There’s over 200 of us and we sing a wide range of music - it’s really good fun! We have a border collie called Finlay, who keeps us busy. He’s 13 now but still enjoys lots of long walks and chasing tennis balls!
2) Favourite part of your job?
I went into marketing because I like the mix of business and creativity. I enjoy coming up with ideas and planning processes that promote the Chamber, ultimately connecting businesses and promoting growth across the Black Country. No two days are the same and it’s great to be in a busy role where there’s lots of opportunity to grow.
3) An interesting fact about you?
I went to school with supermodel Kate Moss!
Name: Lauren Shepherd
Role: Digital Marketing & Communications Manager
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1) What are your interests / hobbies?
When I’m not planning my next holiday, you will often find me on a walk or playing fetch with my dog Rolo. I also enjoy spending time with friends and family and reading a good rom-com.
2) Favourite part of your job?
I get to be creative and explore new ways of delivering and displaying content to our members. No day is the same and I get to work with lots of great people inside and outside the Chamber team.
3) An interesting fact about you?
I have a qualification in Travel and Tourism and once travelled to nine European cities via the interrail in a three-week period to tick off as many destinations at once as possible.
Name: Marie Shuker
Role: Events & Project Officer
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1) What are your interests / hobbies?
I love going to the theatre, whether it’s to see a well-known show or one I’ve never seen before, I recently went and saw Six for the first time and can’t wait to see it again!
2) Favourite part of your job?
I love meeting new members, finding out about their company and how I can help support them or put them in touch with another member to support each other.
3) An interesting fact about you?
In May, I walked 100 miles for Cancer research and raised over £700.
Name: Owenia Francis
Role: Apprentice Content Creator
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1) What are your interests / hobbies?
Dessert. Eating apple crumble and custard. Doing anything creative including painting, digital illustration, photography and all forms of media (especially film).
2) Favourite part of your job?
I love to help others with new challenges while writing/designing content for our socials. It’s nice to be part of a community and have lots of supportive mentors at the Chamber and the BBC.
3) An interesting fact about you?
I used to be a junior track and field athlete and held the Olympic torch for London 2012. Also, I wrote this blog (and publish two articles a month) with the help of my lovely team.
Want to see us in person?
Join our Meet the Team event on Tuesday 24th September at Vaal & Vaal in Wolverhampton! There have been a few changes in the Chamber team lately, so you can get to know us a little better and learn how we support our members, partners and stakeholders.
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