Malcolm Bell
SWBC Advisory Board Member
Synonymous with Cornwall tourism, there isn’t a lot that Malcolm doesn’t know about the industry. Having overseen the transformation of Visit Cornwall into a Community Interest Company, he is now at the helm of Visit Cornwall’s future as a private enterprise and is responsible for overseeing the vision, strategy and delivery of the company.
Malcolm's biography
When there’s a gap in his diary Malcolm takes the chance to get out on the water and is a keen dingy sailor – he’s even been known to win one or two races! A true Cornishman he is most at home when enjoying time with his family and much-adored pup.
Perfect day in Cornwall: the sun would be shining and there would be just the right amount of breeze for a perfect day of sailing on the south Cornish coast. Back on dry land and it would be over to the north coast to take my dog for a run on Perranporth beach before seeing out the day with a BBQ and a few local beers. Sometimes the simple life is best – bliss!
Organisation: Visit Cornwall
Katharine Bourke
SWBC Advisory Board Member
Katharine is a passionate supporter of, and advocate for, businesses in the South West. From recruiting accountants for the City, via Phnom Penh and Oxford she returned to Devon in 1999 where she built an IT business from an idea around the kitchen table to a ten-person company turning over nearly £1m.
Katharine's biography
A certified mBIT and Zen leadership coach, Katharine’s expertise includes facilitating change management, executive coaching and mentoring, business and people development & psychometric profiling using the Zen Leader FEBI assessment tool. Formerly a Growth Manager for the government’s GrowthAccelerator service in Devon and Cornwall between 2012 – 2016, she is well connected across the South West where she currently supports organisations of all sizes to adapt, develop and grow through South West Growth Service: www.southwestgrowthservice.co.uk
Organisation: South West Growth Service
Nick Buckland OBE
SWBC Advisory Board Member
Nick is the chair, trustee, and non-executive director of a variety of organisations across the SW in the education, arts, innovation, transport and agricultural sectors.
Nick's biography
Based in Cornwall, Nick also runs an organic livestock farm with his wife.
Lord Robin Teverson
SWBC Advisory Board Member
Lord Teverson is a Liberal Democrat Life peer sitting in the House of Lords since 01 June 2006. Currently sitting on the International Relations and Defence Committee, until recently he chaired the House’s EU Environment Committee. He is chair of the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Local Nature Partnership, and a director of Aldustria a battery storage company.
Lord Robin's biography
He has also chaired in the past The Arctic (Jun 2014 to Feb 2015), EU Sub Committee C – External Affairs (May 2012 to May 2013), EU Sub-Committee C – Foreign Affairs, Defence and Development Policy (Jun 2010 to May 2012).
Organisation: Liberal Democrat Life Peer
Chris Marrow
SWBC Advisory Board Member
Chris has a lifetime of experience of owning, managing, and navigating ships, often in remote places.
Chris' biography
- Trained and qualified as a Merchant Navy officer.
- Revolutionised ferry transport in the Northern Isles of Orkney and Shetland.
- Sailed a 95 ft. landing craft to Mozambique and, with two such craft, ran a programme of aid deliveries to people displaced by the war who had fled to islands and isolated coastal communities.
- Founded and ran an aid agency specialising in marine operations and undertook projects in diverse places such as Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Nicaragua, DRC.
- Explored the long-closed river route between Malawi and the Indian Ocean via the Shire River and Zambezi and remains one of the only people alive to have done that.
- Undertook the pre-privatisation study of the shipping company on Lake Malawi, and then took the company over from the Government and ran it for private interests.
Back in the UK, he has continued his interest in innovating new ferry services. He became Chair of Business Forum South West, but their interests being identical to those of SWBC, their activities were subsumed. He speaks French, Portuguese, some Spanish and has some knowledge of other languages.
Organisation: Chairman at Heart of the SW Business Forum
Phil Byers
SWBC Advisory Board Member
Phil is a long-standing Chamber Executive member, having previously held the post of President in 2002/3 & 2010/1. He was also Chairman of North Devon Chamber of Commerce & Industry from 2003 – 2007.
Phil's biography
Organisation: Lobbying, Representation, Vice President Barnstaple & District Chamber of Commerce Ltd
Sharron Robbie MBE
SWBC Advisory Board Member
Sharron took on the role of Managing Director of the Devon & Cornwall Training Providers Network in June 2016. Since that time, she has grown the Network to more than 50 members from across the training provider sector, including Universities, FE Colleges, and a wide range of independent, commercial and employer providers.
Sharron's biography
Sharron is a passionate advocate of lifelong learning, Apprenticeships, and the opportunities that education and training can bring.
Organisation:Managing Director at Devon & Cornwall Training Provider Network Ltd
Robert Gardiner
SWBC Advisory Board Member
A pioneer in the Telecommunications sector, with over fifty years of experience; having been part of the start-up team at Vodafone and holder of senior management, engineering and training roles in companies including Cable and Wireless, Marconi, Nortel, Ericsson, Orange, T-Mobile and BT.
Robert's biography
Paul Santer
SWBC Advisory Board Member
Paul is a West Country man, married with two grown-up sons, now living back in his home town of Sidmouth in East Devon. During his forty years as a civil engineer, he has worked on various construction projects for contractors in the UK and the Middle East.
Paul's biography
Paul joined CECA (the trade association for the civil engineering industry) at the beginning of 2017 as its first South West director. Since that time, he has represented and supported CECA member contractors in the region through training provision, client and government engagement, promoting civil engineering as a career in schools and universities and backing the apprenticeship programme.
CECA is the representative body for companies who work day to day to deliver, upgrade and maintain the country’s infrastructure. With more than 300 members nationwide (and over 30 in the South West), CECA represents firms who collectively carry out an estimated 70-80% of all civil engineering activity in the UK, in the key sectors of transport, energy, communications, waste and water.
Organisation: Civil Engineering Contractors Association (CECA)
Tony Parry
SWBC Advisory Board Member
Tony has worked in divisions of transnational blue chip companies such as GKN, Burmah Castrol, ICI, Henkel AG & Co KgaA of Düsseldorf, in manufacturing operations in the speciality chemicals field for over forty years at Board level in Mexico, UK, Europe, Japan and Korea, where he started the UK’s first manufacturing JV. He has also worked in Venezuela, India, Russia, Turkey, Central America/Caribbean, Western Europe, and South Africa.
Tony's biography
In addition to his SWBC connection, he is Director Europe, Aamsel Impex Pvt. Ltd. (India); member Plymouth Area Business Council; Trustee, Literature Works; and a Member of the United Kingdom India Business Council (UKIBC).
His interests are 3 D manufacturing, reshoring, vocational education, UK/India bilateral trade development, Graphene and carbon fibre, Eurasia and Africa.
Organisation: San Antonio Associates
Jon Shaw
SWBC Advisory Board Member
Professor Jon Shaw is Head of the School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences at the University of Plymouth, and sits on Great Western Railway’s Stakeholder Advisory Board. He researches issues to do with transport policy and governance and is the author and editor of several books on the subject.
Jon's biography
Organisation: University of Plymouth
Dave Underwood
SWBC Advisory Board Member
Dave is an experienced Non-Executive Director and Independent Advisor with a passion for Science, Technology Engineering, Mathematics and Medicine and the development and promotion of the South West as an exceptional place in which to develop successful and globally recognised STEMM businesses and careers.
Dave's biography
Brought up in the Scottish Borders Dave graduated from Glasgow and Strathclyde Universities with degrees in Mathematics and Operational Research.
His early career was as an Air Traffic. Management Data Scientist and Research Manager in the Civil Aviation Authority based in London.
In 1998 he joined the Met Office in Bracknell initially to run their Civil Aviation Business. In 2003 Dave relocated with the Met Office to Exeter where he took on responsibility for the wider Public Sector services, including Defence.
Between 2007 and 2012 as Deputy Director he led the merger and transformation of Technology and Information Services within the Met Office.
From 2013 to his retirement in 2018 as Deputy Director High Performance Computing Dave led the Business Case development, Acquisition, and Implementation of what was at the time the 6th largest Supercomputer in the world.
In addition to his work with the Met Office Dave has undertaken a wide range of Board and Non-Executive Positions, including:
Devon Environmental Business Initiative Board (Director) 2004-14West Hill Primary School (Governor) 2006-14University of Exeter Innovation Strategy Board 2007-14Founder member of Exeter Initiative for Science & Technology since 2011Exeter College Board 2012-2020 (Appointed Associate to Board 2020)Royal British Legion Club )West Hill) – Chairman since 2012University of Exeter College of Engineering Industry Advisory Group 2014-18Independent Advisor to RD&E NHS FT 2018-2021Non-Executive Director DCH NHS FT since 2020Exeter Mathematics School – West Country Computing Hub Steering Group since 2020
Organisation: Exeter College
Trudi Spratt
SWBC Advisory Board Member
An active participant within Northern Devon skills arena, sitting on the ESB board and Northern Devon Plus board of Directors. In addition, Vice President and previous President of Barnstaple and District Chamber of Commerce engaging with local industry supporting and promoting them throughout the South West.
Trudi's biography
Highly motivated and passionate professional individual working to gain the best business outcome for the Devon area.
As a STEM ambassador striving to engage people to join the Science, Technical, Engineering and Maths subjects at School level to build a future of Engineers for industry.
Business partner within anew South West Recruitment and Business support professionals. 20 Years experienced business recruitment solutions, working within manufacturing Engineering, Technical and commercial industries. Consultative approach to recruitment and business project /solutions support.
Specialist in Engineering and technical recruitment with an in-depth knowledge of manufacturing and industrial procedures, enabling me to recruit for the correct calibre of candidates and personality fit within todays industry sectors.
Passionate about Engineering and delivering calibre candidates to the engineering and manufacturing industry.
Organisation: anew South West
Julian Gray
SWBC Advisory Board Member
Julian Gray has 30 years’ experience in protected landscapes, conservation and wider sustainability in the UK and internationally. As Director of the South West Coast Path Association, Julian champions England’s longest National Trail. He is also Vice Chair of the World Trails Network.
Julian's biography
Julian combines an educational background in international communications and environmental science with leadership, branding and sustainability experience in the public, not-for-profit and private sectors. Previous positions include CEO of international conservation charity Rainforest Rescue and CEO of the international water conservation programme Smart WaterMark. Julian was a advocate for increasing greenspace across cities to improve health and wellbeing through the Australian 202020 Vision campaign and judge for the Prime Minister’s inaugural Sustainability Awards.
Previously Julian headed-up communications for the South Downs Joint Committee and Sussex Downs Conservation Board. As a member Branding England’s Protected Landscapes Forum, he worked with the AONB Association and the EU LIFESCAPES project, using branding to support a sustainable rural economy across Europe’s protected landscapes.
Julian is a Member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing and was a committee member of both Interpret Britain and the International Water Association’s Communications Specialist Group.
Organisation: South West Coast Path Association
Dr Lise Hunter
SWBC Advisory Board Member
Lise has been a Lecturer with Plymouth University Faculty of Business since 2012. Lise started her professional career in the financial sector in 1980, working as a Trainee with the Central Bank in Cameroon after completing a BSc in Macroeconomics and Monetary policy. Two years later, Lise went to the USA to complete an MSc in International Finance and Trade at The American University in Washington, D.C. Following intern positions with the Transnational Investment Incorporated in Washington, DC, Lise joined the African Development Bank in 1987 working in the Finance Vice Presidency for eight years.
Lise's biography
In 1996, Lise joined the Foreign and Commonwealth Office as a Trade and Investment Manager, a unique opportunity that enabled her to build on her international experience. Lise spent 10 years building success for UK businesses between French-speaking West Africa and the UK. Lise and her husband I relocated in Devon in 2005 where she continued to work as an International Trade Advisor with UK Trade and Investment for the South West Region, leading on the aid-funded business sector.
Prior to joining the University, Lise was a Business Advisor for SERCO working on European Competitiveness programme for SMEs. With over 15 years of experience in international business, she was keen to deepen her understanding of the business world and in 2008, Lise enrolled as a part-time research student with Plymouth University.
Lise completed her PhD in 2013 on a programme of work investigating the interdependence between Entrepreneurship and Social Capital and why this interplay drives innovation and competitiveness. SMEs in the South West Region food and drink manufacturing offered the context for empirical research.
Organisation: University Of Plymouth