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 helps businesses with high growth potential in Devon & Cornwall connect with the best business coaches through GrowthAccelerator to ensure the businesses achieve their potential.
Katharine's biography
Organisation: GrowthAccelerator, Oxford Innovation
Nick Buckland OBE
SWBC Advisory Board Member
Nick has significant experience in strategic planning, governance, review processes and quality, gathered from a range of private sector executive and non-executive directorships.
Nick's biography
Based in Cornwall, Nick also runs an organic livestock farm with his wife.
Kevin Butler
SWBC Advisory Board Member
Having previously spent 20 years at the Bank of England where his roles included head of audit and regional agent for the South West, the latter involving reporting to the Bank’s Monetary Policy Committee on economic and business trends in the region.
Kevin's biography
Highly respected within the local business community for his pragmatic and down-to-earth approach, Kevin is an accomplished speaker and is regularly asked to provide expert comment on the latest economic issues in the media, including BBC Points West, BBC Radio Bristol and BBC Radio Somerset.
Kim Conchie
SWBC Advisory Board Member
Kim jointly founded Brass Tacks Publishing in 1986. Brass Tacks became one of the top customer publishing and website agencies in UK before Kim sold to Chime Communications PLC in 2000.
Kim's biography
He was MD of the Bristol office of PSPRare (as Brass Tacks is now rebranded) from 2006 to 2009 as well as being a business consultant for de facto and other businesses in Cornwall where he lives.
Other interests are: chairman of Falmouth Rugby Club, trustee of BF Adventure (excluded children’s and young adults’ outdoor activity charity), director of Cornwall Arts Centre Trust and presenter of Sports Hour on The Source FM local radio for Falmouth and Penryn and, of course, wonderful wife and children.
Specialities: magazine publishing, marketing, SME consultancy.
Organisation: Cornwall Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Richard Gibson
SWBC Advisory Board Member
Richard is Head of Communications at Cross Country Trains.
Richard's biography
Ken Martin
SWBC Advisory Board Member
Ken is Secretary at Cornwall Manufacturers Forum.
Ken's biography
Steve Gerry
SWBC Advisory Board Member
Steve acts as Sectretary and Treasurer of PMG, who’s members collectively have a turnover of circa £1.6bn pa; add over £0.5bn GVA to the local economy and employ between 12k and 13k employees. PMG was formed over thirty years ago.
Steve's biography
Fulfilling an annual work programme that ensures members derive satisfaction from their membership. This includes: organising 30+ meetings pa; arranging speakers; providing company secretarial support etc.
Steve is a Member of the Plymouth UTC Project Steering Group.
Steve is also the Advanced Manufacturing Sector Contact for the Plymouth Growth Board.
Organisation: Plymouth Manufacturers’ Group
Dan Okey
SWBC Advisory Board Member
Dan is the Regional Development Manager at Great Western Railway.
Dan's biography
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 European Union Committee (since May 2016), Finance Bill Sub-Committee (since December 2015), Lord Teverson chairs the EU Energy and Environment Sub-Committee (May 2016).
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
Professor Nikolaos Tzokas
SWBC Advisory Board Member
Professor Nikoloas Tzokas leads the Faculty of Business which includes Plymouth Business School, Plymouth Graduate School of Management, School of Law, School of Tourism and Hospitality and the School of Government at Plymouth University.
Nikolaos' biography
Organisation: Executive Dean at Plymouth University Faculty of Business
Chris Marrow
SWBC Advisory Board Member
Chris is involved in economic development as chairman for Heart of the South West Business Forum.
Chris' biography
Stephen Bird
SWBC Advisory Board Member
Prior to joining South West Water, Stephen held posts in the Welsh Water Authority, National Rivers Authority and Wallace Evans Consultants as an environmental consultant.
Stephen's biography
Organisation: Managing Director at South West Water
Adrian Dawson
SWBC Advisory Board Member
Adrian is an economic development professional with experience in public and private sectors, now heading up GAIN – the Growth Acceleration and Investment Network at Plymouth University – linking businesses to the facilities, expertise and talent of the University.
Adrian's biography
Organisation: Head of GAIN Projects and Partnerships at Plymouth University
Guy Walker
SWBC Advisory Board Member
Guy qualified as a solicitor in 1975 and has been a partner since 1977. His areas of work principally involve dispute resolution, mainly for commercial clients.
Guy's biography
Organisation: Senior Partner at Nash & Co Solicitors LLP
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
Steven Edwards
SWBC Advisory Board Member
Steven joined the gas industry in 1992 as a Finance Graduate and now has 23 years’ experience in the sector. Steven has been closely involved in the Ofgem review of the RPI-X, resulting in the “RIIO” form of regulation.
Steven's biography
Organisation: Director of Regulation and Commercial at Wales & West Utilities
James Jordan
SWBC Advisory Board Member
James has been with HSBC since 1999 and today is responsible for leading a team who work with a diverse range of businesses cross the South West.
James' biography
Organisation:Head of Corporate Banking, South West at HSBC
Sharron Robbie
SWBC Advisory Board Member
Sharron took on the role as Managing Director of the Devon and Cornwall Training Provider Network in June, 2016.
Sharron's biography
Organisation:Managing Director at Devon & Cornwall Training Provider Network Ltd
Gregory Page-Turner
SWBC Advisory Board Member
Greg is the Chairman at the East-Devon branch of Federation of Small Businesses, and also owner and director of Commission a Portrait Ltd.
Greg's biography
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)
Richard Stanbrook
SWBC Advisory Board Member
As Director of Pennon Water Services (PWS), Richard has overall responsibility for the non-household business and the establishment of PWS which is now successfully competing in the new market – retaining and acquiring customers.
Richard's biography
With Richard at the helm, PWS is enjoying significant levels of growth, high customer satisfaction, as evidenced by a customer survey and high market compliance.
Formerly Director of Retail and Corporate Services at Bournemouth Water, Richard has over 20 years’ experience in the water industry, including creating an industry-leading customer service team and debt performance.
Organisation: Pennon Water Services
Adam Cook
SWBC Advisory Board Member
Conservationist focussing on the creation on sustainable conservation projects around the world and the promotion of highly ethical products.
Adam's biography
After a recent tour of America with the U.S. State Department, Adam is setting his sights on global change for a better future.
Organisation: The Science Assembly
Edward Chapman
SWBC Advisory Board Member
Edward is an ordinary guy, well as ordinary as a recovering accountant can be, but has achieved extraordinary things through running. He does not have a sporting background; at school he used to get out of P.E. as much as possible. His last school report said “His spasmodic appearances leave no opportunity to comment”. At the age of 40 a grave health warning resulted in the first tentative running steps. It took some time, but he eventually became hooked and has over 100 marathons or ultra marathons under his belt; a belt that is now much tighter!
By just keeping on going Edward has achieved something amazing; completing the Kalahari Augrabies Extreme Marathon, a 250km desert self-sufficiency stage race, ten times. More people have walked on the moon than done that, not bad for an ex fat bloke. He will always be a trail runner, but is currently enjoying a new lease of life as an adventurer, hiker and wild camper.
Organisation: Federation of Small Businesses
