Black Country Chamber reveals new chief executive

THE Black Country Chamber of Commerce has announced the appointment of its new chief executive.

Corin Crane was previously director of the Leicester & Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership, where he had overall responsibility for around £200m of funds to drive regeneration and help local businesses grow.

He also chaired the European Structural Funds Committee that oversees the management of around £90m of funding aimed at SME business growth and skills work.

Mr Crane also set up and chaired the Leicester Business Festival, which has grown into an annual two-week event with around 100 business-led activities.

Prior to his role in the East Midlands, Mr Crane was Head of Economic Partnerships and Inward Investment at Wolverhampton City Council, so his new role marks a return to the Black Country.

He said: “It is a real honour to have been offered this role and I’m looking forward to some exciting challenges and working with Black Country businesses. The chamber is here to serve and represent its members, so I hope to meet as many as possible at our various forums and events in the coming months.
 
“I know the Black Country well and understand a lot of the issues that are holding businesses back and also the opportunities that are available.

“It’s also a time of great uncertainty with huge political changes locally and nationally. These are unclear times for our trade and workforce arrangements both across Europe and the globe, and with a weak pound making trade and particularly importing difficult.”

He has urged chamber members to offer examples of how this might be impacting on their business. He said the organisation could then campaign on behalf of the members to ensure the local offer was the right one.

Click here to sign up to receive our new South West business news...
Close