People: Barnsley and Rotherham Chamber; Trident Building Consultancy; and more

Barnsley and Rotherham Chamber has appointed experienced business owner Matt Travis as its new president.

He took over the helm of the member-led organisation from outgoing president Matthew Stephens at Barnsley and Rotherham Chamber’s recent annual general meeting, which was held at the Barnsley Civic.

With a background in planning and environmental consultancy, Travis co-founded environmental and planning consultancy Enzygo in 2008.

Under his leadership, Enzygo has grown from a company employing three people to a 80-strong workforce, which operates from offices in Sheffield, Belfast, Bristol, Cambridge, Cardiff and Manchester.

Today, the specialist environmental planning consultancy helps a diverse range of businesses operating in the housing, energy and transport sectors.

Matt Travis

During the AGM, Travis outlined the vision for presidency by announcing a commitment to ensure the voices of South Yorkshire businesses are heard within Government, a pledge to help SMEs harness new opportunities presented through net zero, as well as reaffirming the Chamber’s commitment to its buy local agenda.

The event also saw business consultant and founder of IEKOS, Hayley Koseoglu appointed as vice president, and Mark Smith join Barnsley and Rotherham Chamber’s senior leadership team as deputy vice president.

Over the past 12 months, Barnsley and Rotherham Chamber has welcomed 118 new members into the organisation, as well as delivering 147 training courses and hosting a range of networking events: from its annual Chamber Means Business Expo to the Chamber’s awards ceremony.

The Chamber has also launched a dedicated property forum, bringing together representatives from  construction, property and public sector organisations to unlock the planning system.

Travis said: “Chambers of commerce hold a truly unique place in the communities they serve and we should be proud of our achievements over the past 12 months.

“However, we cannot afford to rest on our laurels, and with many businesses in the region facing uncertain futures, Barnsley and Rotherham Chamber will continue to do everything in its power to create an environment where businesses of all sizes can unlock their full potential.

“The budget was a difficult one for many businesses, and one of my top priorities will be to work closely with South Yorkshire’s members of parliament to ensure their concerns are heard.

“I feel particularly proud of the steps the Chamber has made towards building stronger local supply chains, and as a direct result of this work, more than £70m has been retained within the local economy over the past year alone.”

Stephens said: “Looking back over the past two years, I think we can be incredibly proud of our achievements.

“Today, Barnsley and Rotherham Chamber ranks as one of the top performing chambers of commerce in the UK in terms of growth and member retention.

“I feel particularly proud of the steps we have taken to launch the Chamber’s dedicated property forum, which is already reaping dividends.”

Carrie Sudbury, chief executive, added: “The success we have achieved over the past 12 months is a testament to our hard-working staff, as well as the vision and drive of our past president Matthew Stephens.

“I feel particularly proud that Barnsley and Rotherham Chamber continues to be one of the top performing chambers in the UK, in terms of membership growth, retention and the many different opportunities the organisation provides to give its members the chance to connect and engage with others.

“Our new president Matt Travis, has played an integral role to the realisation of our ambitions in recent years, and I am looking forward to working alongside him to continue to equip businesses across South Yorkshire with the vital support needed to prosper.”

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Christian Watkins

Two surveyors from Trident Building Consultancy’s Leeds office have been promoted to the company’s senior team.

Christian Watkins and Usmaan Mehboob, who work at the office at Carlton Tower, St Paul’s Street, have both been appointed to associate director from the role of principal surveyor.

Watkins, who specialises in fire safety surveys, joined Trident Building Consultancy in 2017, passing his APC qualification in 2019.

Through his role as an APC counsellor, he also supports younger colleagues through their professional qualifications.

Mehboob also joined the company in 2017 and qualified in 2019, now specialising in large office refurbishments and other commercial surveying work.

He also sits on several management committees within the business, including those dedicated to sustainability, HR, and the Building Safety Act.

Watkins said: “I’m happy to join the senior team here at Trident Building Consultancy as it will enable me to play a more meaningful role in guiding the future direction of the business, and help to help more of my colleagues.”

Mehboob added: “I’ve always loved my job at Trident, so being promoted to associate director is a real source of pride.

“As an EOT, Trident is owned by its employees which means it is managed very much with our people in mind. This, we believe, is the secret to the business’s ongoing success.”

Usmaan Mehboob

Dan Roe, managing director, said: “We are extremely fortunate at Trident Building Consultancy in that we have a great track record of recruiting and retaining talent.

“This is helped by being an EOT, meaning everyone who works at the business has a hand in making key decisions and shares in our financial success.

“To ensure this continues, we are keen to reward the hard work and talent of our people by helping them to get to the position they want to in their careers and fulfilling their potential.

“These well-deserved promotions are a reflection of that.”

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Sherburn in Elmet-based maker of sustainable linseed paint, Brouns and Co, has appointed real estate expert and developer Duncan Melville to its board as it gears up for further expansion in 2025.

Harrogate-based Melville, the founder and owner of student property developer Primus Property Group, has over 30 years’ experience across all components of the built asset lifecycle.

From funder to management consultant, to investor and developer, he has held senior leadership positions with Northern Rock plc, global real estate advisory firm Cushman and Wakefield, and global built asset firm Arcadis on project and programme delivery, before setting up his own purpose built student accommodation development company over 10 years ago.

After another year of solid growth in 2024 with rising exports to the US market, Brouns and Co has just opened a US warehouse in New Hampshire and established a US subsidiary and a dedicated US market e-commerce website.

Founder Michiel Brouns said: “Our progress in recent years, and our expansion to the massive US market is a really exciting time, and we needed to deepen our board experience as we look to scale the business significantly in the coming two years.

“Duncan’s experience within the sector is going to be critical to our UK and overseas expansion, and his understanding of how to help grow a business to take advantage of market opportunities is exactly what we need at this crucial stage of our growth.”

Melville said “I’ve known Michiel and Brouns and Co for some time, and I’ve been an advocate for natural materials and products where possible in our developments, so I’m excited to come on board to help the business at such a key stage in its growth.

“The remarkable rise in demand for linseed paint and coatings is driven by a need to preserve and protect historic buildings, where Brouns and Co have always had a strong track record with the Natural Trust and RIBA in the UK.

“But increasingly, the commissioners, specifiers and designers of new buildings and structures are demanding that natural methods materials and components are used.

“The carbon footprint and sustainability of 100% natural paints and stains puts the business in a very good place, at just the right time.”