2015 Leeds Chamber president announced

PROPERTY professional Gerald Jennings has been announced as the successor to Nigel Foster as president of the Leeds Chamber of Commerce.

Jennings, portfolio director at Land Securities, is known to many people as the man behind the successful Trinity Leeds development which opened in 2013 bringing with it 65 new retail brands and millions of additional visitors to the city.

Current president Nigel Foster said: “I am delighted that Gerald has agreed to become the next Leeds Chamber President. With his excellent network of contacts, business acumen and passion for Leeds I believe he has all the experience to be President and will provide businesses with strong representation on matters of relevance to members.”

Jennings added: “I am looking forward to taking on the role of Chamber president and will continue to ensure that the business voice is heard loud and strong. Leeds is a vibrant city with a strong commercial heritage and the Chamber plays an important role in bringing organisations together for their mutual benefit. As we approach an election year, politicians of all persuasions have been courting the big cities with offers of devolved powers and funding. I see the Chamber playing a leading role in articulating the business voice in Leeds and setting out our demands of whichever government holds the reins in May 2015 and beyond.”

Jennings is a member of the Chamber’s leadership group in Leeds – the representative group which elects the Chamber’s board and presidents. He will take up the role of vice-president from today, before taking on the presidency next year.

Leeds Chamber is part of the West & North Yorkshire Chamber which covers Leeds, Bradford, York and North Yorkshire.