Chamber chief ready for economic fight
NEW president Yuri Matischen has said that Sheffield Chamber of Commerce is ready to “roll up its sleeves” to help deliver a positive landscape for businesses and support the growth of the South Yorkshire economy.
Mr Matischen was installed as Nick Tovey’s successor at the Chamber’s 153rd annual general meeting yesterday.
In his opening speech, Mr Matischen said the Chamber was ready for the “economic fight” which lay ahead and that the future of the business support organisation was in its own hands.
He said: “It is a great honour and privilege to be president of the Chamber knowing the huge 153-year tradition which supercedes me, but equally knowing the challenges that this Chamber has to face in ensuring its tradition continues as a relevant and valued business membership organisation.
“I would like to thank Nick Tovey for his tireless hard-work and endeavour as president during the last 12 months, helping to steer the Chamber through what has been a tough period.
“In the past Sheffield and its public and business leaders, have demonstrated they are not afraid of taking their own futures into their own hands, reshaping their own economy and landscape.
“I believe that if both the public and private sectors work together, we have the ideas, the innovation and the collaborative will to address this current economic challenge.
“The partnership, skill and focus we have shown in drawing together the highly commended Sheffield Region’s Local Enterprise Partnership epitomises we are back in the ‘zone’ of winning this next fight.”
Mr Matischen said that despite the region previously being over-reliant on public sector investment, he wanted the Chamber to help the private sector thrive.
A major drive for the Chamber under Mr Matischen will be to increase the Chamber Business Forums, which will act as a voice for members, stimulate new partnerships and create a strong lobbying position for the LEPs.
The forums will cover sectors such as advanced manufacturing, transport, environment and renewable, sport, leisure and tourism. Sheffield Property and Regeneration Committee (SPARC) will also be included.
Suzanne Liversidge, lead partner at Sheffield-based law firm Kennedys, was appointed senior vice president of the Chamber and will become the first female president of the Chamber in 2011.
Jon Stewart from VAI Siemens joins the Chamber board and becomes junior vice president, while David Child becomes non-executive director. Hermann Beck and Christine Booth both stepped down from the Chamber board following the end of their terms of office.
Meanwhile, 14 new business leaders were added to the Chamber council.
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