National Enterprise Network announces new Chairman and Board members

Long serving enterprise support leader Graham Marley has been announced as the new National Enterprise Network Chairman – to lead the Board and its development of key strategic activities for the membership body that represents enterprise support organisations.

Graham was officially confirmed as the new Chairman at National Enterprise Network’s Annual General Meeting on Friday 18th November. As Chief Executive of the Let’s Do Business Group (LDBG), Graham has served at the agency for 15 years – having previously worked as a Senior Business Manager with NatWest. LDBG provide business support, finance, exhibitions and accredited training across Sussex (and the wider South East). The agency also delivers the Inward Investment service for East Sussex, the county’s Growth Hub service, provides Town Centre Management services in Hastings and includes the Hastings Area Chamber of Commerce. Graham joined the NEN Board in 2012, serving as Deputy Chair since 2014 and he is also an ambassador for Sussex Cricket.

Speaking of his new role as NEN Chairman, Graham Marley said: “I’m proud to have worked in the enterprise support sector for 15 years. I know from my time running Let’s Do Business Group how essential National Enterprise Network is – to demonstrate the value of enterprise support organisations, to provide an independent voice across the sector and to support the work of each and every member across the network. It is my absolute pleasure to lead the Board from here and to cultivate our strategy over the next two years.”

Four new Director appointments and a reappointment were also confirmed at NEN’s 2016 Annual General Meeting, following membership elections. Gemma Bee from Business Enterprise Support in Burton-on-Trent, Dawn Cranswick from PNE Group in Newcastle, Joanne Fulthorpe from Business & Enterprise Trust in Accrington, and Wendy Spencer from Airedale Enterprise Services in Keighley were confirmed as new Directors to the Board. Alex Till from Menta in Suffolk was also re-elected further to his original appointment in 2014.

Speaking about the appointment of the new Directors, Graham Marley said: “Our new Directors, elected by the members, bring huge levels of experience to the NEN Board from their years of work at long established enterprise support organisations. Together, as a collective, the Board is driven to set the strategic approach for National Enterprise Network at a national level, an activity that’s significantly supported by our passion for and belief in the value of enterprise support.”

The AGM also formally thanked outgoing Chairman Chris Pichon from WENTA for his commitment to the role of Chairman over the last two years, and for his service as a Director for five years. Also thanked for their contribution was Judith Kirkland OBE from Business Enterprise Support who is stepping down after eight years.

National Enterprise Network believes its membership is crucial to England’s economic growth and its role is to support their work by representing their interests, promoting the results they achieve and connecting them with opportunities for even greater success. Working under the leadership of new Chairman Graham Marley, the Board will be devising and developing key strategic activities for the membership body in 2017 and beyond.

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About National Enterprise Network

National Enterprise Network’s Mission is to represent, unite and support all organisations who are passionate about inspiring and encouraging enterprise. We support our membership by: Representing their interests to government and others in the public and private sector, showcasing a unique national network of credible, quality assured enterprise support organisations. Promoting the successes they achieve and demonstrating the value they add to local communities and the wider economy. Connecting them to people and projects inside and outside the Network, to share valuable knowledge, skills and opportunities for even greater success.


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