The Board
All Sussex Chamber of Commerce Board Members hold non-executive unpaid positions. In addition to being a champion in their own sector, as a full member of the Board they support the Chief Executive with the strategic direction of the company.
Ana Christie
Substantial business experience both in the UK and internationally. Ana’s career began in aviation in ground operations working both at Gatwick and Heathrow airports (for Air UK and Sri Lankan Airlines respectively), before progressing into hospitality in London at Marble Arch Marriott hotel, and subsequently working on the construction and development of the London Marriott hotel at County Hall. Managingthe London Aquarium as General Manager was her first management role. Ana was Executive Vice President of an executive recruitment and human resources consultancy in the Philippines before working for the British Deputy High Commission in India in entry clearance (visas and immigration). On her return to Britain, Ana joined Fisher Clinical Services managing a team of project managers providing packaging and distribution requirements of clinical trials across the world. Ana’s most challenging role was when she joined the Sussex Chamber of Commerce in 2014 as Chief Executive and has since grown and developed the business membership organisation through the services provided to support business economic growth and performance in the area. She campaigns on key issues through the British Chambers who represent the national interests of business in government. Ana sits on numerous skills groups and plays an active role in driving improvement in local employment and skills to increase economic prosperity and is also abusiness representative Director on the South East Local Enterprise Partnership.
Rob Clare MCIBS RACIB
Rob is a Chartered Banker with over 30 years experience of working with and supporting growing businesses. He is co-owner and founder of Innovation Capital Team LLP, a corporate finance and consultancy firm focused in the tech and digital space. Rob holds a number of director and advisor roles in the UK from food brands to fintech.
Dan Shelley
Dan works as a senior leader in the Further Education (FE) Sector in East Kent, leading on transformation, and has a passion for skills in Sussex having lived in the county's vibrant city of Brighton & Hove for over 25 years working with communities across the region to improve access to skills and innovate delivery at all levels from non-accredited adult learning to Higher Education programmes. Dan is also a non-executive director of the Sussex Chamber of Commerce and is the Chair of the Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP) Board.
Dougal Fleming
My mother was born in Southampton, Father in Wadhurst. I was born & raised in Lewes, subsequently consider myself a child of Sussex. I spent formative years living & working in Europe & South America learning languages and integrating as an adventure tour guide. Since returning to Sussex my primary passion has been to understand, facilitate & implement greener regenerative business practices. With a broad focus on aligning commercial, consumer & environmental incentives to ensures as a society we remain focused on ethical practices.
Alistair Fleming Design: Business Development - Growing customer & commercial partnerships within the private residential sector.
Rewild Economics: Founder & Presenter - Helping Sussex businesses understand the Circular Economy and identify opportunities for their business.
Rewild Adventure: Founder & Guide - Mountain Bike & River Kayak tours of the South Downs.
Through the Sussex Chamber of Commerce I will help members grow their business in line with principles of the Circular Economy. 1. Less waste & pollution 2. Increase longevity of products & services 3. Be regenerative to the biosphere.
I bring passion, energy & ideas to situations to engage key stakeholders on projects that go beyond increasing profit.
I believe by thinking global and acting local we can unlock the power of Sussex.
Graeme Wolford
Graeme was the Managing Director and co-owner of the iconic Judges (Postcards) located just off the seafront on the A259 in St Leonards for over 30 years. Having successfully managed its sale to Alphagraphics UK, he now works for the new organisation in a consultative capacity.
His award-winning business has evolved to become one of the principal suppliers of giftware to the tourist industry. He is enthusiastic about promoting UK manufacture and design within his market and has worked closely with government agencies and universities to secure support.
Having lived in Sussex for much of his life, he is a member of the 1066 Manufactures Group encouraging collaboration, training, and lobbying for this sector in the eastern area of our county. Always challenging the status quo, he was recognized as a finalist in The Chamber Entrepreneur of the Year awards. He has served as a governor in both primary and secondary schools and in his capacity as a member of Round Table was Chairman of the successful Hastings Beer and Music festival raising funds for local worthy causes.
Martin Bannister
Martin Bannister is a cybersecurity specialist with over 30 years of experience. He is Managing Director and founder of Kogo Ltd; an IT managed service provider, and cybersecurity business focused on SME’s. He has been running Kogo for almost two decades, and still finds time in his busy day to provide personal support to clients. He also provides vCIO (Virtual Chief Information Officer) monthly services at various SME’s across the South East. He is a skilled speaker and delivers educational seminars and workshops on cybersecurity and IT threat awareness across Sussex.
Martin joined Sussex Chamber of Commerce as a Board Member in late 2018 and active in the IT community as a member of the CompTIA Executive Council.
Living with his two sons, wife and black labrador in East Grinstead, he can be found on Saturday mornings coaching his son's football or walking Poppy on the Forest Way.
Michele Augousti
Michele has more than 25 years executive leadership and industry expertise and has worked with a range of organisations from global corporations to owner-managed business, covering a variety of sectors including Manufacturing, Engineering, Construction, Tech, FMCG, Financial Services and has links to a number of renowned institutions such as the National Physical Laboratory (NPL). She holds several director (ED/NED) and advisory positions (Commercial and NFP) and has a track record of providing operational change management and strong strategic leadership. She encourages collaboration and innovation and helps shape organisational strategy into meaningful operational plans and works hard to ensure good governance and sustainability are key aspects of an organization. She has experience of setting and achieving goals for high performance and efficiency and for delivering a positive change. Michele has an MSc from University College, London, is a member of the Institute of Leadership & Management and a Fellow of the Institute of Directors (IoD) and is its Sussex Chair. She sits on the Enterprise Advisory Committee and Investment Appraisal Panel for the Coast to Capital LEP as well as ad-hoc sub committees that support their Assurance Framework. She is also a Trustee Director for the Sussex based charity - Greenpower Education Trust and is a visiting lecturer (Qilu University of Technology, Jinan, China). She has a passion for bringing local business together and uses her extensive C-level network of businesses, business representative organisations and public organisation contacts, to help connect and support the Sussex business community.
Harry Sherrard
Harry Sherrard is a lawyer and entrepreneur who has lived and worked in Sussex for over 30 years. Harry is the founder, principal lawyer and CEO of Sherrards, a specialist employment law, occupational health, training, resourcing and HR consulting practice, with a national and international client base.
He is a graduate of Henley Business School.
With a lifelong passion for business, Harry has a particular interest in small business start-ups and in encouraging employers to engage apprentices, and in his role at Sussex Chamber will focus on these areas, in addition to corporate governance responsibilities.
Harry has also enjoyed a successful career in motorsport, including racing in the Goodwood Revival and the Goodwood Festival of Speed, and published his motorsport memoirs in a well-received book, “Taking Part”. This has led to speaking engagements, at which he entertains audiences with stories of his diverse motoring adventures around the world.
Lisa Cooke
Lisa is a CIMA qualified finance professional expert in constantly challenging and Improving strategy, systems, and processes to optimise financial performance.
Prior to her current role in commercial finance within the private healthcare sector, Lisa served as FD for a European group of companies in the Life Sciences sector and before that as FD for a specialist UK manufacturer in the marine industry.
As an IoD certified Director, with extensive experience as Director and Company Secretary, she has a keen interest in promoting the principles of good governance and operating to the highest professional standards.
Paula Ireland
Paula is the Director for Finance & Operations for Felcon Limited, a leading specialist manufacturing and engineering company based in Newhaven. Felcon boast a rich legacy of over five decades specialising in the design, build and manufacture of bespoke equipment for healthcare, pharmaceutical, semiconductor, fibre optic plus ocean and life sciences industries whilst proudly maintaining a strong global presence.
With over 18 years of experience within in the manufacturing sector, Paula possesses a profound comprehension of manufacturing processes, export protocols, health and safety regulations, payroll and accounting, as well as HR and employee welfare.
In her pivotal leadership role at Felcon, Paula orchestrates the synchronisation of financial management and operational functionalities, whilst spearheading the development and execution of robust financial strategies. Paula also oversees company policies whilst navigating forecasting, cashflow management, investment decisions and mitigating financial risks. Beyond financial oversight, Paula manages the day-to-day operations ensuring optimal efficiency and effectiveness. She is instrumental in crafting and implementing operational policies and procedures to streamline processes and bolster productivity.
Through collaborative efforts with cross-functional teams, Paula meticulously monitors operational performance whilst identifying areas ripe for enhancement.
Paula's multifaceted expertise and unwavering dedication contribute significantly to Felcon’s sustained success and global prominence in the competitive manufacturing landscape.