Goodbye Matthew, hello Matt – new chamber chief takes helm in handover

Matt Travis took over the helm of the member-led organisation from outgoing president Matthew Stephens at the chamber’s annual general meeting at the Barnsley Civic.

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

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

During the AGM and outlining his vision Matt also pledged to help SMEs harness new opportunities presented through net zero.

He 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 £70 million has been retained within the local economy over the past year alone.”

Over the past 12 months, the Chamber – which provides support and representation to more than 1100 members – has welcomed 118 new organisations, successfully delivered 147 training courses and hosted a range of events including the annual Chamber Means Business Expo and a glittering awards ceremony.

Matthew Stephens, immediate past president, 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.”

Chief executive Carrie Sudbury said: “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.

She added: “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.”

The AGM event also saw business consultant and founder of IEKOS Hayley Koseoglu appointed as vice president, and Mark Smith from Make Your Mark UK join the senior leadership team as deputy vice president.