Chamber of Commerce Panel Session

Join the CEOs of the Cornwall, Devon, and Somerset Chambers of Commerce for an exclusive panel discussion at The West Country Business Show. This session will explore the key challenges and opportunities facing businesses in the region, from economic development and investment to innovation and sustainability. Take away valuable insights from leading business voices and discover how collaboration can drive growth across the South West. Don’t miss this opportunity to engage with industry leaders and shape the future of regional business.

Panel Speaker Bios:

Staurt Elford-
Stuart is the Chief Executive Officer of Devon Chamber of Commerce. He drives the strategy of the organisation and its operations, leading on lobbying for business on numerous public sector boards and panels. He Chairs the British Chambers of Commerce South West and the BCC Regional Assembly. Stuart is a high-profile trusted business leader and professional Chartered Manager with extensive experience of leadership roles in the public, private and third sectors

John Brown-
John is a communications and branding consultant, keynote speaker and CEO of the Cornwall Chamber of Commerce. He has spent the last 15 years working with firms like Virgin, COOK, lululemon, Natura &Co, McAfee, B Lab UK and more. His focus is on creating fearlessness within brands through radical transparency, human personality and moments of mass engagement. 
John, along with his wife and two children, is a proud resident of Cornwall. As the CEO of the Cornwall Chamber of Commerce, he fervently champions for Cornwall to emerge as a global leader in the regenerative economy. His relentless efforts aim to attract both private and public investment into the Duchy, while also shining a spotlight on the remarkable Cornish businesses.
He’s a dad to two and a husband to one. He believes that to be a great writer, you need to be a great reader, so when he is not out in the Cornish landscape, failing miserably at skateboarding, he can usually be found buried in a book or research paper.
He holds a degree in environmental science.

David Crew-

David Crew has been Managing Director of Somerset Chamber of Commerce since September 2024 and prior to that, was a non-executive director and the Vice Chair of the Chamber’s Board of Directors from November 2023 to August 2024.
As MD, he leads and drives the Chamber’s strategy and operations to deliver value for its members, business partners and stakeholders. Understanding members’ challenges and priorities is key, as is supporting the team to deliver maximum impact for the Chamber’s business community.
Before joining the Chamber, David was responsible for business growth and commercial strategy at Weston College and, prior to working in education, his career included working for a global recruitment business managing contracts.
Although born in the UK, David grew up in Perth, Western Australia and describes himself as a proud dual citizen, choosing to settle in Somerset – the best place in the world! 

The panel will be hosted by  Anne-Marie Martin, the Director of Membership, UK & International for The British Chamber of Commerce.

Anne-Marie Martin FCMI is the Director of Membership UK & International at the British Chambers of Commerce, managing a global network of 130 Chambers of Commerce, representing over 70,000 companies across the UK and around the world. Leading in International engagement, strategic development of Climate and Trade network programmes, she plays a vital role in the organisation's overarching strategy as a member of the Senior Leadership Team. 

Formerly, Anne-Marie served as Chief Executive of the Council of British Chambers of Commerce in Europe and the British Romanian Chamber of Commerce, significantly impacting international development and representation strategies, and spent her early career working in industry leading commercial, sales and marketing and export operations in the Engineering sector.

Anne-Marie works with British Chambers worldwide to enhance their capabilities and forms partnerships with international institutional partners to elevate British business representation globally. She has dedicated a large part of her career to strategically positioning the Chamber Network as a key influencer in British global trade and fostering a culture of international business awareness.