Chamber announces new President at AGM
East Midlands Chamber has announced Geoff Poyzer as its President for 2016/17.
He received the chains of office from outgoing President Jean Mountain at the Chamber’s annual general meeting this morning.
Geoff is Managing Director for the Highways Division at North Midland Construction PLC, a national contractor with a turnover in excess of £225m, and has expertise in managing large construction projects at director level.
A Fellow of the Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation, Member of the Institution of Civil Engineers and a Bachelor of Engineering (Hons) from Nottingham Trent University, Geoff has been employed by NMC, located in north Nottinghamshire, for over 28 years.
He has been a member of the Chamber Board since October 2008.
Geoff, a married father of two grown-up children, who lives in Nottingham with his wife Jacqueline, said:-
“It is an honour and privilege to be elected President of the biggest business-representative body in the Midlands and one of the largest Chambers of Commerce in the country.
“I would like to extend my personal thanks to Jean Mountain, my predecessor, for choosing me as her deputy for the past year and for all her hard work during her 12 months in office.
“I promise to uphold the dignity of this office and to be the best ambassador that I can be for the Chamber, for the region and for business generally.”
He said he had four areas on which he wants to focus during his year in office – Brexit, the difference between management and leadership, helping business to keep pace with the rapidly changing world of technology and promoting the ‘great’ East Midlands as a great place to live and work– all areas where the Chamber is already active.
“I make no apology for slipping ‘great’ in there. I was born and bred in this region and truly believe it to be great.”
Geoff also intends to back devolution, by supporting the Midlands Engine for Growth and Midlands Connect, and locally-focused education systems.
Robert Mayo, Development Director for the Welbeck Estate, where his role is to bring about the transformation of one of the most significant groups of listed buildings in the East Midlands, has been elected Vice-President for 2017.
He is a graduate in Art History from the University of Nottingham and has a Master’s degree in Conservation Studies.
Board changes announced at the AGM include the appointment of Steve Midgeley and Hari Punchihewa as Directors and the retirement of Past-President Liz Fothergill, who was this year made High Sheriff of Derbyshire, and Richard Horsley, Managing Director at QED Public Relations.
Steve is the founder and Managing Director of Chamber member Fairgrove Homes and Hari is Deputy Chief Executive and Finance Director at the University of Derby. Both were co-opted to the Board in August.
Directors David Merifield, Ian Greenaway and Richard Wilkins have been re-elected unopposed to the Board.
