Hampshire Chamber of Commerce has appointed three experienced business people to its board of directors, securing added capability in strategic management.

Laura Bielinski, sales director at south coast media group LOCALiQ, is already well versed in Chamber activities being the chair of the Southampton Chamber of Commerce Leadership Group.

Laura has held senior leadership roles for more than ten years and has 18 years’ overall experience at national and local levels in media and marketing.

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Further education expert Andrew Kaye is the Chief Executive and Principal of Fareham College, where the Chamber opened a new head office at the end of 2021.

Andrew’s arrival will strengthen the Chamber’s focus on building links between the worlds of business and education to address workplace skills gaps across the region.

Fellow appointee Amanda Boughton is the Southampton-based Managing Director of Ancasta Yacht Services, part of the Ancasta group, Europe’s biggest boat and yacht sales brokerage.

She brings more than 30 years’ experience in one of the Solent’s leading sectors – leisure marine – including in business development, sales and customer service.

The three join the Hampshire Chamber board as non-executive directors helping to shape the membership organisation’s strategic growth as the county’s independent voice of business.

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They will work alongside Chief Executive and Executive Chairman Ross McNally, President Peter Taylor and fellow board directors.

Welcoming the three, Ross said: “The appointment of our new non-executive directors is a strategic move which brings additional experience, knowledge, ideas and energy to our board.”

All three appointees have spoken of their goals at Hampshire Chamber.

Andrew said: “Our chief task is to provide independent oversight and constructive challenge to the executive team. In this way we will help to ensure all Chamber members continue to benefit from the organisation’s services including training, networking, representation to government and international trade support.”

Amanda said: “I’m keen to do my bit to support all Chamber members as we continue to navigate recovery from the pandemic and seize the opportunities afforded by economic growth.”

Laura said: “We’re here to ensure the executive team stays innovating and making a positive difference to the regional business community. We look forward to supporting its evolution.”

Other non-executive directors at Hampshire Chamber include: Gail Thomas, Vice President and Managing Director of international metals supplier TW Metals; Ed Gould, Partner and Creative Director of creative communications agency Carswell Gould; Aaron Butson, Assistant Principal at Havant and South Downs College; David Harris, Managing Director and co-owner of Droxford company One2create; Joe Jeffers, Chief Financial Officer of Whiteley-based Tailor Made Technologies; Mark Mills-Goodlet, Managing Director of Winchester Motor Group and chair of the Chamber’s Winchester business strategy group; Nick Barwood, partner and Head of the Commercial Team at law firm Womble Bond Dickinson in Southampton; and Barry Smith, Head of Sales and Business Development at Greenhouse Graphics, a Basingstoke graphic communications company. Barry also chairs the Chamber’s Basingstoke business strategy group.

A further non-executive director, retail banking expert Liana Brien who is a Local Enterprise Manager at NatWest and chair of Hampshire Chamber’s Andover business strategy group, was appointed in October 2021.