• Corin Crane
• Group Chief Executive, Coventry & Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce

Corin Crane is the Group Chief Executive of the Coventry & Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce (CWCC) which includes Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber Training and Destination Coventry.

• Raj Kandola
• Acting Deputy CEO, Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce

Raj Kandola is currently the acting Deputy CEO at the Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce supporting on the strategic and operational leadership of the organisation, ensuring continuity of executive functions, organisational performance and stakeholder engagement.

• Steven Lynch MBE
• Director of Trade Development, British Chambers of Commerce

Steven Lynch MBE, is the Director of Trade Development at the British Chambers of Commerce. Steven was formerly Executive Director of Eastern Powerhouse, Managing Director at BritCham China, and Director of Beijing to Britain, and joined the BCC in 2025 to lead on global trade development and policy.

• Prof. David Bailey PhD, FeRSA
• Professor of Business Economics, Birmingham Business School

David Bailey is Professor of Business Economics at the Birmingham Business School, and a Senior Fellow of the ESRC’s UK in a Changing Europe programme, exploring the impacts of Brexit on UK automotive and manufacturing.

• Ralph Edwards
• Managing Director, Head of Trade Sales, Lloyds Commercial Banking

Ralph has over 25 years’ experience working in a wide range of sales and strategic leadership roles for Lloyds and Barclays. Currently he leads Trade Sales and Client Management within Lloyds Commercial Banking Coverage team, supporting SME and Mid Corporate clients with their growth ambitions.

• Chris Dowen
• Director, MoRServ Ltd

Chris is an award-winning former senior police officer. He was the Deputy Director of Intelligence and Serious Organised Crime lead for West Midlands Police, and the UK Policing lead for the Management of Risk in Law Enforcement programme immediately prior to his retirement from policing. Following his retirement, he founded MoRServ, which provides bespoke Intelligence, Risk Profiling and Technology consultancy services for the public and private sector within the UK and Internationally.

• Dan Carins
• Policy Manager for Business, WMCA

Dan Carins is the Policy Manager for Business at the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA). With a background in town planning, Dan has extensive experience in enhancing productivity and improving access to finance. Before joining WMCA, he worked at the Black Country Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) and various local authorities in the Black Country, where he contributed to numerous initiatives aimed at economic development, local supply chain development and business support.

• Tamara Harvey
• Co-Artistic Director, The RSC

Tamara was born in Botswana and grew up in Massachusetts and Brighton before graduating from the University of Bristol. She was a directing intern at the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey and her first professional job in theatre was as assistant director at Shakespeare’s Globe under Mark Rylance. Her work as a freelance director has included Shakespeare, classic revivals, new writing and musical theatre, at theatres in the West End, around the UK and in the USA.

• Abrar Hussain Aziz
• Managing Director, Targeted Help

Abrar Hussain Aziz is the Founder and Managing Director of Targeted Help, and a Senior Consultant specialising in Business Development and International Trade. With a strong focus on supporting overseas clients, Abrar provides expert services tailored to navigating and succeeding in the UK market. He brings extensive experience from senior management roles across several critical UK government contracts, where he developed a deep understanding of operational strategy, stakeholder engagement, and high-level service delivery. His passion lies in enabling cross-border business success, leveraging his background to bridge international opportunities with UK-based execution.

• David Hooper
• Director, Hooper & Co.

David Hooper, an accomplished international trade professional with over 20 years of experience, is the Managing Director of Hooper and Co International Trade Consultancy Ltd and Director of Independent Freight Solutions Ltd His expertise lies in providing training, advice, and consultancy to businesses engaged in international trade, specializing in customs, logistics, and the practical aspects of global commerce. David's influence extends to advising government bodies, such as the Department of Business and Trade (DBT), chambers of commerce, and other intermediaries involved in supporting importers and exporters. Additionally, he serves as Non – Executive Director of Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce David holds a distinguished Master in Business Administration (MBA) from Aston University, along with a degree in Politics, Economics, and Philosophy.

• Robert Lawton
• Director, Lawton Tubes

As a passionate and proactive fourth-generation family owner, I have been dedicated to promoting copper pipe and fittings across construction, life sciences, air conditioning, and engineering. My focus extends to marketing, branding, international sales, IT, and telecommunications, where I am highly active on social media, often referred to as "Copperman." Currently serving as the Marketing & International Sales Director at Lawton Tubes for over twenty years, I am hands-on with customers both domestically and internationally. I oversee our company’s social media presence and regularly attend industry events. Lawton Tubes, established in 1918, is a family-run business that now generates approximately £230 million in revenue with over 140 employees. We proudly earned the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in 2019 and the King’s Award in 2024 for our excellence in international trade.