TWO new directors have been appointed to the board of Somerset Chamber of Commerce, bringing additional commercial and business growth expertise to the organisation.

Graeme Crosbie from Level Up (South West) and Suzanne Roper from Somerset County Cricket Club were voted in by members for an initial three-year term at the chamber AGM on November 21.

Graeme Crosbie is the owner and managing director of Level Up (SW) Ltd in Hambridge, near Langport.

Since founding the business in December 2006, he has successfully supported business growth and leadership and management development in SMEs and professional organisations across Somerset and the South West.

He was an accredited growth coach with the business growth service and its predecessors between 2010 and 2016, and he has delivered numerous presentations, seminars and workshops for Somerset Chamber and various town chambers over the past 12 years.

Commenting on his election, Graeme said: "I’m delighted to have been appointed to the Somerset Chamber Board, and very much look forward to getting involved and supporting the chamber team.

"I work extensively across the county with owners of independent SMEs who are, to a great extent, the lifeblood of the Somerset economy and our wider community.

"I do feel that their voices, concerns and challenges need to be heard, in particular in the whole area around productivity and skills, as well as remaining competitive. I hope that my contribution to the board of the Somerset Chamber will help achieve this."

Suzanne Roper is commercial sales director at Somerset County Cricket Club in Taunton.

With a wealth of marketing and sales experience across the sports and leisure industries, she has a particular focus on commercial relationship management and partnerships.

Prior to joining the commercial team at the club in July 2018, Suzanne spent 12 years as head of commercial at Bristol Rugby, and three and a half years doing the same for Bristol Sport, which encompasses Bristol Rugby, Bristol City FC, Bristol Flyers Basketball and all Ashton Gate stadium assets.

She also set up her own consultancy and worked as an independent consultant, giving her insight into business ownership as well as larger commercial organisations.

Following her appointment, Suzanne said: "I am delighted to be appointed to the board of directors at Somerset Chamber of Commerce.

"It is an honour personally and it is also valuable for the chamber to have a representative from a key Somerset business such as Somerset County Cricket Club.

"As the commercial sales director of the cricket club, I believe I can contribute a different opinion and outlook on key issues of the chamber, bringing a commercial stance on what is fundamentally a business trying to achieve its objectives whilst working closely with the business community of the region.

"I look forward to the opportunity and meeting more of the Chamber of Commerce community going forward.”

Greg Saunders, chairman of Somerset Chamber of Commerce, said: "The quality of the applicants to join the board this year was, without exception, superb.

"For Graeme and Suzanne to come out on top in the vote is testament to the respect they have already garnered in the Somerset business community.

"I have no doubt that they will add great value to a diverse and experienced board as we continue to support Stephen and the team in their strategy to continue to grow and evolve the chamber in the years to come. I look forward eagerly to working with them."

Somerset Chamber of Commerce is a membership-based business support organisation that promotes and lobbies for business development in Somerset in order to encourage a vibrant local economy.

Accredited to the British Chambers of Commerce, Somerset Chamber ensures that member businesses stay well connected at a local, regional and national level, and that the voice of the Somerset business community is heard at all levels of government.