At the recent Annual General Meeting, held at the new Barnsley College Business Centre, Matthew Stephens of Castlebray Services, was appointed the new President of Barnsley & Rotherham Chamber of Commerce.
A leading regional figure in property and regeneration development, Matthew Stephens has played an active role in delivering and leading redevelopment across the Barnsley and Rotherham region, most notably the flagship Gateway Plaza development in Barnsley town centre.
Matthew has been an active member on the board of the Barnsley & Rotherham Chamber of Commerce for over five years, serving as vice-president, with his role allowing him to liaise with local authorities to represent regeneration opportunities for Barnsley and Rotherham on behalf of the Chamber. He takes over the role from outgoing President Joada Allen, who held the position for three years.
The inauguration took place with outgoing President Joada Allen passing the responsibilities of the role, along with the ceremonial Chamber Presidential medal at the College’s impressive Business Centre, a new joint venture between the Chamber and the College.
Speaking of his appointment at the AGM, Matthew said “I am very proud to be announced as President of Barnsley & Rotherham Chamber of Commerce and I am honoured that the board has trusted me with this esteemed position.
“I am acutely aware of the important role that the Chamber plays for its members across the Barnsley, Rotherham and wider South Yorkshire region, and the variety of businesses our Chamber represents.
“I would like to be an active voice on behalf of our members and to do so effectively by representing our members across the many opportunities presented to the Chamber. I believe an open-door policy is the most effective way to communicate with our membership, so we can help members and their businesses thrive through the support offered by the Chamber. With the support of our Chief Executive, our Chamber team, our board of directors and our many stakeholders I believe we can continue to build on the fantastic work Joada has established to continue to make Barnsley and Rotherham a fantastic place to do business.”
Outgoing President, Joada Allen said “It is a privilege to hand over to our new incoming President. Having worked closely with Matthew over the last three years I firmly believe he will guide the Chamber to support the number of members I have had the privilege to meet during my tenure.
“I am looking forward to seeing our Chamber invest in quality growth, so we continue to serve our membership. I see the work that the Chamber does each and every day in representing businesses across Barnsley and Rotherham and that is vitally important, particularly in the current climate, that we continue to do so.”
