About Us

Steve Coburn

Steve Coburn is Managing Director of projectfive, an IT support company based in Camberley. He founded the business in 2002 in the wake of the Enron scandal (projectfive was responsible for recovering the electronic data from the UK that helped with the investigations). Since then, Steve has grown projectfive into an award-winning business. He was voted SME Director of the Year for London and the South East by the Institute of Directors in 2016.

 

Chief Executive

Louise Punter

Louise Punter became Chief Executive of Surrey Chambers of Commerce following 17 years working in manufacturing and business services. After a 5 year career break from Metal Box, she then spent 3 years as the Marketing Director of an international conformity assessment organisation, Bureau Veritas.

To ensure strong representation of Surrey businesses, Louise sits on many different boards and committees such as the 14-19 strategic Board (for young people), the Civilian-Military Partnership Board, Surrey Employment and Skills Board and is involved in both Local Enterprise Partnerships (EM3 and Coast to Capital). She has two daughters, one a musical theatre actress and the other training to be a doctor.

Finance

Tara Wavre

Tara joined the Chambers in 2017 after a long career in financial roles. She is now the Resources Manager whose main priority is making sure the Chambers office runs smoothly, allowing the whole team to deliver a first class service to all its members. In 2018 she was trained on certifying export documentation to assist the International Trade team on busy days. She has also taken over Surrey Chambers Golf Society and is enjoying learning more about golf, organising and attending the monthly golf days with all of the SCGS members.

Membership Manager / ExportSurrey Project Lead

Sarah Butcher

Sarah joined the Chamber in April 2014 after a 12 year career at the University of Surrey. Sarah is the Head of Membership at the Chambers and is passionate about helping Surrey businesses  grow and prosper. Sarah looks after Surrey Chambers members in the Guildford, Waverley, Woking & Surrey Heath areas. When she is not networking or hosting an event Sarah enjoys Nordic walking, travelling and skiing.

International Trade Manager

Gary Hayes

Gary joined Surrey Chambers in 2014 after spending 15 years working various roles within the DIY retail sector. As the International Trade Manager, his role within the team is looking after and helping our exporting customers with all of their trade needs.

Hannah Joslyn

Hannah joined the Chambers team in September of 2019 as Events & Marketing Manager. Hannah graduated from St Mary’s University back in July 2017, and later went on to pursue a job in Marketing, but having also worked in events during internships whilst studying for her degree. Hannah is excited to put her skills to the test, challenge herself, and work with her team to put on some exciting events for the businesses of Surrey. When she is not working, Hannah can be found either reading, writing, or spending time with her 5 cats.

Jodie Skidmore

Jodie joined the Surrey Chambers team in October 2019. Having come to the end of her Gap Year following College, where she worked full time in hospitality for 7 months, saving sufficient funds to travel around the world for 3 months, Jodie decided she wanted to start her career in the Events & Marketing industry. Jodie joined the Chambers with the aim to learn new skills, gain first hand experience in the industry and challenge herself. Alongside Jodie’s Events & Marketing role, she is doing an Apprenticeship working towards gaining her Level 3 Diploma in Business Administration. Jodie is looking forward to carrying over the knowledge she learns through her Apprenticeship into her role at the Chambers.

Tom Woods

Tom joined the Chamber in September 2019 as Membership Executive. Tom graduated from Coventry University in 2014 with a degree in Media Production. Since graduating he has worked in a variety of different roles and has developed a keen interest in customer service and satisfaction. With these skills Tom is looking forward to providing a high quality service to businesses, nurturing them and helping them grow.

Aaron Law

After graduating from the University of Brighton, Aaron has joined the Chamber in 2017 as the International Trade Assistant. As an integral part of the International Trade team, he works primarily in certifying export documents for our customers as well as gladly answering any documentation queries they may have.

Suhayb Shabir

Suhayb joined the chambers team in February 2020 as an International Trade Assistant. Suhayb graduated from the University of Surrey back in 2014 with a degree in Business Management. Suhayb has numerous years of experience in Sales working for small to medium size organizations. As an International Trade Assistant Suhayb deals with certifying export documentation and dealing with queries.

Peter Quilter

Peter Quilter is Director of Corporate and Commercial Banking at NatWest bank in Guildford. He leads the west Surrey team, and focuses on helping and supporting businesses turning over in excess of £2m or borrowing in excess of £500,000. The team works with all sorts of businesses as well as having expertise in international trade, healthcare, charities, and education.

Claire Dee

Claire Dee is Director and Founder of communications consultancy Claire Dee Communications which is based near Guildford. Claire has over 20 years of experience and provides her clients with a broad suite of high-quality bespoke services including digital and social media support, online and offline writing, editing, journalism, media relations/PR, training, consultancy and advisory work. Clients range from global accountancy and law firms, to local SMEs and not-for-profit organisations.

Thom Gibbons

Thom Gibbons is Founder and Managing Director of Babba, a telecommunications and technology consultancy based in Woking. Thom has extensive experience in helping SME customers with their telecommunications planning, which he uses to save them pain and hassle and help them communicate better.

 

Jaz Blake

Jaz Blake is Managing Director of Perfect Presentation Training, who provide sales and presentation training – using the skills of professional actors. Founded a in 2016 it is the sister company to Perfect Pitch, an outbound telemarketing company, of which Jaz is co-director. Both businesses are run from offices in Godalming and are proud to be part of the Surrey business community.

Dan Morgan

Dan Morgan is Managing Partner of Haines Watts, running both the Esher and Bromley offices. Haines Watts are a firm of Accountants and Business Advisors to the owner managed business sector. They have developed a range of services to cover many of the challenges an OMB will encounter. Dan has a particular focus on the property sector and related trades. Dan enjoys providing owners strategic consulting and being a sounding board for the business owner, being a trusted confidant who can challenge and question but also support the owner.

Mike Turner

Mike Turner is Managing Director of employee engagement consultancy YouBecome, based in Weybridge. Mike is a former senior executive with a passion for individual development and business transformation. His specialties include advising on organisational culture, employee engagement and customer relationship management. His business has a team of consultants that operate across the UK.

Emily Spanton-Hay

Having always been interested in marketing and media, Emily has found her home in the exciting world of radio. Moving into management in October 2011, Emily now heads up the successful sales team at Eagle Radio. Being passionate about Surrey and the businesses within it, Emily has worked in local press and then local recruitment before coming to Eagle.

Richard Essex

Richard Essex is a Financial Adviser at Grayside, a financial services and insurance brokers based in Epsom. Richard has been an independent financial adviser for over 25 years and has been with Grayside since 1998. He is also a member of the Ethical Investment Association, and the UK Sustainable Finance Association. Richard specialises in providing advice and education for individuals who wish to invest and make a positive contribution to the world we live in.

Jackie Denyer

Jackie Denyer is Managing Director of Farnham-based Professional Training Solutions. Jackie started the business with her fellow directors in 2006 having identified a niche for delivering quality training. She has extensive experience in the training world working with the likes of Surrey Training and Enterprise, Surrey County Council, Business Link, Royal Surrey County Hospital, and Surrey & Sussex Healthcare Trust. In June 2018 she launched the Women Leaders’ Academy with government funding, aimed at offering training and support for women leaders.

Stuart McOnie

Stuart McOnie is Managing Director of Woking-based engineering company, SEMMCO. He is involved in the day-to-day running of the aviation side of the business, from initial design concepts with customers, to production and repairs and sales. He is also experienced in the preparation of commercial bids for UK and overseas customers, and negotiations with MoD, domestic and international airlines.

Tamalie Newbery

Tamalie Newbery is the Director & CEO of Brooklands Museum in Weybridge – the birthplace of British motorsport and aviation and the largest museum in the county. Tamalie’s career has largely been spent in the arts and museums. She worked at the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre and then at The Lightbox from its inception through to its opening in 2007. She then worked as a consultant supporting heritage attractions before becoming the Director of the Association of Independent Museums.

 

Richard Butcher

Richard Butcher is Managing Director of Stratagems Business Solutions, a business advisory service based in Kingston. Richard has the combined experience of establishing several businesses of his own and coaching others to achieve their goals. He works with corporate companies, SMEs, charities and public sector organisations, and specialises in strategic planning, sales and marketing, international trade, company sales, and raising finance.

Chris Martin

Chris Martin is based in Weybridge as a Partner at Curchods estate agents and surveyors. He is a fellow of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and a fellow of the Association of Building Engineers. Chris has been in practice for over 40 years, originally in estate management, and has experience with rural, urban and local authority property portfolios.

Harvey Ockrim

Harvey is the managing director of Satelliet UK Ltd, suppliers of quality indoor and outdoor furniture, clients are in many sectors including Hotels, Restaurants and Cafes, Education, Care, Leisure and office. With showrooms and offices in both Surrey and Glasgow, Satelliet UK can service clients across the UK, Ireland and the Channel Islands.

Harvey has served on the board of Scottish Enterprise Renfrewshire and Renfrewshire Chamber of Commerce, so is no stranger to the workings of the Chamber, he is also passionate about networking at every possible opportunity so look out for him at our next event!

Adrian Shanks

Adrian Shanks is the Business Development Officer for Surrey Business School, University of Surrey. Adrian spent 19 years in the education, academic and professional publishing industry in a variety of Non-Executive Director roles before leaving to help launch a residential property start-up business. In his current role he provides the conduit between the interests of the business community and the opportunities afforded by partnerships with the Business School and the University of Surrey.

Steve Coburn

Steve Coburn is Managing Director of projectfive, an IT support company based in Camberley. He founded the business in 2002 in the wake of the Enron scandal (projectfive was responsible for recovering the electronic data from the UK that helped with the investigations). Since then, Steve has grown projectfive into an award-winning business. He was voted SME Director of the Year for London and the South East by the Institute of Directors in 2016.

 

Eli Beckett

Eli Beckett works to create meaningful partnerships with corporate and community groups across Surrey, in aid of mental health charity Oakleaf Enterprise. Having studied History of Art, Eli spent 6 years working within the commercial art industry in London. At the end of 2016 she decided that her sales and client facing skills may be more valuable in the third sector. She enjoys facilitating positive relationships between the corporate and community world – showing the value of supporting local organisations. Eli is a Mental Health First Aider and has a passion for increasing mental health awareness, whilst reducing the stigma that surrounds this invisible illness.

Matt Pinches

Matt is one of the two Co-Founders of the award-winning Guildford Shakespeare Company (GSC), an arts and education organisation based in Guildford. Graduating in 1998 with a Dramatic Arts degree, Matt has been an actor for over 20 years, the last thirteen of which has been as an actor-manager for GSC. Starting the theatre company from scratch to the level it operates today, Matt is keenly aware of the challenges that new businesses face, especially those in the charity, education and entertainment sectors. As well as a Director for the charity Matt is both Marketing Manager, (including digital and social media), and Corporate Fundraiser. An accomplished presenter and public speaker, he is passionate about championing the often overlooked disadvantaged areas of Surrey’s communities, to give them a voice in what can be perceived as a privileged society. In 2019, Matt was awarded IoD Director of the Year (with his Co-Founder Sarah Gobran) London/South East, for Inclusivity. He also sits on Guildford’s Public Art Advisory Board.

Anna Drees

For the last 7 years, Anna Drees has been a Marketing Director in Estonia in stretch ceiling production. Anna worked for a Russian company, set up on the Estonian/Russian border, to export to the EU Countries and increase turnover. The company has a number of lighting and stretch ceiling factories throughout Russia – with trade starting in Baltic countries before exporting expanded to serve 36 countries.

In 2014, Anna moved to the UK and joined the Edward Ray team. Edward Ray, have had a recent change in branding to push more lighting products and provide complete service. Goods are now known under the NGA (No Grey Area) brand. Anna works closely with suppliers and the exporting side of the business, dealing with some key accounts and management of the stretch ceiling projects with the Operations department.