RSM Partner named President of East Midlands Chamber of Commerce

The East Midlands Chamber of Commerce has appointed Kevin Harris its new President, in preparation for Brexit. The RSM Office Managing Partner will oversee the organisation as it works to achieve improved support from the Government for local businesses, in what may be a challenging 2019.

A chamber of commerce is a form of business network, whose goal is to further the interests of businesses in its locality. The East Midlands Chamber of Commerce is the leading voice for business in the East Midlands. It boasts a membership base of more than 4,000 businesses and 3,000 affiliates across Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, making it the largest business representation organisation in the region.

As the organisation prepares for a challenging 2019, with businesses across the area facing an uncertain year thanks to the culmination of Brexit, it has appointed a new President. Kevin Harris, an Office Managing Partner of RSM from Leicester, accepted the chains of office from outgoing President Rob Mayo at the Chamber’s annual general meeting in November.

Before his spell with RSM, one of the world’s largest auditing and advisory firms, Harris spent more than 20 years as an owner of Cooper Parry, where he was responsible for advising a portfolio of locally based SMEs alongside an Audit Partner role. He also has previous experience with his local Chamber of Commerce for many years. He was Chair at Leicestershire Chamber and oversaw its merger with the Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire Chamber of Commerce to form East Midlands Chamber, while he also held the Vice Presidency of the East Midlands Chamber of Commerce for the last five years.

In a speech accepting office, Harris first thanked his predecessor for all his “hard work, enthusiasm and leadership in the past year.” Following that, he added that with Brexit day falling during his Presidency, his first goal would be to “make sure the Chamber continues to offer the help, guidance and support to steer members through the changes that lie ahead.”

Following his acceptance, Harris’ first official duty was to announce Dawn Edwards as his Vice President for the year ahead. Also hailing from the consulting industry, Edwards is a Managing Director at Challenge Consulting, a management training and advisory firm, based in Woodborough. She has previously been voted one of the top 100 Nottinghamshire Women of Influence, while being a Fellow of the Institute of Leadership and Management, and a Member of the Chartered Management Institute.