The Board

Ana Christie

Chief Executive Officer, Sussex Chamber of Commerce

Substantial business experience both in  the UK and internationally. Ana’s career began in aviation in ground operations working both at  Gatwick and Heathrow airports (for Air UK and Sri Lankan Airlines respectively), before progressing into hospitality in London at Marble Arch Marriott hotel, and subsequently working on the construction and development of the London Marriott hotel at County Hall. Managingthe London Aquarium as General Manager was her first management role. Ana was Executive Vice President of an executive recruitment and human resources consultancy in the Philippines before working for the British Deputy High Commission in India in entry clearance (visas and immigration). On her return to Britain, Ana joined Fisher Clinical Services managing a team of project managers providing packaging and distribution requirements of clinical trials across the world. Ana’s most challenging role was when she joined the Sussex Chamber of Commerce in 2014 as Chief Executive and has since grown and developed the business membership organisation through the services provided to support business economic growth and performance in the area. She campaigns on key issues through the British Chambers who represent the national interests of business in government. Ana sits on numerous skills groups and plays an active role in driving improvement in local employment and skills to increase economic prosperity and is also abusiness representative Director on the South East Local Enterprise Partnership. 

Rob Clare MCIBS RACIB

Rob is a Chartered Banker with over 30 years experience of working with and supporting growing businesses. He is co-owner and founder of Innovation Capital Team LLP, a corporate finance and consultancy firm focused in the tech and digital space. Rob holds a number of director and advisorroles in the UK from food brands to fintech.

Dean Orgill

Dean Orgill is a Partner and Chairman at Mayo Wynne Baxter, where he has worked since 1987. Having led the litigation department and been part of the executive management team for many years Dean became Managing Partner of Wynne Baxter Godfree in 1999. He has been since been involved continuously in the management of the firm, becoming Chairman in 2011. In the wider business community Dean Chairs the Brighton and Hove Economic Partnership and sits on the Greater Brighton Economic Board  He also chairs the committee of the Institute of Directors for Sussex (being elected a Fellow of the IoD in 2015) For over three years Dean was a Director of the Gatwick Diamond Initiative Limited (where he chaired the Inspire group focussing on training and skills).  Dean has also receive the Business Matters Business Personality of the Year Award in recognition of his proactive involvement with Sussex business community.

Andrew Hookway

Andrew Hookway                                

Andrew Hookway is Founder and Managing Director of Extech Cloud, a multi award-winning IT managed service provider, based in the company’s headquarters in Burgess Hill.

Andrew has over thirty years’ experience in the technology sector, gained at an executive level within various large brands including Fidelity International and Colt Telecom.

Andrew has a passion for humanising IT and making it more accessible, placing a high importance on mentoring the younger generation on the science and technology aspects within his industry.

Andy Wheeler

Andy Wheeler, director of Catandra, is an expert in his field. In his role he partners with many types of businesses to help them develop their strategies through consultancy and talent acquisition.

Having worked with both multi-nationals and fledgling start-ups Andy’s approach is tailored to the needs of each individual business but core principles remain: putting the best people at the heart of your business to serve your customers.

The working world is ever-changing and attracting and retaining excellent team members is harder than ever. For Andy, tackling the skills gap is a priority; he believes businesses need to develop their people and skillsets in order to create a pipeline of talent to secure future growth.

Dan Shelley

Dan Shelley acts as the Group’s Chief Infrastructure and Transformation Officer. His role sees him taking the lead on all of the Group’s transformation programmes, delivering against the ambitious capital programme as well as our digital and physical estate. His role sees him bringing forward innovations that will enhance the operation of the Group, delivering clear impacts that help to support both the community and employers across the East Kent geography.

Dan joined the Group from East Sussex College Group (ESCG) where he was the Executive Director of Strategic Partnerships and Engagement. His role saw him leading the development of the group’s curriculum strategy, as well as leading a range of strategic relationships that ensured ESCG was at the forefront of developments within the communities it served. Amongst this agenda Dan led projects that secured more than £4.5m of funding for 2021-2022 from a range of sources that included the ESF, Town Deal Fund, Strategic Development Fund and the Community Renewal Fund.

Dan also acted as the senior officer leading relationships with a wide range of employer and community bodies, such as the Local Enterprise Partnership, Skills East Sussex (on which he chaired two of its employer sub-groups), the Hastings & Rother Economic taskforce, Hastings & Newhaven Town Team Boards and the South East LEP Skills Advisory Board.

Prior to this Dan worked in a range of senior roles in FE and skills organisations across the Sussex area, developing a broad range of specialist skills that include (but are not limited to), marketing and PR, Management Information, Higher Education, student voice, funding bids and leading a variety of national and international projects.

Dan’s appointment at East Kent Colleges Group sees him return to familiar ground, as he is a former student of Canterbury College’s, where he studied for three A Levels in 1992, before returning to his hometown and progressing to the University of Derby to take a degree in Social Sciences, where he maintained his love of the might Rams, Derby County.

Although a passionate champion for East Kent, he lives in East Sussex with his partner, Kirsten and 16-year-old son, and enjoys spending time with his other son who has now flown the nest, studying at University in Bristol. A regular runner, he’s taken on four marathons, and aspires to tackle the six international city marathons before his retirement. In his spare time Dan has a number of voluntary roles, which include acting as a Non-Executive Director of Sussex Chamber of Commerce and Chair of the Sussex Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP) Board and a trustee of the Rye Partnership, a local regeneration partnership.

Dougal Fleming

My mother was born in Southampton, Father in Wadhurst. I was born & raised in Lewes, subsequently consider myself a child of Sussex. I spent formative years living & working in Europe & South America learning languages and integrating as an adventure tour guide. Since returning to Sussex my primary passion has been to understand, facilitate & implement greener regenerative business practices. With a broad focus on aligning commercial, consumer & environmental incentives to ensures as a society we remain focused on ethical practices. 

Alistair Fleming Design: Business Development - Growing customer & commercial partnerships within the private residential sector.

Rewild Economics: Founder & Presenter - Helping Sussex businesses understand the Circular Economy and identify opportunities for their business.  

Rewild Adventure: Founder & Guide - Mountain Bike & River Kayak tours of the South Downs. 

Through the Sussex Chamber of Commerce I will help members grow their business in line with principles of the Circular Economy. 1. Less waste & pollution 2. Increase longevity of products & services 3. Be regenerative to the biosphere. 

I bring passion, energy & ideas to situations to engage key stakeholders on projects that go beyond increasing profit. 

I believe by thinking global and acting local we can unlock the power of Sussex. 

Graeme Wolford

Graeme is the Managing Director of the iconic Judges (Postcards) located just off the seafront on the A259 in St Leonards.

His award-winning business has evolved to become one of the principal suppliers of giftware to the tourist industry. He is passionate about promoting UK manufacture and design within his market and has worked closely with government agencies and universities

to secure support.

Having lived in Sussex most of his life, he is a member of the 1066 Manufactures Group encouraging collaboration, training, and lobbying for this sector in the eastern area of our county. Always challenging the status quo, he was recognized as a finalist in The Chamber Entrepreneur of the Year awards. He has served as a governor in both primary and secondary schools and in his capacity as a member of Round Table was Chairman of the successful Hastings Beer and Music festival raising funds for local good causes.

Martin Bannister

Martin Bannister is a cybersecurity specialist with over 30 years of experience. He is  Managing Director and founder of Kogo Ltd; an IT managed service provider, and cybersecurity business focused on SME’s. He has been running Kogo for almost two decades, and still finds time in his busy day to provide personal support to clients. He also provides vCIO (Virtual Chief Information Officer) monthly services at various SME’s across the South East. He is a skilled speaker and delivers educational seminars and workshops on cybersecurity and IT threat awareness across Sussex.

Martin joined Sussex Chamber of Commerce as a Board Member in late 2018 and active in the IT community as a member of the CompTIA Executive Council. 

Living with his two sons, wife and black labrador in East Grinstead, he can be found on Saturday mornings coaching his son's football or walking Poppy on the Forest Way.

Michele Augousti

Michele has more than 25 years executive leadership and industry expertise and has worked with a range of organisations from global corporations to owner-managed business, covering a variety of sectors including Manufacturing, Engineering, Construction, Tech, FMCG, Financial Services and has links to a number of renowned institutions such as the National Physical Laboratory (NPL). She holds several director (ED/NED) and advisory positions (Commercial and NFP) and has a track record of providing operational change management and strong strategic leadership. She encourages collaboration and innovation and helps shape organisational strategy into meaningful operational plans and works hard to ensure good governance and sustainability are key aspects of an organization. She has experience of setting and achieving goals for high performance and efficiency and for delivering a positive change. Michele has an MSc from University College, London, is a member of the Institute of Leadership & Management and a Fellow of the Institute of Directors (IoD) and is its Sussex Chair. She sits on the Enterprise Advisory Committee and Investment Appraisal Panel for the Coast to Capital LEP as well as ad-hoc sub committees that support their Assurance Framework. She is also a Trustee Director for the Sussex based charity - Greenpower Education Trust and is a visiting lecturer (Qilu University of Technology, Jinan, China). She has a passion for bringing local business together and uses her extensive C-level network of businesses, business representative organisations and public organisation contacts, to help connect and support the Sussex business community.

Harry Sherrard

Harry Sherrard is a lawyer and entrepreneur who has lived and worked in Sussex for over 30 years. Harry is the founder, principal lawyer and CEO of Sherrards, a specialist employment law, occupational health, training, resourcing and HR consulting practice, with a national and international client base.

He is a graduate of Henley Business School.

With a lifelong passion for business, Harry has a particular interest in small business start-ups and in encouraging employers to engage apprentices, and in his role at Sussex Chamber will focus on these areas, in addition to corporate governance responsibilities.

Harry has also enjoyed a successful career in motorsport, including racing in the Goodwood Revival and the Goodwood Festival of Speed, and published his motorsport memoirs in a well-received book, “Taking Part”.  This has led to speaking engagements, at which he entertains audiences with stories of his diverse motoring adventures around the world. 

Lisa Cooke

Lisa is a CIMA qualified finance professional expert in constantly challenging and Improving strategy, systems, and processes to optimise financial performance.

Prior to her current role in commercial finance within the private healthcare sector, Lisa served as FD for a European group of companies in the Life Sciences sector and before that as FD for a specialist UK manufacturer in the marine industry.

As an IoD certified Director, with extensive experience as Director and Company Secretary, she has a keen interest in promoting the principles of good governance and operating to the highest professional standards.

Paula Ireland

Paula is the Director for Finance & Operations for Felcon Limited, a leading specialist  manufacturing and engineering company based in Newhaven.  Felcon boast a rich legacy of over five decades specialising in the design, build and manufacture of bespoke equipment for healthcare, pharmaceutical, semiconductor, fibre optic plus ocean and life sciences industries whilst proudly maintaining a strong global presence.

With over 18 years of experience within in the manufacturing sector, Paula possesses a profound comprehension of manufacturing processes, export protocols, health and safety regulations, payroll and accounting, as well as HR and employee welfare.

In her pivotal leadership role at Felcon, Paula orchestrates the synchronisation of financial management and operational functionalities, whilst spearheading the development and execution of robust financial strategies.  Paula also oversees company policies whilst navigating forecasting, cashflow management, investment decisions and mitigating financial risks. Beyond financial oversight, Paula manages the day-to-day operations ensuring optimal efficiency and effectiveness.  She is instrumental in crafting and implementing operational policies and procedures to streamline processes and bolster productivity.

Through collaborative efforts with cross-functional teams, Paula meticulously monitors operational performance whilst identifying areas ripe for enhancement.

Paula's multifaceted expertise and unwavering dedication contribute significantly to Felcon’s sustained success and global prominence in the competitive manufacturing landscape.