Renfrewshire Chamber of Commerce have announced a new President.
Audrey Cumberford, Principal and Chief Executive of West College Scotland has been appointed as President of the Chamber.
Audrey is only the second women to hold the position in the 50-year history of Renfrewshire Chamber of Commerce, Audrey was handed the chain of office by outgoing president Tom Johnston.
Tom Johnston has now been appointed Honorary President, a new role to recognise Tom’s ongoing involvement at a senior level with the Chamber and in which role he will be assisting the new President in the continuing development of the Chamber.
Audrey, who described her appointment as an honour, said, “Renfrewshire Chamber is one of the most active in Scotland and I’m determined to build on the fantastic achievements of Tom and his team. We now have more than 500 members, representing 30,000 employees, which offers great networking and business growth opportunities.”
“The College’s relationships with employers across the West region are hugely important to local economic growth and employment opportunities for young people.
“Through partnerships with employers, we can encourage and assist business growth and also add value to the student experience.
“With the support of the Chamber’s board and members, I hope to continue to help Renfrewshire grow and prosper.”
Audrey was previously a non-executive director of the Chamber and her appointment cements the close relationships which exist between West College Scotland and the wider business community.
Tom Johnston commented “it has been an honour to have been the President of Renfrewshire Chamber; it has been a large part of my business and private life for a number of years and I’m delighted that I shall be able to continue to serve on the Board as Honorary President. As we transition to our new President, I give Audrey my full support knowing that the Chamber is in a healthy position and we will continue to build on that success”.
Renfrewshire Chamber celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2014 with membership just under 600 and has completed its 5th consecutive year of returning a financial surplus. The Chamber was recently awarded Investors in Young People status recognising the work it does employing young people directly and the support it gives to the young people of Renfrewshire. Audrey will be the 2nd female President of the Chamber in its 50 year history, following on from Sheila Laidlaw in 1991