West Berkshire Chamber Council

The West Berkshire Chamber of Commerce is led by a committee of elected business people who drive the Chamber’s lobbying activities.

The 2010-2011 Council is:

President – Ian Vickerage, Managing Director (Image Group PLC)
Background: Ian runs, and is the majority shareholder of, Imago Group PLC, the largest distributor of Video conferencing products in Europe. He set up Imago in 1991 after a career in high technology with Burroughs Corporation, Computervision and Barco, along with experience with venture-funded startups in the USA. Imago had sales of £35 million in 2009 and employs 120 people with offices in seven countries. Ian has been President of the West Berkshire Chamber for four years, and is also a director of the Vision Charity and of the Corn Exchange Theatre in Newbury.

Elizabeth Anfield, Chartered Tax Advisor and Chartered Accountant (Elizabeth M Anfield)
Background: Elizabeth is a sole practitioner in Newbury working for individuals and small businesses, often with an overseas dimension as well as offering a personal home visit service for elderly persons. She has recently taken up the chairmanship of the Thames Valley Branch of the Chartered Institute of Taxation.

Her accountancy and tax career started in Reading as a trainee with what is now Howarth Clarke Whitehill followed by spells abroad with Ernst Young ( Germany and Luxemburg) and as a sole practitioner (Canada) while her husband was serving overseas. Elizabeth then returned to the UK with Finnie Ross ( now BDO Stoy Hayward) in Newbury and helped set up the Reading office before starting her own practice in 1983.

Elizabeth has served on both the Reading and Newbury, (now West Berks) committees during her long association with the Chamber of Commerce.

Peter Atkinson, Consultant (Peter Atkinson Consulting)
Background: After, more than 40 years in the Chemical Industry, Peter is starting a new career in Community Service. These gained for Peter a wealth of experience, which he is determined not to waste in his semi-retirement. For the last 20 years, Peter has been a member of the West Berkshire Chamber of Commerce and Industry, representing it and business in general, on a number of external bodies, including the Management Board Vice-Chair of the West Berkshire Strategic Partnership and the Board of the public/private sector partnership, Berkshire Economic Strategy Board. Peter now operates a, not for profit, consultancy business advising on Local Government and Voluntary Sector issues

Sarah Hordern, Joint Managing Director (Newbury Racecourse Plc)
Background: In June 2008, Sarah was appointed joint managing director of Newbury Racecourse Plc with Stephen Higgins, taking particular responsibility for Property and the Redevelopment Project. She first joined Newbury in 1999 as financial controller, becoming finance Ddirector in 2001. She is a Chartered Accountant and previously worked for the bloodstock department of PricewaterhouseCoopers. She was part of the team which created Racing UK and is now a non-executive director of the company. Sarah joined the West Berkshire Chamber of Commerce in June 2008.

John O’ Brien, Managing Director (Dovetail Human Resource Services)
Background: John is the founder and Managing Director of Dovetail which he set up in 1989 and celebrates it 21st Anniversary this year. Dovetail provides total recruitment solutions for Temporary and Permanent staff in the Administration, Industrial, HR, Facilities Management, Accountancy, Managerial and Environmental fields. Dovetail has established an excellent reputation as the foremost recruitment Company in the West Berkshire area and also provides staff across the wider EMEA region and North America.

Dovetail have been recognized as an Investor in People and member of the Chamber of Commerce for over 10 years and are also member of the REC and BIFM.

David Danielli, Consultant (David Danielli Consultancy)
Background: David took an Economic History degree at Bristol University in 1976 and went into retailing with the House of Fraser in London. He then moved into public relations with Hill & Knowlton in London and in Brussels before turning a freelance EC affairs consultant based in Brussels in 1990. In 1994, he joined Vodafone in Newbury with whom he had a 14 year career in Group Corporate Affairs, his last role being Community Relations Manager. Married, with three children, David is a Board member of the Thames Valley Chamber of Commerce and a member of the West Berkshire Chamber of Commerce Council.

Hemant Amin, Partner and Head of Practice Development (Charles Lucas & Marshall Solicitors)Background: Hemant has been involved with the West Berkshire Chamber of Commerce since he joined the firm in 1989.

The Firm has been a Member for over 31 years.

Hemant specialises in commercial property and has a great deal of experience in:

Landlord and tenant law, commercial leases, rent reviews and related matters.
Development land and planning agreements.
Sales/purchases of businesses: retail, pubs, dentists, doctors.
Any commercial freehold property work.
Banking document advice and security work.

Hemant is closely involved in business and community affairs in Newbury and is professionally appointed to act as:

Executor of estates;
Attorney under Lasting Powers of Attorney and
Deputy appointed The Court of Protection under The Mental Health Act.

Stuart Atkinson, Director and Chairman of Stuart Michael Associates, based in Thatcham
Background: Stuart set up Stuart Michael Associates in 1988 – the company today is a multi-disciplined organization encompassing transportation, infrastructure planning and design, civil and structural engineering, environmental impact assessments and project management. Prior to 1988 Stuart worked for Frank Graham & Partners – Consulting Engineers and Mid Glamorgan County Council. He holds a BSC in Civil Engineering.

Jackie Osborne, Managing Director of Imagika Designs and Publisher of Buzz Magazine
Background: Brazilian born Jackie Osborne started Imágika Designs, a design, marketing and advertising company in 1998, providing its clients with creative and original marketing solutions to enhance their products and services. In 2010, Jackie became the Publisher for Buzz Magazine, a local community driven magazine for West Berkshire and North Hampshire communities which aims to bring together local businesses, retail outlets, restaurants, services and much more under one dynamic heading. Jackie believes that if we work together – to provide a top level service for the community – we can support and boost the local economy. With a background in languages, art and graphic design, Jackie brings her clients and advertisers flair, imagination and above all a clear vision of how to enhance the image of a business.

To contact any of the chamber council members please call 01753 870500 or email westberks@thamesvalleychamber.co.uk

For any press enquiries please call our head office in Slough on 01753 870500.