Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce appoints new chief executive

Published by

Sam Pither

The Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce has appointed Corin Crane as its new chief executive.

Corin joins the Chamber from the Black Country Chamber of Commerce, which he led for nearly six years.

Corin said: “I'm incredibly honoured to be given this opportunity to lead the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber and will make sure that the brilliant work that Louise and the Chamber board have done over the last 20 years becomes the springboard for success in the future.

“I have a long history of supporting Midlands businesses and they are facing some difficult times in the coming months as we negotiate spiralling inflation, huge hikes in energy and fuel costs, hard to fill vacancies, increased pay demands and supply chain issues.

“But alongside the support many will need to survive and grow - I will be focused on celebrating the incredible stories of our local entrepreneurs and businesses that Coventry and Warwickshire is famous for, and making sure that every possible opportunity is seized.”

“Business confidence is high after the success of the brilliant City of Culture and we will want to ensure those arts and culture businesses keep on growing.

“We will have the eyes of the world on our tourism offer as the Commonwealth Games is launched and huge opportunities will become available as we become global leaders in sustainability on the back of our Very Light Rail programme, Gigafactory proposal and ground-breaking research taking place within our innovative businesses and universities.

“Most importantly, we want the businesses of Coventry and Warwickshire to become exemplars in the way we do business by putting ethics and strong, diverse leadership at the heart of everything we do.

“We want an environment where everyone shares in the success of our economy - inclusive, dynamic and innovative businesses creating exciting and achievable jobs for our local residents. Successful businesses will be the bridge between the rural and urban areas that define the Chamber’s membership.

“There are tough times ahead, but exciting times as well.”

The current chief executive, Louise Bennett OBE DL, who has run the organisation for the last 20 years, will remain in the role for a short period to aid the transition.

Tom Mongan, president of the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce, said: “We are delighted to have Corin on board as our new chief executive.

“Louise Bennett has done such an amazing job over the past 20 years and we are very pleased that she will remain with us for a few months to assist with the handover to Corin.

“We are in a very uncertain period economically but, at the same time, have much to be excited about in Coventry and Warwickshire.

“Myself, the board and the whole team at the Chamber are here to support Corin in ensuring we support those firms hardest hit by economic issues but also in making sure that we grasp every opportunity we can to grow individual businesses and the wider economy.”

Sam Pither

Sam is the Regional Editor of Biz News, responsible for both Hampshire and Dorset. A new recruit to journalism, Sam started writing for the Business Magazine as a freelancer in May of 2022 after completing his degree in English at University College London. His passion for local businesses and ability to tell a story soon caught the attention of the publication’s management team and have led to his meteoric rise. Sam, who lives in central Reading, takes a particular interest in technology, gaming and food and drink, having been a chef before starting his degree.