New CEO of Sheffield Chamber believes in compassion and collaboration

During the summer, Louisa Harrison-Walker can often be found on the cricket fields of South Yorkshire, where she has proved to be the ultimate team player, especially when her side needs to raise its game while fielding.

"I play cricket for Treeton's women's team,'’ she said. “Sadly, a lot of women and girls don't engage in team sports but I love it.

"I'm an all-rounder. My captain calls me spider-woman, because I can take one handed catches. I love playing cricket at grounds with great views. If you're feeling frustrated you can take it out on the ball.”

This passion for teamwork has helped her secure the role of chief executive at Sheffield Chamber of Commerce, an organisation that has been banging the drum for South Yorkshire’s economy for 150 years.

Ms Harrison-Walker had led the organisation in an interim capacity for the previous 24 months with joint interim Executive Director Alexis Krachai, who returns to a non-executive director role.

She stepped into the role during the pandemic as part of a “turnaround project” that has included restructuring the organisation, redesigning the financial management and revamping the offering to members.

“As joint interim directors, our aim has been to create solid foundations on which to work collaboratively with our members, anchor institutions and stakeholders in the region,” she said. “We know we are stronger when we come together. It is this spirit of collaboration and community that I'd like to foster further.

Ms Harrison-Walker recently completed the sale of the award-winning Sheffield-based ethical recruitment and retention firm Benchmark, which she founded in 2006,

"I first got involved with the chamber 10 years ago as a volunteer,’’ she recalled. “I had always been interested in politics; I studied social policy at university. I have always been an activist and wanted to make a difference.”

She believed the chamber needed to adapt to the changing world of business.

"When I was first approached to join the chamber's council, I had to be honest and say that the council overall wasn't representative of the business community I saw in my day job.

"I was the first female chair of the chamber's council and in this role I was determined to make the body as a whole more diverse. Our council and board is now the most diverse it has ever been which means we have a broader perspective.”

Alongside Ms Harrison-Walker, the chamber has welcomed Rachel Storey as Chair of Council and Emma Marshall as Chair of the Board with Grace Brierley as Chair of the Nominees Committee. Karen Mosley continues in her role as Chamber President.

Ms Harrison-Walker added: "Sheffield's economy is 88 per cent micro businesses; the bigger organisations have had a structural advantage in that they have the capacity to allow people time off to attend business events.

"I wanted to take the chamber meetings out into new workspaces, such as Jaywing (a marketing and data science business) where we have more healthy and well rounded conversations.”

She is proud of the contacts she has cultivated in the public sector, who work in places ranging from hospitals to prisons.

She added: “I also work with Business in the Community on projects to encourage environmental projects in schools and ensure that food banks have culturally appropriate produce.

"Sheffield has more social enterprises than any other comparable city in the UK. We are a place that likes to do good.

"Both my parents were teachers and I know that not everybody has equality of opportunity. Education is a route out of poverty and we need to de-mystify the processes around higher and further education.”

She is a trustee and non-executive director for organisations and charities which align with her values. She is, for example, co-chair of Sheffield Business Together, Common Purpose UK and a trustee at St Luke’s Hospice.

Her connection with the hospice was forged after she saw the value of its work at first-hand.

She added: "I was inspired to get involved with the work of St Luke’s hospice after a dear friend passed away from cancer. I didn't really know what a hospice was until then. I wanted something positive to come out of his death.

"Care is at the heart of everything that the hospice does. It is a positive and uplifting place. We don't talk about death much, but it is something that will happen to all of us."

She believes the chambers can collectively act as a critical friend to the Government, during a period when inflationary pressures are hitting business and consumers.

She added: “We as a region perhaps need to be clearer on what we're asking from Government. We need major investment in public transport in our regions. The simple fact is that parts of the bus and rail network in this regions is not fit for purpose.

"Cities perform best when they are well connected. Sheffield is one of the greenest cities in Europe and our labour market is very strong. Our universities are a massive selling point, as is the quality of life and the cultural offering is really strong.

"That quality of life is attracting people from around the world. I met a woman who worked at one of our member businesses who was from South Africa. She had a choice of eight places in the world to work, including Sheffield. She googled Sheffield and chose it because it was described as one of the happiest and greenest cities."

She added: “Leadership should be about collaboration and compassion, it's what builds successful sustainable communities.”

The sentiments of a true all-rounder.