Chamber podcast series

Chamber conversations: Nadine Hudspeth on the importance of supporting women in their careers

A proud advocate for North East women in business Nadine Hudspeth, a member of Gateshead College’s executive team, tells Kay Wilson about her career path and who helped along the way. She also sets out how much the Chamber’s campaigning is needed on key issues like recovery from Covid which impacted on many women’s working lives.

Chamber conversations: How to run a successful, family-flexible business with John Cave, Shoptimised

Shoptimised helps its clients sell more products on-line and has grown quickly in just three years.  Having a great attitude to staff well-being and flexibility is part and parcel of its success. John Cave shares his journey and why it is so important his staff can put their families first, not work, when they need to.

Chamber conversations: The power of inclusion in a business with Amjid Khazir

Media Cultured’s founder and director Amjid Khazir talks to the Chamber’s Kay Wilson about how to create a diverse business and its benefits to a company’s bottom line.

Chamber conversations: Chamber colleagues Jonathan Walker and Arlen Pettitt on Covid challenges and recovery

The Chamber fought hard for its members to get the support they needed throughout the pandemic. On this podcast the successes and problems that were tackled are set out and how the NE performed honestly reviewed.

Chamber Conversations: Laura Hepburn, Claire Thompson and Helen Gowerek on sustainability

Three leading thinkers in the North East sustainability sector, Laura Hepburn, Greenology, Claire Thompson, Genie and Dr Helen Gowerek, Durham University Business School talk about NE strengths in this field. They also highlight the prevalence of women in the region blazing a trail in combating climate change and share their advice on how companies can become ‘greener’.

Chamber Conversations: Iain Nairn MBE cricketer and disability champion

Kay Wilson hears the great story of how Iain Nairn became Captain of the England physical disabilities cricket squad.

Chamber Conversations: How hospitality venues are working hard to bounce back after Covid

In this podcast we hear about how two Chamber members, Revolucion de Cuba in Newcastle and the Hall Garth Hotel, Darlington are planning the best possible summer for customers.

Chamber Conversations: Building a world-leading innovative business with Arnab Basu, CEO of Kromek

In this podcast Arnab Basu, the company’s founding CEO explains the company’s growth which has helped tackle challenges including detecting radiation from a nuclear power plant disaster, dirty bombs in New York and now Covid.

Chamber Conversations: Building a successful creative career with Chris Owens

Photographer Christopher Owens talks about his route from Newcastle to working with celebrities on national newspapers. He outlines how he got his big break (it involved masses of chutzpah), the secret of a great photoshoot and how he keeps his mental health in good shape.

Chamber Conversations: The workplace of the future and how to get there

Meeks Simpson, GT3 Architects, Mariann Hardey, Durham University and Paul Smith, Art Health Solutions talk about their ideas of what would make an ideal workplace. Advice includes making meetings 50 mins instead of an hour and putting people at the heart of planning a building.

Chamber Conversations: How to grow a start up in lock down

Teresa Peters, Accelerator Coaching, Alister Gaines, Akrivis Wealth and Stuart Coupland, Coupland Leather share their stories of how their businesses are growing, what helped them overcome hurdles and the huge, personal rewards of working for themselves.  A positive podcast one year on from lockdown.

Chamber Conversations: Celebrating International Women’s Day

The Chamber Women’s Leadership Forum leads its work championing for greater gender diversity in the NE. On this podcast Liz Mayes, The Common Room, Di Keller, Karbon Homes and Lauren Archer, Cameo Digital talk about challenges & opportunities for women at present. They also share advice & experiences of their own working lives.

Chamber Conversations: What does the NE need from the Budget?

Carol Botten, VONNE, Ben Fisher, Teesside University & the Chamber’s Jonathan Walker set out what they want to see in the Chancellor’s Budget.

Chamber Conversations: Great Reasons to do business in the North East

In this podcast Kay Wilson talks to Manuel Fantin, Erin Knight and Nynzi Maung, who have all lived outside the UK, about the Great Reasons to do business in the North East and why they love the region.

Chamber Conversations: Tackling Racial Discrimination in Business

It has never been more important that everyone, no matter the colour of their skin, has the opportunity to fulfil their potential. Nagma Ebanks-Beni MBE, Steph Edusi and Aneela Ali share their views on what the NE needs to do to be more fair and inclusive.

Chamber Conversations: Further education can change lives

Darren Hankey, principal of Hartlepool College is a passionate advocate of further education, having benefited from it himself. He talks about his own career journey and why the Chamber’s campaign to get more Government investment into the sector is so important.

Chamber Conversations – The Under 30s Edit

The Under 30s Edit, Chamber team members talk about its Great Reasons campaign with Kay Wilson and each of their unique views of working and living in the North East.

Chamber Conversations: Brexit insights & advice

Chamber international trade director Julie Underwood,  her colleagues Jack Simpson and Tom Kennedy  discuss Brexit with Chamber member, Sarfraz Mian, Neue Schule.

Chamber Conversations: The Value of Statistics

The Chamber uses research to really add power to its campaigning, in this podcast we talk about the value of statistics and how best to use them.

Guests: Vicki Shouksmith, Research and Project Manager, MMC, Arlen Pettitt and Niamh Corcoran from the Chamber Policy team.

The Digital Sector – Challenges and Opportunities

Three trail-blazers in the North East tech and digital sector Dr Sue Black, TechUp Women, Durham University, Dean Benson, Visualsoft and Jamie Hardesty, Sunderland Software City talk about ones to watch, future trends and getting more diversity into the sector.

Chamber Conversations: Views of Chancellor’s Spending Announcement

The Chamber overview of the Chancellor’s Spending Review today with guest Kevin Bell, partner, Womble Bond Dickinson.

In conversation with Abigail Pogson – MD, Sage Gateshead

A new monthly series offering Partner & Corporate members an exclusive insight into some of the most influential businesses across the region.

Inspiring Females Conference – The Highlights

Listen to some of the highlights of the recent Chamber Inspiring Females Conference and some tremendous stories of women’s successes and how they achieved them.

BELGIUM: Lessons on Covid-19 recovery from around the world

A CEO and former MEP who works in the commercial heart of Brussels shared his advice and updates on Brexit with North East business leaders.

GERMANY: Lessons on Covid-19 recovery from around the world

North East employers heard first-hand accounts of how international German businesses including BMW have tackled getting operations back on track after Covid-19.

SPAIN: Lessons on Covid-19 recovery from around the world

Eva Prada, Spain Director, British Chamber of Commerce spoke about her own experiences in her role to encourage Spanish UK business links or as she put it acting as a ‘helpful barometer’ for British investors who want to take advantage of opportunities in Spain.

SOUTH KOREA: Lessons on Covid-19 recovery from around the world

Chief executive of the Seoul-based Chamber, Sean Blakeley, who was born and educated in the North East. His talk to regional business leaders started by him setting the scene in the Asian country which has a similar make-up to the UK, with comparable population and a dominant economic capital, but only 300 Covid 19 deaths to date.

BEIJING: Lessons on Covid-19 recovery from around the world

China’s road to recovery from Covid 19 included instilling confidence in people to feel safe to go back out into the world. The advice was set out by Steven Lynch, chief executive of the British Chamber of Commerce based in Beijing.

HONG KONG: Lessons on Covid-19 recovery from around the world

The Chamber has close links with Hong Kong and its businesses. For our first episode of a series of six, we invited Andrew Seaton, Executive Director, British Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong to share their pandemic recovery insights in a recent webinar.

Chamber Conversations: Is the Chancellor’s Statement good for the North East?

Our PR manager Kay Wilson interviews Jonathan Walker and Rachel Anderson, assistant directors of policy about the Chancellors Summer Statement.

Chamber Conversations: Mental Health Awareness Week

In line with Mental Health Awareness Week 2020 (18th May 2020 – 22nd May 2020) North East Chamber Of Commerce are committed to supporting their colleagues and the wider business community through their Mental Health Advocacy.

Chamber Conversations – Coronavirus is a huge challenge for businesses

Jonathan Walker, Arlen Pettitt and Kay Wilson set out what support is available for companies and how the Chamber can help get through this difficult time.

Chamber Conversations: Emergency planning for businesses

We hear from Natasha McDonough, James Ramsbotham and Dan Marsden Knight. They cover what emergency planning they’ve put in place in light of the Covid-19 virus and advice they have for members.

Chamber Conversations: Budget 2020

Rachel Anderson, Kay Wilson and Jack Simpson discuss today’s Budget and what it means for the region.

Chamber Conversations: What town centres & retailers need to succeed

A discussion about the different ways town centres can adapt and grow as well as exploit their strengths.

Chamber Speeches: Sir John Curtice

One of the country’s leading political analysts, Sir John set why the North East’s red wall crumbled and the blue tide rose up in what had been a labour heartland at our President’s Club Lunch last week.

Chamber Conversations: Inspiring Females

With just five days before the Chamber Business Awards entries close, hear our President Lesley Moody and Alix Bolton, Visualsoft talk to Kay Wilson about their Inspiring Females and why its so important to enter.

Chamber Conversations: Beamish Museum

Sally Dixon, assistant director, Beamish Museum shares her tips for writing a great entries for our Chamber awards and talks about the night it scooped a national award against stiff competition.

Chamber Conversations: Diversity with Pride Media

Kay Wilson talks to passionate advocate of diversity and creativity, Peter Darrant-Parkes and gets his tips on how to make businesses welcoming to everyone.

Chamber Conversations: Election thoughts with a few days to go

Assistant Director of policy Jonathan Walker talks about the main issues in this last week of election campaigning and how effective he thinks the parties have been at getting their messages across.

Chamber Conversations: Social media with the marketing team

Many members still struggle with social media, listen in to us having a chat about it and what can work well.

Chamber Conversations: Rachel Anderson & Jonathan Walker talk about party conferences

Each political party’s annual conference dominates the news but what are they really like to attend and how do you get the best out of them?  Here’s the low down on the good, the bad and the ugly truth.

Chamber Conversations: Women in Business with James Ramsbotham

In our first ever Chamber podcast we got a quick update from Chamber Chief Executive, James Ramsbotham about some of the fantastic businesses he’s visited recently.