The Entrepreneurs' Forum is a membership organisation for entrepreneurs, run by entrepreneurs. Our Board of Directors meet quarterly to steer the strategy and ensure we drive forward our ambition to make the North East an exceptional place to be an entrepreneur. The Board is currently chaired by James Robson MBE who was appointed as our Chair in January 2018.
Previous Chairman were Nigel Mills CBE, Paul Walker, Tom Maxfield and Sir Peter Vardy.
Chairman
Director of Exwold & Founder of Alexander Jewitt & Co.
"The access the Entrepreneurs’ Forum gives business owners to a strong and diverse network is vital to the success of so many North East firms. Being an entrepreneur should never be a lonely existence and the opportunity to engage with fellow business owners who have experience and expertise to share is without doubt one of the most valuable resources available to our members."
Board Member
Co-founder and Managing Director of Osbit
"The Entrepreneurs’ Forum is important for business owners because you get to meet like-minded individuals and highly-successful people who you can learn from, share stories and share experiences."
Board Member
Founder of Tharsus
"The Entrepreneurs’ Forum helped me on my entrepreneurial journey, providing inspiration, insight and camaraderie, so I feel that it is only right to accept the invitation to join the Forum’s Board."
Board Member
"Supporting local businesses is rewarding because investing in them and helping to remove barriers to growth such as access to finance , skills and promoting best practice generally leads to increased productivity and competitiveness, which is fantastic for the North East and UK economy. There's a huge amount of pride in the North East and this creates an environment for self-perpetuating growth."
Board Member
CEO of O.agency
“Joining the Forum was the first thing I did when I started my business and over the last 15 years I have benefited from advice and mentoring from many of its members, whilst learning from top entrepreneurs tell their stories and building new relationships at their events. I have gained invaluable knowledge and made new friendships that have lasted over the years, so now I’m happy to give back.”
Board Member
Founder Opencast
"I'm delighted to have been asked to join the board of the Forum. I've been a member since we started Opencast 11 years ago and I've always been impressed with how inclusive the group feels irrespective of the scale of your business or stage of the journey. I've certainly benefited from the excellent mentoring members have generously provided and the fantastic business insight trips the forum organised to the likes of Google and Facebook! I'm looking forward to helping the Forum develop to encourage and support the new generations of business founders in the region."
Board Member
Former Managing Director of Ebac and owner of Entreprenising
"The North East doesn’t shout about what it does. If we lift our heads up for a short while, we can make a stronger economy."
Board Member
Executive Chairman of The NBT Group
"To be joining the EF’s Board at the start of their 3rd decade, having received the benefits of membership almost since its inception, and to tread in the footsteps of some of our region’s greatest entrepreneurs is a true honour. I’m looking forward to supporting the exec team, the members, and the partners, as we all endeavour to refresh, realign, and reimagine what great entrepreneurial support is, that will see our region’s economy thrive across our next decade."
Board Member
Director of Bell Bros (Ashington)
"I accepted the invitation to join the board of the Forum as I reckon it's payback time for all the support and encouragement its members have given me over the past few years... some of which haven't been easy. It is good to know we are not alone."
