About Inverclyde Chamber of Commerce
Overview From Our President
I am excited and privileged to carry out the role of President of the Inverclyde Chamber of Commerce.
Having become a member in 2013, and subsequently a board member in 2019, it is an honour to now be named as President.
Dating back to its incorporation by Royal Charter in 1813, originally named Greenock Chamber and as of 2016, Inverclyde Chamber, it is now in its 210th year and continues to lead the business community within the area.
I am pleased to be in the company of such an incredibly talented board and I am looking forward to working with the Chamber Team and Board Members to build further on the foundations that are already in place.
Looking to the future, both as businesses and a Chamber, at the core we must be flexible, responsive, and relevant. We will not be a remote Chamber, but welcoming, listening, attentive, and responsive in creative and appropriate ways.
Along with the Chamber Team and Board, I look forward to connecting with more businesses throughout Inverclyde to help them grow both within and outwith the area.
Lizzy Todd
Inverclyde Chamber of Commerce
Corey Beaton
Business Development & Membership Executive
Born and raised in Inverclyde, Corey is the most recent addition to the Inverclyde Chamber of Commerce’s team as our new Business Development and Membership Executive.
Alongside his commitment to the Chamber, Corey recently received his LLB Law degree with Distinction from the University of Strathclyde, having previously graduated from the University of the West of Scotland with a first-class BA (Hons) Law degree; he is currently preparing to complete his Diploma in Professional Legal Practice from September 2023 at Strathclyde prior to undertaking his legal traineeship within the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service.
A passionate advocate of making positive improvements to the lives of those who live within our community and across Scotland, Corey is also a Student Director of the University of Strathclyde Law Clinic, a Director of Inverclyde Leisure, and a former Trustee of Inverclyde Community Fund SCIO. He received his Saltire ‘Ascent’ Award in 2021 and is a local Saltire Ambassador for his local voluntary work.
Corey lives in Greenock with his family and often spends his spare time (such as it is!) reading, walking, or spending quality time with friends.
Jenna Lynn
ICC Marketing & Events Executive
Introducing Jenna, our Marketing and Events Management Executive.
Raised in Gourock, Jenna's interest in business, languages, and art & design flourished during her time at Clydeview Academy.
Her educational journey led her to Glasgow Caledonian University, where she completed a BA (Hons) degree in International Business with Languages from 2018 to 2022, followed by the achievement of a 1st Class Master’s degree in Marketing last year.
Over the past year, Jenna honed her skills through marketing internships with non-profit organization ReMode and the Scottish Fashion Association. Her involvement with the Scottish Fashion Association, including volunteering at their annual fashion show, ignited a passion for events management.
As a recent graduate, Jenna is keen to grow as a young professional, and is enthusiastic about contributing her ideas and executing meaningful events to foster the growth of Inverclyde’s business community.
Lizzy Todd - ICC President
Managing Director - Tweetiepie Media
Lizzy Todd joined the ICC board in 2019, and as of 2023, became ICC’s youngest female President.
Lizzy studied business and law at the University of Edinburgh before embarking on a career in marketing.
Following a year in industry, Lizzy founded digital marketing agency, Tweetiepie Media based in Inverclyde, and has grown the company to successfully surpass the 10 year milestone mark. Over the years, the team at Tweetiepie Media have become well-respected and known for their expertise in social media, website design, email marketing, and other digital marketing strategies - working with businesses throughout the UK and Europe.
As a company, Tweetiepie Media is a former Inverclyde Chamber of Commerce award winner - winning most promising new business back in 2014.Lizzy is passionate about helping Inverclyde businesses succeed and is always looking for opportunities to help Inverclyde businesses connect and promote locally as well as outwith Inverclyde.
Penelope Hof - ICC Director and Financial Controller
Founder - PJH Bookkeeping
Penelope joined the ICC Board in September 2019, having been a former Bee's Knees Award finalist on three occasions.
Penelope is a self-employed bookkeeper for various companies around Inverclyde as well as contributing to the control and running of Riverside Inverclyde’s finances.
Penelope has worked in Inverclyde all her working life having moved here after university, and is actively involved in local Girl Guiding.
Shona Darroch - ICC Director
HR Business Partner - Diodes Incorporated
Shona grew up in the east end of Greenock and, with the exception of a period backpacking in Australia after university, has spent her entire life living in Inverclyde.
Shona is a Chartered member of CIPD and an expert in HR and people development. She began her career at Devol Engineering in Greenock before moving to Balfour Beatty and then Castle Precision Engineering, both of which were based in Glasgow. In 2020 she moved back to Greenock to work for Diodes.
Shona has a passion for early career development and young talent and has developed strong relationships with the key training providers in Inverclyde including the West of Scotland College, to support the apprentice, graduate and other training programmes that Diodes use.
Her focus at Diodes includes the development of the talent pipeline, STEM engagement and Equality Inclusion and diversity.
Shona is passionate about improving the areas in which she works and is excited that her roles at Diodes and at the Inverclyde Chamber of Commerce provide here with an opportunity to make a difference in her home town.
David O'Hagan - ICC Director
Curriculum and Quality Leader, Creative Industries - West College Scotland
David joined the Chamber Board in 2022 having grown up in Port Glasgow and currently lives in Gourock, attending Port Glasgow High School and James Watt College. He is currently a Curriculum and Quality Leader for Creative Industries courses at Greenock and Clydebank campuses of West College Scotland, where he has worked for 20 years.
While working as a part time lecturer, David also worked in the Music Industry, spending the majority of his career working as an A&R manager, initially working for Sony Music before moving to Universal Music.
Having always lived locally when employed in these roles, David used the role to organise a number of live music events in Greenock and Gourock, and for a number of years ran a local live music night called The Beatclub, which was hosted by Café Continental in Gourock for most of it’s time, as well as running larger events in various local nightclubs, Greenock Town Hall and The Beacon Arts Centre.
David’s current ambitions are very much in education, aiming to help West College Scotland thrive as one of the top colleges in the country. He has a particular focus on ensuring the college helps people in Inverclyde achieve their ambitions and goals and to do what a local college should do, which is to serve the local community in whatever way people demand.
Louise A Mahon - ICC Director
Partner in Corporate Finance- MacRoberts LLP
Louise grew up in Inverclyde and attended St Mary’s Primary School and Greenock Academy. She went on to study law at Oxford University and over the last 20 years has had a legal career which took her all over the UK and Canada working for international firms.
Following a spell in London as general counsel at a private equity house, Louise decided to return to Scotland in 2013 and to her family in Greenock, where she has now settled with her young son Xander.
A Partner at Scottish law firm MFMac (Morton Fraser MacRoberts LLP), specialising in corporate and commercial law, Louise acts for clients across Scotland and the UK (including a number of Inverclyde based businesses.)
While some of these businesses are international blue-chip organisations, the majority are SMEs and owner-managed businesses who need advice with strategy, operations, funding & investment, growth and, ultimately, succession planning.
A key part of Louise’s practice is focused on growing trusted relationships with long term clients, and she hopes to bring these ‘people skills’ to the board for the benefit of its members.
Louise is passionate about the Inverclyde area, in helping the local economy thrive, and to turning challenges into opportunities for our community and its businesses.
Derek MacFeate - ICC Director
Co-Founder - MM Search
Greenock born and bred, Derek attended Kelvinside Academy and went on to graduate with an Honours in Business Law, Marketing and Economics. He joined the Marks and Spencer graduate scheme where he stayed for 3 years, progressing to Commercial Manager.
Following his time at M&S, Derek joined Michael Page where he stayed for 20 years. He lead the executive search division across Scotland, Ireland and North East England.
In 2018, Derek alongside co-founding Managing Partner Ken Morrice identified a gap in the market for a people- focused executive search firm and launched MM Search. MM Search has swiftly become Scotland’s fastest growing award-winning executive search firm, operating across the UK and Internationally within the Executive Search, Non-Exec and Interim markets. Working across all sectors and disciplines, MM Search pride themselves in being people specialists.
In addition to his passion for business, Derek has a passion for sport. He is actively involved in the coaching of under 16s at Greenock Wanderers RFC, a club that MM Search are Main Club sponsors, in addition to coaching at Greenock Cricket Club. He previously played both Cricket and Rugby, playing for Ayr RFC, Greenock Wanderers RFC and also Greenock Cricket Club. He spends a lot of time supporting his own children Freddie and Lexi, particularly in rugby, hockey and cricket.
Recognised as one of the best in the industry, Derek has a passion for working with businesses and helping people reach their maximum potential.
Mark Spragg - Past President and ICC Director
Managing Director - Where Now Consulting
Mark joined the ICC Board as President in June 2021 and is the Managing Director of Where Now Consulting.
With a wealth of experience, Mark has worked in senior leadership positions in the UK and overseas for both large global companies and family-owned SME’s.
Before joining Where Now Consulting, a management consultancy with operations in Scotland, Manchester and Dubai, Mark was Vice President EMEA for Steelcase Inc, a global manufacturer.
A local man, Mark lives in Wemyss Bay with his family and is a keen musician.
Inverclyde Chamber of Commerce
Former Renfrewshire Bank Premises in Greenock
James Watt Junior
Inverclyde Chamber, previously called Greenock Chamber, was originally incorporated in 1813 by Royal Charter on behalf of King George the Third, as The Chamber of Commerce and Manufactures of Greenock – to tend to the encouragement and promotion of trade and manufactures already extensively established and carried on there.
There has since been 129 presidents, including many prominent business people working in shipbuilding, engineering, sugar and other merchant activities, as well as council officials, legal officers and practitioners.
These activities reflect the principal businesses of the Inverclyde region in the 19th and 20th centuries, predominantly sugar refining and shipbuilding. More recently, the presidency and board have been made up of a more diverse group of business people. The first Greenock Chamber Board of Directors was an all male affair, consisting of bankers, merchants, legal officers and council officials.
The inaugural President was Alexander Dunlop, who worked as a merchant and a banker – he was founder and partner of William Napier & Co, known as the Renfrewshire Banking Company. He was also Justice of the Peace, Advocate and Magistrate of Greenock in 1805.
The first Board also included James Watt Jnr (above), son of the famous inventor and mechanical engineer whose improvements to the steam engine were fundamental to the changes brought by the Industrial Revolution. James Jnr went on to serve as the 10th President of the Chamber’s Board.
The Board Directors and membership today reflect the many changes that we, as a business community, have undergone over the years – our members cover a diverse range of industries both large and small.
Now, as we watch exciting new developments spring up along the riverside that are bringing transformational change for Inverclyde, its people and its businesses, Inverclyde Chamber works hard to ensure our collective business voice continues to be heard loud and clear.
ICC is currently researching a list of all President's and will share this at a later date alongside previous annual reports of ICC.