Nick Beaumont-Jones has been elected the new president of the Swindon Chamber of Commerce. He succeeds Kevin Copp, who was president for two years.

Nick, who was the director of the Brunel Centre, said: “The Swindon Chamber was founded in 1894 and the chain of office bears the names of many eminent people, so I feel humble to be the latest in this long line of presidents.

“I have been involved in Swindon’s business scene since 1998 and have a driving ambition to see the town continue to develop as a strong business centre and as a great place to visit. This role presents me with a great opportunity to give something back.

“Swindon has a great history of engineering excellence which continues to this day. It is also well known as a centre for innovation and technical know-how.

“The town’s location invariably makes it the first choice for employers seeking to expand or re-locate and Swindon Chamber of Commerce’s role is to lead this process wherever possible.

“New government initiatives will make Swindon Chamber’s role ever more critical as a link between the local authority and the business community in the coming years.

“Swindon does face many challenges and I am looking forward to helping to make the Chamber a leading voice and supporting every level of business backed by the resources of the Thames Valley Chamber of Commerce Group.”

Paul Briggs, chief executive of the Thames Group said: “Nick is an experienced member of the Swindon Chamber Council and will make an invaluable contribution to economic development in the area.”

Nick is a seasoned retail property professional with many years of experience in working with well-known high street brands throughout the UK and overseas. Nick was also joint chairman of Swindon Initiative and, more recently deputy chairman of inSwindon. Nick continues to have a passion for Swindon and takes a great interest in the continuing regeneration of the town centre. As a cost management consultant for Auditel, Nick assists small to medium size enterprises in maximising their profits throughout the area.

Swindon Chamber will also benefit from the energy and ideas of Philip Montague, who becomes a business manager this month for Swindon. He will be responsible for ensuring members receive maximum value from the Chamber experience which includes hosting successful networking events in Swindon.