A new chief takes over the helm of Swindon's business leaders.

Kevin Gwilliam, general manager of the Brunel Shopping Centre, has been appointed president of the Swindon Chamber of Commerce.

In a unanimous vote, Kevin was elected to lead the local chamber council, he will be tasked with building closer working relationships within regional government departments and the business community.

Kevin said: “The importance of promoting the chamber in Swindon while engaging the community is paramount. “While the local chamber council is continually speaking to companies, we need to be flying the flag for Swindon even further and letting businesses know how they can benefit from membership.

“It’s an exciting time for the area and I’m looking forward to working closely with the community and showcasing how and why Swindon is known as one of the most productive towns in the UK.”

Kevin, who has been the general manager of The Brunel Shopping Centre since 2015, also sits on the Board of inSwindon. With extensive knowledge and experience of the national and local retail picture he will be an influential and strong leader, ensuring the views and needs of all businesses are represented.

Thames Valley Chamber of Commerce, who has overall responsibility for Swindon chamber, has announced the date of its exciting Made in Swindon campaign which will be launched on September 15 and hosted by Honda UK.

The Made in campaigns showcase the success of local, regional and international businesses based or founded in the area. Attendees will have the opportunity to not only hear about the Made in Swindon campaign and how to get involved, but also participate in the business networking breakfast. Members of the business community and Thames Valley Chamber of Commerce are invited to bring along pop-up stands and promote their products and services to likeminded businesses.

It will also be the ideal time to meet the Swindon chamber team which includes: Sara Parris, SME Business Manager, who leads events and represents the group on the chamber council and Swindon-based membership sales executive, Alex Broad.