Charlotte Horobin is new CEO of Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce

The new CEO of Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce, Charlotte Horobin, has spoken of her desire to take the organisation forward.

The Oakington-based membership organisation representing start-ups, SMEs and multinational businesses within the Cambridgeshire-wide area announced Charlotte as its new CEO last week. She succeeds Vic Annells, who took on the role in 2021 and left “for family reasons” in April.

The chambers have undergone a significant transformation over the past two years, to become an accessible, relevant and forward-thinking organisation, ensuring that the voice of business is heard locally, regionally, nationally and internationally.

Having spent the last 10 years at Make UK, Charlotte will use her expertise as their membership director for the Midlands and East region to lead the chambers to the next phase of growth.

Charlotte said: “I am honoured and very proud to have been chosen to succeed Vic Annells. I look forward to leading a highly motivated team and will make sure that the brilliant work that has been undertaken becomes a springboard for further success.”

Charlotte attained her undergraduate degree at the University of Leeds and completed her Masters at the University of Nottingham in biomedical sciences.

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Charlotte joined Make UK, formerly the Engineering Employers’ Federation, in 2013. Her role has encompassed responsibility for a fast-growing membership representing manufacturing, engineering and technology related industries across the Midlands and East of England. Charlotte is a trustee of WMG Academy for Young Engineers,board director for the West Midlands Growth Company, Midlands Engine Partnership board member and leads Make UK’s engagement across the West Midlands Combined Authority and Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority.

She is also a senior industrial fellow within the Advanced Services Group at Aston University.

Brian Jones, chair of Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce, said: “We’re delighted to welcome Charlotte as our new chief executive. The board and I look forward to supporting her as she leads the chambers’ continued growth in our area. Her achievements on behalf of our friends in Make UK have been truly extraordinary and the impact she has made on her region is simply outstanding.

“Charlotte continues our line of exceptional CEOs in recent years. We are hugely grateful for the exciting transformation that Vic Annells has led the chambers through during his tenure which in turn built on the outstanding work of his illustrious predecessor, John Bridge.

“Vic’s focus on our finances, brand, team, and above all our members has seen a record 314 new companies joining the chambers in the last two years as more and more businesses are recognising the extraordinary value that chambers membership brings.”

Charlotte takes up the chief executive role in late July.

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