The SBF Community
Creating a Business Community
A sense of community is what separates SBF from other regional support organisations.
The Spelthorne Business Forum is made up of like minded individuals and business leaders who are working towards a greater goal, by engaging with our business community and local residents to demonstrate that we are passionate about this borough and understand the relationship between the residents and the businesses.
As a team we aim to become a prominent part of the community as a place that champions skills, innovation, education and growth.
The SBF leadership team are part of an important conversation that moves commerce forward through the opportunity to join and contribute to business support initiatives with a business sector based approach.
The SBF aim to be a leader of opinion that local business looks to for guidance and support and to seek to influence local and central government decision makers to respond to the needs of business.
Meet the Team
SBF Chairman - Tracey Carter
Tracey is a an Economic Development specialist with a passion for bringing together business and the charity sectors. specialising in Business Development and Inward investment and International Trade. Having worked for Chambers of Commerce and Parliament Tracey has a wealth of experience helping businesses in Spelthorne to start, grow and achieve their goals. Currently Senior Economic Development Officer at Spelthorne Borough Council.
Director - Mike Ramlakhan
Michael Ramlakhan is the founder and managing director of Timeless IMS, with an extensive background in providing technology advice, consultancy, and support. Michael is driven and focused on addressing issues relating to the use of technology in business and social lives.
Michael has worked across several industry sectors and for companies such as The European Space Agency, Cable & Wireless and Merrill Lynch.
He is the former Chairman of the Spelthorne Business Forum and remains an active Director, Chairman of Ashford Wide and a long-standing Rotarian of Ashford, Middlesex.Top of Form
He graduated from Kingston University with a Chemistry BSc and a BSc in Computer Science and has been listed in Who’s Who.
One interesting fact about Michael, is that he shares his birthday with a world event when humans landed on the Moon and is named after one of the astronauts.
Director - Terry Collier
Terry Collier is a Deputy Chief Executive and is the Chief Finance Officer at Spelthorne Borough Council. Terry is a qualified accountant and has 31 years experience in the local government sector in the South East. Terry has been at Spelthorne for nearly 15 years and has worked with Spelthorne Business Forum throughout that period. Terry is a trustee of a couple of local charities and is a director of the Council’s housing delivery company Knowle Green Estates.
Director - Derek Williamson
Extensive breadth of commercial, financial, housing delivery, strA professional accountant of some 40 years standing.
Experience in the setting up and Formation of Companies together with the Business Plans and Budgets; especially relevent with the Covid 19 Business Loan applications..
Full Audit, Accountancy and Taxation skills. | Advice on Liquidations and Insolvency. | Payroll and business formation services.
Forensic Accountant who is Law Society Approved; on the UK Register of Expert Witnesses; Member of the Academy of Experts; Member of the Institute of Expert Witnesses. | Approved Mediator.
Specialties: Loss of Profits Claims; Loss of Earnings Claims; Injuries Claims; Commercial Fraud; DSS Fraud; Matrimonial Disputes; Business Valuations; Personal and Corporate Taxation; CIS Returns; VAT Returns.
Audits; Accountancy; Taxation Restructuring; Company Formations. | Charity Accounts. |Solicitors Accounts.
Everyone is welcome and I look forward to meeting you.
Executive Board
Our Executive Board is made up of Business Leaders and experts in their own fields. Collectively we aim to offer support and mentorship to our members to help you navigate the challenges of business ownership. We are stronger as a collective!
Mike Brennan
Having spent most of his career in the global Professional Services markets, Mike has lived and built businesses in London, HK and Tokyo. He also established/managed operations in NY, Dubai, and Singapore.
Starting his first business aged 27 with investor backing from Alexander Mann Group, Mike was one of four founding Equity Partners involved in its sale to PE firm Advent International. He subsequently started an award-winning sister business in HK before returning to London as Global CEO of Alexander Mann's Executive Search arm. Having successfully turned around the business, he led its sale on behalf of Advent/Alexander Mann.
Mike joined Norman Broadbent Group Plc as a ‘turnaround CEO’ in 2016. With his team, Mike has repositioned the Group as a leading Professional Services firm focussing on Talent Acquisition & Advisory Services. These include Board & Leadership Search, Senior Interim Management, Research & Insight, Solutions and Leadership Assessment. In 2018, the business posted its best annual revenues in over a decade, and in 2019 returned to profit.
In 2019, Mike was recognised by 'CEO Today' as one of Europe’s top CEOs. In 2019 he was also invited to join the United Nation’s UK Judging Panel which recognizes those in business who have promoted the case for diversity. Mike was announced as one of Europe's top CEO's by Global 100 in September 2010. Also in 2020, Mike was not only invited to join a Bank of England panel, but also asked to join The Future Economy Surrey Commission chaired by former UK Chancellor, Philip Hammond.
Heather Crowe
A highly experienced, motivated and committed Sales Director with over 20 years’ experience of working within the Hospitality Industry with a key focus on hotels.
Heather’s passion for travel has provided her with a vast array of experience through her Senior Sales Role at IHG Head Office. She has developed strong relationships internally with the Owned, Franchised and Managed community and externally with key industry figures from the industry leading Tour Operators & Wholesalers spanning the FIT, Cruise, Luxury and Groups sectors and the Airlines working with Crew Contracting & Delayed Passenger requirements.
More recently her experience on property has strengthened her knowledge on the importance of developing the local market from the Corporate Businesses to the Local Communities, whom are key to providing business into hotels.
Peter Williams
Peter is the Managing Director of The Thames Club, a premium health, fitness and wellbeing centre based in Staines. Since he took over in 2013, The Club has seen its total profit grow 11% and its membership 7%. Peter successfully lead an extensive culture change programme to redefine the management culture of the organization and reposition the brand in the overall premium leisure market. He oversees all operations and directs a team of 30 employees while effectively marketing and maximising the business’ multiple revenue streams.
Peter’s has a prominent sales, marketing and operational background in the premium leisure and travel industries. His ability to successfully manage multi-faceted luxury leisure businesses & facilities is underpinned by an in-depth knowledge of the industry and sharp people management skills, perfected during his time as the General Manager of the original David Lloyd Health Club, where he managed a team of 80+ people. He is also a fitness and yoga enthusiast.
Peter’s leadership in the Fitness & Wellness sector was recognised nationally when CEO Monthly Magazine awarded him CEO of the Year 2018.
Ricky Wallis
“I have been an IT Procurement specialist and CIPS Surrey and Sussex Branch chair, for the past 2 decades, and I’m also a CIPS fellow. During my tenure I have managed, many complex business critical IT programmes, identified significant savings and implemented agreements to cover major areas of expenditure in many large Blue Chip organisations”
David North
I have worked in the technology industry since the late '80s, working in the Financial Sector, Legal Sector, Public sectors and Corporate Market on a consulting basis. Clients included Aviva (Commercial Union), The Bank of England, BP, BT Group, Eversheds, Honda, HSBC, Simmons & Simmons, Unilever together with MOD, NHS Trusts and County Councils.
Embracing the global market place of the internet, I changed to a more select private client model providing digital marketing solutions in the online market place, using internet presence development and maximising the potential for businesses to gain an advantage in on-line competing markets.
Building microsites with search engine optimisation, pay per click campaigns, goal-focused landing pages and email marketing is a crucial part of what I do for a number of clients. Utilising up to date techniques and technologies is a passion of mine, constantly investigating client-side methods to find the next advantage in a wildly changing digital world.
Ashley Marchment
Spelthorne’s business owners are bold, adventurous, and innovative; they have discipline, drive, energy, and inspiration in taking arms against a sea of perceived troubles and doubters.
Enterprising business owners will find opportunity and growth in today’s business climate and must necessarily be absolutely certain and determined to prosper.
Ashley assists business owners to boost sales, increase profits, negotiate successfully and advance creativity. Use your entrepreneurial confidence, conviction and self-belief to boost your business into an exciting, profitable, growth enterprise, whilst others watch on.
Mike Daly
Mike has years of experience in film & video production, media, advertising and marketing companies, including the BBC, Clear Channel, Capital Radio, and the KM Group. In 2009 he set up Great Video, a locally based production company. It supplies web content, corporate and event video and photography, as well as providing consultancy to businesses large, small and in between across a wide range of business sectors.
Always keen to help people make best use of video to achieve their marketing objectives, Mike is also happy to contribute to the wider business conversation drawing on his wide experience of creative, corporate and small business experience.
David Gold
Economic Development Officer for Spelthorne Borough Council. David has always had a passion for retailing and has worked for a number of major retail companies as well as working with independent retailers helping them grow their sales, profit and ensuring that they have a sustainable business.
David joined Spelthorne Borough Council as Economic Development Officer in August 2020”
Nana Opare
Nana Opare is a pragmatic and experienced Business Consultant and Project Manager. Nana brings to the SBF Team a wealth of invaluable perceptions and experience especially from having successfully delivered growth strategies, enhanced revenue pipelines and implemented cost reduction strategies across sectors and borders. His past association with Citigroup, PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), Price Waterhouse, CoEn Consulting LLC and British Telecommunications (BT) provided him with broad international exposure and opportunities to demonstrate his ability to deliver value into a variety of organisations from large blue-chip to local indigenous firms. Examples of past clients include Credit Suisse, London Stock Exchange, Barclays, Shell, Nationwide Building Society, Baker Hughes, Bi-lateral and Multilateral Organisations, Local Authorities and several UK SMEs. Nana has lived and worked in diverse environments and countries including the UK, US and many African nations.
Nana Opare holds an MBA and Post Graduate Diploma from the Cranfield School of Management. He is a qualified Management Consultant and skilled Project Manager (Prince2 Agile Practitioner, Prince2 Foundation, Lean Six Sigma, RAMP & Benefits Methodologies) and a Certified PCI (Change Management).
Nana is active and passionate about giving back to his local community and currently the President of Staines Rotary Club.
