FOR first time in its century-plus history, two senior businesswomen will be at the helm of Newry Chamber of Commerce and Trade, a voluntary organisation set up in 1892 and which represents in excess of 200 companies.
Emma Marmion, managing director of Prestige HR, takes over the role of president from BT’s Paul Convery and will be in post until the end of 2021.
And she will be joined by new vice-president in Julie Gibbons, managing director (brokering) at Prestige Holdings, parent company of Abbey and Autoline Insurance.
A native of Newry, Emma is the founder and managing director of Prestige, which has offices in Newry, Dundalk and Belfast and is recognised by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development as one of the top HR and training consultancies in the north.
Emma has been a member of the Chamber since 2007, having previously been a member of Newry Junior Chamber.
She said: “I feel honoured and privileged to lead the Chamber as president. Our members employ more than 15,000 people and I appreciate and value the trust members have placed in me at a challenging time for the Newry and Northern Ireland economies.
“Brexit has been the all-consuming issue for the past three years. But we are now at the crossroads. The UK is leaving the EU at the end of January and we must work hard to ensure the promises that were made about no hard border are delivered and that our region continues to exploit its location on the Dublin-Belfast economic corridor.
“I'm confident the spirit of entrepreneurship and resilience that Newry businesses are renowned for will ensure we can tackle the challenges and exploit the opportunities that our businesses will face in the coming years."
She added: “Economically, Newry is in a strong position. We have benefited from the development of the all-Ireland economy and free access to European markets. The Greater Newry Area has nearly 9,000 businesses, six of which are in the top 50 in Northern Ireland and nine in the top 100.
“As the voice for local business, the Chamber will work hard to ensure the Newry area remains the premier destination, for retail, tourism, investment, entrepreneurship and employment, and I look forward to working with members over the next two years to help them grow their businesses and increase employment opportunities.
Emma has built her reputation as a pioneer of change and is known nationally as an innovative, passionate and committed entrepreneur helping businesses create a culture of success. In addition to her role as president of Newry Chamber, she is also vice chair of Women’s Aid Armagh and Down.
