A prominent member of Sheffield’s business community has been awarded an OBE in King Charles’ New Year’s Honours List.
Sheffield Chamber of Commerce Chief Executive Louisa Harrison-Walker was awarded the honour in recognition of her work supporting South Yorkshire, its businesses and communities.
Louisa has led the transformation of Sheffield’s Chamber of Commerce over the past five years. Her work has included restructuring the organisation, diversifying the board and representative council, increasing the balance sheets significantly and re-imagining its core membership offer – which has seen membership retention rise to 98% and the number of patrons double.
Louisa has also built up the Chamber’s relationship with South Yorkshire’s Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA), Sheffield City Council (SCC) and rewired relationships with other Regional and National Chambers, and other organisations around the UK including Business in the Community (BITC) with whom Sheffield Chamber deliver a social value programme that harnesses private sector resource for the benefit of charities and social enterprises.
Oliver Coppard, Mayor of South Yorkshire, said: “Louisa is a leader who brings organisations and businesses together in a way that others cannot because she truly cares about people.
“Her approach to making sure the views and experiences of everyone are respected, listened to and included, is helping to shift the culture in South Yorkshire to one of positive collaboration and partnership.
“As a Mayor I work every day to rebuild the pride, purpose and prosperity of our region, nothing is more important to me. I’m delighted to congratulate Louisa on being included in the King’s honours today.”
Involved in supporting successful bids for collaborative work throughout the region, Louisa has been integral to the delivery of the Community Renewal Fund, the Local Skills Improvement Plan Project (LSIP) across South Yorkshire, the Yorkshire and Humber Policy Innovation Partnership, the South Yorkshire Investment Zone and the continued campaign to re-open South Yorkshire’s regional airport.
Louisa is also Co-Chair of South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority’s Business Advisory Board, has been integral to the development of the Sheffield City Goals – the city’s 10-year city strategy, launched the Health and Wellbeing Consortium and developed a senior women’s leadership network.
Kate Josephs, Chief Executive of Sheffield City Council, said: “Louisa represents the city on numerous local, regional and national platforms and does so with authenticity, gravitas and insight.
“In leading in the way she does, Louisa acts as a role model, in particular for women. She has worked with me to develop the city’s first women’s leadership network, creating a safe space for women to navigate the challenges they may face in their professional lives.
“Every great city needs active, community minded and forward-thinking business leadership and with Louisa at the helm the Chamber has become an invaluable partner in the regeneration and resurgence of Sheffield.
“It is without a doubt that Louisa deserves this special honour. Congratulations to her.”
Louisa is a well-respected business leader in the city having built up and sold ethical recruitment firm Benchmark. She serves as a trustee at several key organisations and charities, a board and committee member across different initiatives in the city, and relentlessly champions Sheffield, promoting the city as the best place in the UK to start and grow a business.
