New Buckinghamshire Business First Board Members announced

Meet the three new individuals who have joined our 11-strong Board dedicated to supporting the Buckinghamshire business community.

The three new Board Members are Hiren Gandhi, Partner at Blaser Mills, Michael Harris, Director at Lindengate, and Alistair Lomax, Director of Development at The University of Buckingham.

At our recent AGM, three much valued former Directors stood down from their roles on the Buckinghamshire Business First Board. Paul Gartside, Head of Intel Security Research and Development at Intel Security, Guy Lachlan, Owner of Classic Oils, and Conor McKechnie, Head of Communications at GE Healthcare Life Sciences all contributed greatly to the work of the Board over the last two years and their support has been highly valued.

Philippa Batting, Managing Director of Buckinghamshire Business First, said of the Board changes:

“In Paul, Guy and Conor, we had three Board members who embodied the hard work and vision of Buckinghamshire’s business community and did a great job supporting the efforts of Buckinghamshire Business First. We now welcome Hiren, Michael and Alistair to the Board, and are excited about the new ideas and energy they will bring. The Buckinghamshire Business First Board is drawn from a diverse mix of businesses, charities and organisations that provide us with great guidance and support.”

Hiren Gandhi, Partner, Blaser Mills

Hiren was the first ever non-lawyer to be made Partner at Blaser Mills Law and one of only a handful in the whole legal sector. He oversees the business development and marketing functions for the firm, playing a key role in the strategic growth of the firm and across all of its teams. Prior to joining Blaser Mills Law, Hiren worked for several niche intellectual property law firms in London and the north of England, where he developed and retained relationships with several national and international businesses.

Hiren said of his appointment: “It is important that Buckinghamshire has a central hub for business; we want to compete with our neighbouring business powerhouses. Buckinghamshire Business First is perfectly positioned to be that hub and I am looking forward to working with the board to achieve this.”

Michael Harris, Director, Lindengate

Michael is an experienced business leader and has, during the past 25 years, run a number of SMEs operating across a range of industrial B2B areas, and more recently in the third sector. Since 2015, Michael has worked within the award-winning Buckinghamshire charity Lindengate, initially as a volunteer fundraiser and subsequently as the charity’s Director, helping to develop its strategy, facilitate its service delivery and manage its day-to-day business operation.

Michael said of his appointment: “I am delighted to be joining the Buckinghamshire Business First Board and excited to be able to contribute to its work, objectives and ambitions for its members. With my background in SMEs and the third sector, I am looking forward to helping Buckinghamshire Business First support small businesses and charities within Buckinghamshire and to playing a full part in the growth of this extraordinary growth hub.”

Alistair Lomax, Director of Development, The University of Buckingham

Alistair is an experienced higher education fundraiser and was responsible for setting up the University of Buckingham’s development office and raising the first £20m. He has also been CEO of the UNIAID Foundation, the students’ charity, and has worked with several of the world’s wealthiest and most influential funders. Alistair has worked with large and small organisations, including the British Red Cross, the Scout Association, Save the Children International, NHS England, Oxfam, and the University of Oxford.

Alistair said of his appointment: “I was attracted to serve on the Buckinghamshire Business First Board through my deep commitment to the unique ecosystem of small and growing businesses in this region.”

Business community ambassadors