The Team | Ayrshire Chamber of Commerce

We are a small business too!

Ayrshire Chamber of Commerce is the small business with a big voice. The leading organisation representing the business community across the whole of Ayrshire, our objective is to promote and facilitate business between our members to encourage commercial growth and local prosperity.

We are the voice of the business community in Ayrshire and pride ourselves in providing strong representation of your interests in the corridors of power at Holyrood and Westminster.

Serving the business community for over 70 years, we aim to support every type of business, from sole traders to large corporations. Our members cover a vast range of sectors including textiles, industrial, tourism, retail and manufacturing.

By listening to our membership, tailoring our services to suit, we’ve developed a valuable portfolio of services and networking opportunities to help give your business the best possible platform to succeed. As an Ayrshire Chamber member, you can enjoy a range of exclusive deals and benefits, including:

Access to a vibrant business network · Invitations to business events and networking opportunities
Fully funded Chamber Legal services including legal cover and 24/7 legal advice line
Fully funded Chamber HR services, including professional HR documents and 24/7 HR helpline
Exclusive offers on Health Plans

Claire Baird

Chief Executive Officer

Leads a hard-working team of 15 employees across several projects and initiatives. As a small business my role is varied and includes working in partnership with private & public sector, education & social enterprise. Continuously striving to enable the Ayrshire economy.

Katie McGhee

Finance Officer

Deals with all accounts admin including maintenance of Xero, customers, suppliers, banking, invoicing etc. Prepares Quarterly and Statutory Annual Accounts.

Nicola Eyres

Membership Development Officer

Part of the Membership team, actively out and about encouraging you to join Ayrshire’s Ultimate Business Network.

Julie Coulter

International Trade Lead & Admin Officer

Lead contact for International Trade Documentation team. Contact Julie for any International Trade Training and First Aid Training courses. Provides admin support to the Chamber office and Membership Team.

Lisa Stewart

Membership Development Officer

Part of the Membership team, actively out and about encouraging you to join Ayrshire’s Ultimate Business Network. Responsible for the Business Excellence Award and main contact for advertising in the Chamber magazine.

Joan McMurdo

Membership Development Officer

Part of the Membership team, actively out and about encouraging you to join Ayrshire’s Ultimate Business Network. Deals with all aspects of documentation as part of the International Trade team.

Kate Armstrong

Marketing & Communications Co-ordinator

Responsible for all of the Chamber's Marketing and Communications, and our online Members Marketplace. Kate is also the main contact for the Chamber’s quarterly business magazine 'Your Business'. Contact Kate to find out more about promoting your business through Ayrshire Chamber.

Rachel Walker

Events Co-ordinator (Maternity Cover)

Responsible for creating a calendar of events and training to our membership to grow their business and develop new skills. Provides sponsorship opportunities for organisations looking to increase their brand awareness.

Gillian Longmuir

DYW Team - Regional Lead

Responsible for the DYW team whose role is to engage employers in education and highlight the benefits of employing a young person. We ensure young people get access to employers through education to prepare them for the world of work and experience high quality work placements. Keen to hear from employers on experiences of working with young people, encouraging others to consider taking on a young person and to engage with education.

Emma McClymont

Business Liaison Officer

Dealing with work experience and school engagement for schools across North and South Ayrshire.

Brooke McTaggart

DYW Team - Communications & Marketing Officer

Part of the Marketing and Communications team. Responsible for Facebook, Twitter, content encouraging employers to engage with education and champion benefits of employing a young person. Provides event support.