The Institute of Directors in the South West has appointed experienced tech sector independent director James Savage and Steve Hill, the former managing director of defence contractor SEA, as ambassadors.
James, pictured, who has spent 30-plus years in the sector, will be the IoD’s regional ambassador for high-tech industry and tech ventures, having been an independent director on the boards of 10 tech companies since 2004, while Steve will be the ambassador for SMEs.
James also has asset management, professional services and wider industry experience.
He is one of five new ambassadors appointed by the IoD South West who will work with its four existing ambassadors to promote its work in the region.
James and Steve will be supported by regional chair Muir Macdonald, regional director Robert Lloyd Griffiths OBE and senior branch manager Kerri Anne Murk.
James, who is based near Chippenham, has extensive knowledge of the tech industry in the Asia region including India, Greater China, SE Asia, Korea and Japan, having been based in Hong Kong from 1994 to 2018.
He was founding partner of HSBC's Asian Venture Capital business and chaired the venture committee of the Hong Kong Venture Capital and Private Equity Association.
Since his return to the UK from Hong Kong, he has concentrated on mentoring tech ventures.
Steve Hill, pictured, who is based in Cheddar, started his career as an electrical engineer for GEC Marconi and then moved into project management. In 2000 he took up his first executive project management role for a division of Thales (then Racal).
He took up his first MD role in 2002 and went on to lead a number of Thales businesses in the UK. In 2011, he joined the Cohort group as MD of one of its subsidiaries, SEA, based in Beckington, near Frome.
He led a significant acquisition as well as the divestment of two non-core areas. Under his leadership SEA grew both profitably and in size, increasing its customer base from the UK to include customers from eight countries.
Late last year he stepped down from the role to build a portfolio career supporting other businesses and sharing the knowledge he has built up to help others succeed.
The other new ambassadors are Darren Colley, managing director of Dorset-based industrial metal pipe and tube fabricated product specialists Iracroft, Carolyn Stephenson, former general counsel and company secretary at Mitsubishi Motors UK in Cirencester and Russell Toms, a Dorset-based non-executive director of a multi academy trust and business coach and trainer.
The four existing ambassadors are Nick Sturge MBE (education and skills), Luke Menzies (professional services), Rob Varley (chartered directors) and James Piper (sustainability).
