Mohan Iyengar – Councillor, Borough Of Poole
Mohan has been an active local councillor since 2015. Prior to that he has worked in the private sector for 27 years; four years as a broker in London, 10 as a General Manager with British Airways, and 13 as a management consultant working with business owners on the operational side – with supply-chain and ‘right first time’ delivery.
Jeanette Walsh –Truly Scrumptious (Dorset) Ltd
Leaving school at 16, Jeanette worked in the banking industry for five years, moved into the public sector, working for a large Housing Group in London. She then moved to Poole and worked for the hospital in Procurement. She purchased Truly Scrumptious in 2013 and loves being a small independent business owner, and part of the community in Historic Poole.
She is passionate about Poole, and wants to encourage visitors and residents to have a pleasant experience which will lead to growth within all businesses to ensure a better economic future.
Helen Challis – Quay Holidays / Quay Living
Helen has been a Poole resident since 2003, and started her local business, Quay Holidays, in 2006. It is now the biggest self-catering holiday provider in Poole. In 2010, she expanded the business into residential sales and lettings, creating Quay Living, and the two businesses have since grown to become a significant player in the local property market. Helen enjoys her local roles as a director of the Poole BID, a marketing team member of Poole Tourism, and a member of Poole Old Town Conservation Group.
John Grinnell – Dolphin Shopping Centre – Chair
John is the Centre Manager of the Dolphin Shopping Centre and is passionate about maintaining the centre’s position as a leading attraction on the south coast.
“It’s an exciting year for the Dolphin – we’re undergoing a £26 million programme of investment with Legal & General over 18 months.”
As BID chairman, John leads a team of local people who share his ambition to see Poole prosper and develop into a strong, sustainable town with a focus on its heritage. Never one to miss a commercial opportunity, John is keen to ensure that Poole’s voice is heard on all matters of pertinence.
Ailsa Wilson – Poole BID Manager
July 2019 – Watch this Space!
Andy Byatt – Titan Leathercraft
Andy chose Poole as the location for his expansion and opened his shop and café on the Quay in 2016 and he is excited about the future of the area.
Although he was not initially a strong supporter of the BID he has joined the team to work towards playing an active part in making Poole a progressive and lively place to live and trade.
Pete Wilson – Lighthouse Poole
Pete is a Chartered Accountant and the Head of Finance at Lighthouse, Poole’s Centre for the Arts. As well as a business, it is a charity and, like a lot about Poole, is pretty much unique outside London. He joined the BID to be part of a motivated team working with businesses and levy payers to help make the town everything we all believe it can and should be.
Gabi Naish – The Lookout Cafe / The Project Climbing Centre – Vice Chair
Following a varied career including auditing, interior design, and being a cow hand in North America, Gabi now runs The Lookout Cafe. The cafe is above The Project Climbing Centre, run by her son, in the Dolphin Shopping Centre. She is all about helping the environment and would love to see Poole regenerated to its full potential.