Chloe Smith
Chloe Smith gets things done for Norwich North. With ten years of experience as your MP, she’s an effective, energetic campaigner for the city that you can rely on.
She’s won billions of pounds of investment for Norwich like new trains, new roads, new surgeries and hospital upgrades. She is founder of a project that’s got over 2000 of Norwich young people into work.
And she listens. Chloe’s helped thousands more people in Norwich North with individual issues.
During her time as an MP she has also served as a Minister in the Government. She rose to Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, and before that was Minister of State for Disabled People, Health and Work at the Department for Work and Pensions. In this role she uses her 10 years of first-hand experience from the Norwich for Jobs project, which she founded in 2013. The ongoing project, in partnership with the DWP and local private sector and third sector organisations, focuses on helping young people aged 18-24 into work and supporting those with mild to moderate physical and mental disabilities. She has also been Minister for the Constitution for over a decade, and a Northern Ireland Minister and a Treasury Minister. Whilst serving as a back-bench MP, her Parliamentary work included scrutiny of the Modern Slavery Act 2015, and two Childcare bills which will provide help to millions of families.
She was awarded both “Youth Friendly MP 2014” and “Grassroots Diplomat Initiative – Business Driver 2014”. She has chaired the All Party Parliamentary Group for Youth Employment, chaired the National Youth Agency’s Commission into Young People & Enterprise (2014-15) and was a commissioner on the Industry and Parliament Trust’s Youth Skills Commission (2014-15). She has played a key role in the All Party Parliamentary Group for Democratic Participation.
Chloe also takes a keen interest in transport, having served on the Commons Transport Select Committee. She has chaired the All Party Parliamentary Group for Air Ambulances, and served as Chair of Trustees of the Air Ambulance Association (Charity). She co-chaired the Great Eastern Mainline Rail Taskforce (2013-2017), which has now secured £1bn of investment for East Anglia. She’s particularly proud that this work has brought about the new trains which constituents are using now – which in turn will bring thousands of jobs to Norwich.
Chloe has worked internationally too, representing Britain through the Inter-Parliamentary Union and training overseas sister parties in Africa and Eastern Europe through the Westminster Foundation for Democracy. With the UN and other agencies, she has assisted new MPs in Burma in developing their Parliament.
Chloe’s a mum of two, committed to her family as well as her community. If there’s any spare time left for hobbies she loves cycling and would like to take up kayaking!
Alex Sellers
Alex has over 20 years’ operational management experience in the hospitality sector and a further 10 years in learning and development leadership roles. Throughout his frontline management career, his passion, enthusiasm, and people centric approach often meant that he was tasked with improving failing businesses. Key to his success were engaging his teams and customers alike in his vision and values and encouraging collaborative and open-minded approaches – effective working practices he believes in passionately and employs to this day. His desire to continuously improve, wealth of experience and natural ability with people led him to re-qualify and to move into apprenticeships where he headed up the delivery of management apprenticeships for four years. His unique experience, genuine interest in people and authenticity has helped Alex become an expert in leading people, building relationships, and learning and development practices.
Alex now works as a Director for Turning Factor and also operates as a leadership and business coach. Working across sectors (public, private and voluntary) and organisations, Alex has designed and run modern, innovative and industry leading learning and development programmes that have delivered sustainable impact for both the organisations and the people involved. Alex is driven by a passion for helping people develop to their full potential and is a firm believer that people and teams can be empowered through self-awareness, leadership, communication, and taking the right action at the right time. He has an exemplary track record of encouraging behavioural change and new perspectives in the people he works with.
Kate Pigeon-Owen – BA Hons Business and Marketing
Kate’s career started in the City, working for Extel Financial, part of the Financial Times, working with accountants, solicitors and financial institutions. Since then Kate has run a successful Stress Management company in London, before moving to Norfolk and setting up Wellbeing International Ltd, offering training and consultancy in the UK, Canada and the Far East. As a manager, Kate knows and understands the responsibilities of looking after the needs of her team and has many years’ experience of working in the corporate, statutory and voluntary sectors.
Kate trained as a counsellor and has worked for charities such as Turning Point assisting with Relapse Prevention, low self-esteem and addiction issues. She is a facilitator of international accredited trainings in communication with the IAIM and was a founding member of a Suffolk Charity school.
Kate is a trained Mental Health First Aider and a member of the British Menopause Society.
Kate has appeared on television and BBC Norfolk radio, Woman’s Hour, and published articles on education, stress and massage in many publications including the East Anglian Daily Times and Organic Life magazine.
Dean Pierpoint
Dean has worked within a business supporting capacity for over 10 years, predominantly with a focus on workforce development and skills. As well as working as a business adviser throughout this time assisting businesses to access wider support from other stakeholders and providing grant assistance for capital purchase products.
His real passion is for Apprenticeships and has successfully supported 100’s of businesses across multiple sectors to invest in their workforces skills, navigate funding guidance and recruiting new apprentices.
Currently Dean is utilising his extensive employer engagement experience to be the Project lead for the Dfe funded Local Skills Improvement Plan being delivered by Norfolk Chamber of Commerce in partnership with Suffolk Chamber of Commerce. Building on existing relationships with independent training providers, further and higher education organisations, to enable the business community to have an impartial voice regarding their own skills agenda and encouraging and facilitating closer working relationships to fulfil skills gaps and promote existing training provision.
David Melloy
Ascot Lloyd helps individuals with their UK financial planning and investment advice needs. David has almost 30 years’ experience within financial services, and he regularly speaks at seminars promoting the value of financial planning and integrated investment advice to high-net-worth clients. David also works with accountants, solicitors, and other professional services to provide financial solutions for their clients. On a personal level David has a family who love the outdoors and sport. His personal time is mostly spent on the sidelines of running tracks supporting his children.
