The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) has hired Tim Snowball as its new director of communications and public affairs.
Snowball sits on the senior leadership team and has replaced Balshen Izzet, who left the trade body in June to become the Prime Minister’s senior special adviser for communications.
He reports to Shevaun Haviland, director general of the BCC, and heads up a nine-strong team focused on media, digital, marketing, member communications, and public affairs.
Snowball started his new role last month, joining from the MHP Group, where he was head of public affairs. Prior to that he was head of UK public affairs at FleishmanHillard.
Snowball also worked at the PHA Group, where he was head of public affairs, between 2014 and 2017. He was previously director of communications for the Liberal Democrats during the coalition government and a longstanding political adviser to Nick Clegg in both opposition and government from 2006 to 2014.
Haviland said: “After more than a decade in consulting and a long stint at the heart of British political life, Tim brings to the BCC his strong understanding of the needs of both business and government, and an impressive record as a political campaigner.”
Commenting on his new role, Snowball told In.Comms: “I’ve been blown away by the access and influence the BCC has across Government on behalf of its UK and global network of Chambers of Commerce, and national Business Council.”
He stated: “My first priority has been to shape our pre-budget campaign, making a simple case that, after the costly Employer NICs increases at the last budget, there can be no more taxes on business in November. This message resonates strongly with the business community and is already getting fantastic cut through in the media.”
Another priority has been preparing for the launch of the BCC’s AI Academy, which will offer SMEs “access to a brilliant and highly responsive training platform, helping them embrace AI to support their growth and productivity”.
Reflecting on his decision to take up an in-house role after working in agencies for more than a decade, Snowball said: “At heart, I am a campaigner, I built my early career on the political frontline, and, if I’m truly honest, I have missed it.”
He added: “After eleven wonderful years leading agency public affairs teams and working for a wide range of businesses as clients, this move offered me an opportunity to leverage my past experience, and to champion business interests directly. I’m already loving it.”