THE BIG INTERVIEW
Anniversary marks
period of great change Just over two years ago, Briege Leahy stepped into her current role as the CEO of Hertfordshire Chamber of Commerce. Little did she know then that she’d be helping the local business community get through the worst crisis since World War II. “When COVID-19 first hit our shores, I did my best to ensure that the Chamber remained visible to local businesses,” she says. “At the beginning I was working 24/7 to offer businesses practical support, such as information on how to apply for government grants. There was a lot of confusion because things were evolving so rapidly. “Other businesses just wanted some reassurance. I had some people crying down the phone because they were so worried that they were going to lose their livelihoods – businesses that they had built up over several years of hard work. The scary thing for all of us was the unknown. Nobody knew how long this was going to last.” The vaccine programme offers a clear route out of the pandemic, with more than half of the UK adult population having received at least one dose. Now Briege is helping businesses prepare to reopen again or refocus their original offering so they can prosper in a post-COVID world. “A lot of businesses are having to adapt quickly to new trends,” she says. “Retailers, for example, want to make sure that their e-commerce offering is as slick as possible to cater for increased demand for online shopping. 30
INSPIRE
