PROMINENT figures from Huddersfield’s business scene have taken on a new role.

Prof Bob Cryan, vice-chancellor of Huddersfield University, and Jeremy Garside, managing partner at law firm Chadwick Lawrence, will run the rule over companies shortlisted in the Local Business Accelerators competition.

They will be joined on the judging panel by Examiner field sales manager Diane Briggs.

Prof Cryan and Mr Garside will also be mentors for the successful local candidates, alongside Examiner commercial director Paul O’Halloran.

The Examiner is one of hundreds of newspapers across the country taking part in the Local Business Accelerators campaign which aims to deliver a 15m boost to promising businesses across the UK.

The campaign, led by Dragon’s Den star Deborah Meaden, invites businesses aged between one and five years to enter the competition for the chance to win a free ad campaign in their local paper plus mentoring support from local business leaders.

The most promising businesses will go forward to the national stage of the competition to win a year’s mentoring from Deborah and a local advertising campaign devised by a top London creative ad agency.

Local Business Accelerators has the backing of Prime Minister David Cameron and the Bank of England Governor Mervyn King.

Prof Cryan and Mr Garside will judge local entries in the competition and provide mentoring for those chosen as local winners.

Prof Cryan has the responsibility of leading one of the town’s biggest employers and investors as vice-chancellor of Huddersfield University.

The ex-Deighton High School pupil graduated from the former Huddersfield Polytechnic in 1986 with a first class honours degree in electrical and electronic engineering – and returned to take up the vice-chancellorship in 2007 at the age of 42.

Before taking up the key post, he worked at Manchester Metropolitan University, Northumbria University and the University of Wales in Swansea before returning to Northumbria as pro vice-chancellor and becoming its deputy vice-chancellor in 2005.

At Huddersfield University, he has led major redevelopment at the Queensgate campus, including the newly-opened 3M Innovation Centre, which builds further on the links forged between the university and local businesses.

Mr Garside is managing partner at law firm Chadwick Lawrence. He trained and practised as a lawyer for many years, having gained a degree at Keele University and studying at Chester Law College before completing his training at a law firm in York.

He joined Chadwick Son & Nicholson in Dewsbury before its merger with Lawrence Son and Thorp to form Chadwick Lawrence in 1987. Mr Garside became a partner in 1988 and played a leading part in the expansion of the practice – running the Ossett branch and opening the Halifax and Huddersfield branches.

In his current role, he devotes much time to building stronger links between Chadwick Lawrence and organisations in Huddersfield, where the firm opened its Railway Street offices in 1998 – such as working with organisations including the university and sponsoring the Examiner Business Awards.

Both men are now keen to turn their talents towards helping the successful nominees in the Local Business Accelerators contest to strengthen and develop their businesses.

Businesses can enter the competition by applying via the website: www.accelerateme.co.uk

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