Meet the Somerset Economic Growth Board

Dr Harry Singer is Managing Director of Singer Instruments, dedicated to developing laboratory automation to accelerate research for biological scientists who want to make the world a cleaner, greener, healthier place.

With a background in physics, Harry completed a PhD at University College London in Quantum Chaos in 2004, building lasers to induce and study chaos within arrays of super-cooled atoms.

In 2008, Harry transitioned to mechatronics for life sciences by taking on third generation ownership of Singer Instruments. He now supports over 60 staff, supporting and collaborating with customers in over 60 counties, from premises and applications laboratories in Exmoor, California, Singapore and Germany.

Harry surfs, kitesurfs and plays the ukulele – badly!

Read more about Dr Harry Singer on LinkedIn.

Emma Warren is the Managing Director of Elite Staffing Solutions in Taunton which was established in 2015 and Chair of the Work, Skills and Health Partnership Board for Somerset. Emma served on Somerset Chamber of Commerce’s Board of Directors from 2019 until November 2025 and was appointed as Chair in 2023.

Elite Staffing Solutions was launched to bring a fresh approach to recruiting in specialist sectors. The company has been an active Chamber member since its inception and Emma has been a judge, sponsor and winner of the Somerset Business Awards.

Business is Emma’s passion and she actively develops her knowledge through reading and belonging to a Mastery Consultancy Group for recruitment business owners. She uses this knowledge to work with companies, small and large, in developing their hiring proposition and overcoming the challenges that the current recruitment market presents.

Emma has two young children and has successfully launched and grown a business while juggling life as a working mum.  As a business and family, Emma supports Taunton Deane Cricket Club and enjoys walking in the Somerset countryside and spending time in the gym.

Read more about Emma Warren on LinkedIn.

Becky Bevins. I have lived in Somerset since the age of four, educated locally and raised my two children with my husband of 27 years.

Currently the  Human Resources Director of Numatic international based in Chard, home of the Henry and Hetty Vacuum cleaner. Prior to this I ran my own  Human Resources consultancy for over 18 years, providing HR services across the Southwest and beyond.

Away from work I enjoy renovating our home, cooking, and walking our 3 cockapoos – Henry, Hetty (I know!) and Milo.

Read more about Becky Bevins on LinkedIn.

Mark joined Yeovil College as Director of Employer Engagement in November 2015. Prior to this, he studied at De Montfort University where he graduated with an Honours Degree in Graphic Design and Illustration in 1993, Mark then worked as a freelance Illustrator and Graphic Designer until 2007. Mark began teaching Graphic Design in 1995 in the North East of England and continued to develop his work in the sector over the following years until he was promoted to Head of Creative Industries in 2003. Mark joined the senior team at Northumberland College in the North East with a focus on teaching and learning and working with the business community over the next few years until he joined the Principalship team as Assistant Principal for Teaching and Learning and then subsequently for Apprenticeships and Business Development.

Mark continued with the same focus at Yeovil College, from 2015, where he led the strategic direction of our curriculum and engagement with our business community. Mark has been Vice Principal for Curriculum and Quality at Yeovil College since March 2018 and leads on all teaching related responsibilities. He took on the role of CEO and Principal in October 2019. Mark believes passionately in the life-changing opportunities provided by the Further Education sector and is committed to developing the workforce of the community Yeovil College serves for the prosperity of the whole of South Somerset and Dorset.

Jake Elsmore, Managing Director of Wrencon Ltd. Jake joined Wrencon straight from Loughborough University where he achieved a degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering. Jake worked in the business for several years before taking the reins as Managing Director in 2021.

Read more about Jake Elsmore on LinkedIn.

Born in Wegberg, West Germany to service parents, Dave Tomaney grew up in Plymouth. He joined the Royal Air Force in September 1983 as an Air Traffic Control officer. He served at a number of Royal Air Force units including a detachment to Dharhan, Saudi Arabia where he served for the duration of the first Gulf War. Promoted to Squadron Leader in March 1997 he was posted to RAF Bruggen in Germany assuming the post of Senior Air Traffic Control Officer in June 1998.

On his return to the United Kingdom, he worked in the Permanent Joint Headquarters, with responsibility for contingency and crisis planning for an area from North Africa through the Levant and the Middle East to the trans-caucus. In June 2001 he was posted to the Joint Doctrine and Concepts Centre, where he was involved in the response to the 11 September  attacks, and UK Strategic Trends.

In July 2002, as a wing commander, he attended the UK Advanced Command and Staff Course, following which he was posted to HQ Supreme Allied Command Transformation in Norfolk, Virginia. His final Royal Air Force appointment was as Officer Commanding London Air Traffic Control Centre (Military) responsible for military area Army Training Centre in England and Wales.

On leaving the Royal Air Force, he fulfilled an interim role with the UK National Air Traffic Services before taking up employment with the UK Hydrographic Office in April 2009. A period as the Quality Manager was followed by 17 months as the Defence Navigation Manager responsible for a number of dived navigation products.

He became Head of Defence in June 2011 responsible for delivering defence requirements for maritime geospatial information, service and products. In April 2015 he took additional responsibility for primary charting, continuous improvement and safety management across operations.

In July 2016 he took up the role of Director of Operations responsible for the production of all the UK Hydrographic Office products and services. In this time, he has brought modern safety management into the UK Hydrographic Office, created a Data function and started the process of moving the UK Hydrographic Office from a product-oriented organisation to one that manages data to generate customer value. To recognise the change of emphasis his role was redesignated as Collateralized Debt Obligation in 2022.

Read more about Dave Tomaney on LinkedIn.

Bill Revans is Leader of Somerset Council. Somerset born and bred, he spent his career teaching History in Somerset secondary schools, before becoming a carer for close family members. He was elected onto Somerset County Council to represent North Petherton in 2017 and became leader of Somerset County Council in 2022, steering the council towards the unitary merger of the four districts and county into the new Somerset Council.

He chairs the Somerset Board that brings together partners in tackling health outcomes across the county and the Education for Life strategy board that strengthens the partnerships between education stakeholders to raise attainment and achievement.

Bill is a qualified cricket coach, chairs North Petherton Cricket Club and is an avid follower of Somerset County Cricket Club.

Read more about Councillor Bill Revans on LinkedIn.

For more information, please visit Councillor Mike Rigby’s page on democracy.somerset.gov.uk.

Merryn has been Chief Executive of The Bishop’s Palace and Gardens in Wells since 2023, and prior to that as Chief Operating Officer and Marketing Manager for the organisation.

Prior to working at the Palace, Merryn had 13 years of commercial experience for companies such as Prezola.com, NotontheHighStreet.com and Wrapit Plc, alongside tourism industry work throughout Europe with the group travel sector.

In her earlier career Merryn spent ten years working as an Opera Singer, following studies at the Royal Northern College of Music and Bristol University.

Merryn is fortunate enough to live on Vicars Close in Wells – the oldest continuously inhabited residential street in Europe – and thinks that she can lay claim to the most picturesque commute in the country, passing Wells Cathedral and the Bishop’s Palace Moat.

Read more about Merryn Kidd on LinkedIn.

Joe Routledge is Finance Director at Sycamore Process Engineering, a leading specialist serving the dairy and food sectors. A qualified accountant with more than 20 years’ senior finance experience, Joe leads strategic planning, investment and governance to support sustainable growth and innovation.

Passionate about Somerset being a great place to live and work, Joe serves as Chair of the Somerset Chamber of Commerce, championing local firms, skills development and inward investment.

Away from work, Joe loves to be outdoors, with running and hiking at the top of the list of favourite activities. When not outdoors, supporting Southampton Football Club and watching many other sports compete for his time alongside raising two children.

Read more about Joe Routledge on LinkedIn.