It feels like a particularly serendipitous moment to welcome Gatwick Diamond Business to Crawley Innovation Centre. As an organisation renowned for connecting and supporting entrepreneurs and business owners, its ethos and values closely align with those of the centre and we are delighted to have them as our newest customer and resident.
Gatwick Diamond Business has been at the centre of the Gatwick Diamond business community for over 70 years. Owned and run by members for members, they support their members and wider business community, make connections to ignite new opportunities and champion the needs and interests of businesses across the Gatwick Diamond region of West Sussex and East Surrey.
We sat down with Sally Brown, Managing Director, to find out more about Gatwick Diamond Business and how they plan to collaborate with Crawley Innovation Centre.
Q. It’s no mean feat to run a business and membership organisation for over 70 years. What’s been the secret to your longevity and success? Gatwick Diamond Business has remained relevant for over seven decades because we’ve continually evolved alongside the business community we serve. As a not-for-profit organisation owned by our members, everything we do is driven by supporting businesses, creating meaningful connections and championing economic growth across the region. While the way businesses network and collaborate has changed over the years, the importance of relationships, trusted support and a strong local business community has remained constant. Our longevity comes from listening to our members and adapting to meet their needs while staying true to our core purpose.
Q. The region you look after is geographically vast and you must have met such interesting businesses and owners over the years. Has there been a common thread or theme that you think links businesses together? Absolutely. The one thing we consistently see is a willingness to collaborate. The Gatwick Diamond is home to an incredibly diverse mix of businesses, from ambitious start-ups and scale-ups through to major international organisations, yet they share a common belief that they are stronger when they work together. Whether that’s sharing knowledge, supporting local initiatives, developing partnerships or mentoring others, there is a real sense of community across the region. Innovation, resilience and a commitment to growth are qualities that unite many of the businesses we work with.
Q. You are well known for hosting networking events across the region, can you reveal any exciting plans you may be organising at Crawley Innovation Centre? Crawley Innovation Centre provides an excellent environment for collaboration and innovation, and we see it as a fantastic venue to support our programme of events and create new opportunities for businesses to connect, learn and grow. Recently, we hosted one of our Diamond Lunch events at the centre, providing a business briefing and fantastic lunch for guests from our Diamond Plus and Diamond Champion member organisations.
Looking ahead, the centre will become the home of our monthly Membership Meet Up events, designed to introduce prospective and new members to Gatwick Diamond Business and help them maximise the value of their membership. We also have an upcoming event for our Ambassadors and Council Members and are exploring the opportunity to relocate our Connected Crawley events to the centre from next year, an initiative delivered in partnership with Manor Royal BID and Freedom Works.
Perhaps most exciting is the launch of our new Future Leaders Programme, developed exclusively for Gatwick Diamond Business members. Designed for emerging leaders, first-time managers, high-potential employees and business owners looking to strengthen their leadership capability in a practical, local business context. The programme will comprise of six interactive face-to-face sessions delivered by experienced business leaders and subject matter experts from across our community, all hosted at Crawley Innovation Centre over the next six months.
If you would like to join Gatwick Diamond Business and run your business from Crawley Innovation Centre then why not book a tour