Innovation Ambassador For Preston
Last year, Shirah Bamber, co-founder of local consultancy Alma, was appointed as Preston’s Innovation Ambassador. In this new role, she’s championing the city’s tech and digital scene, connecting businesses and inspiring innovation. Ali Gudgeon catches up with her
The appointment follows the publication of the Nurturing Preston’s Innovation Ecosystem report published by Plexal, commissioned by Preston Partnership and funded through Lancashire County Council.
Acting as a single point of contact, Shirah is engaging with the digital, tech and innovation community across the city to identify opportunities for collaboration, good news stories and further development, elevating Preston’s profile in the process.
Shirah explains: “This is a really exciting project to be working on and one that I feel strongly about as a local resident, business owner and mother of teenage children who are currently considering their career options. Preston has all the ingredients needed for a successful innovation. However, action is needed to draw together into a coherent and well-signposted ecosystem.
“Preston has so much potential. Six months into the project, the reception to the conversation has been positive so far. There is so much scope for collaboration. And there’s a lot of love and pride for the city. Businesses are thriving in the city thanks to its connectivity and great transport links. People love the vibe of Preston. I’m here to advise the council but also to build and share a narrative about what’s happening in the city.”
With more than a decade of strategic communications experience working in senior roles for organisations such as The Foxton Centre, Preston City Council and Network Plus, Shirah has an extensive network of contacts across the city and the wider region and has already started to meet with key stakeholders.
Her problem-solving skills have earned her a reputation for using communications as a solution. Involved in big projects at Preston City Council and Preston Partnership, Shirah was then headhunted and worked as Head of Communications for a construction company for 18 months. Wanting a new challenge, she then joined forces with Ed Walker and Luke Beardsworth, formerly of Reach plc, and set up a new audience development consultancy, Alma at the end of 2023.
Speaking about the appointment at the time, Councillor Valerie Wise, Cabinet Member for Community Wealth Building at Preston City Council said: “We recognise that Preston is on the precipice of opportunity in relation to the cyber, technology and digital sector with the imminent arrival of the National Cyber Force at Salmesbury. The report provides us with useful insight into how we can progress this important agenda and I am pleased that we have been able to respond so quickly by commissioning an Innovation Ambassador to facilitate this process.”
“Preston has a lot to offer,” Shirah enthuses. “With a strong creative sector and a youthful entrepreneurial spirit, the city is poised for growth. The average age of an SME here is 18 years – which demonstrates that we’ve got a viable, long-term ecosystem for business. Having recently been ranked in the top 10 UK entrepreneurial cities, we know we have an impressive range of businesses and organisations working across the city, doing interesting things across digital, tech and cyber.”
Shirah’s extensive experience and established network means she’s been able to hit the ground running in this new role. “I’ve been attending lots of events focused on bringing funders to founders. These events have proved invaluable for meeting people, networking and spreading the word, engaging businesses around the city. I also work closely with managed offices and co-working spaces in the city and key partners including the University of Central Lancashire, the city council and Lancashire County Council — because we have a two-tier system of local government.”
One issue that Shirah hopes to tackle is raising awareness of cybersecurity and how it can affect every business, not just the big corporations. Shirah adds: “More and more frequently we’re seeing that the big companies get hit because someone down the supply chain didn’t have the right security in place. It’s actually SMEs with under 10 employees who are most vulnerable.
“By raising awareness and signposting where to find training and support, we can help people become cyber ready. I’ve also been talking to local colleges to make sure that young people are cyber aware and that with social engineering comes lots of opportunities.”
With high hopes of further progress in 2025, Shirah explains: “We need to speak with one voice when it comes to highlighting the incredible work being done in Preston. By sharing specific examples of successful local businesses, we can build a stronger sense of community and inspire further innovation. It’s about harnessing this collective energy and using it to propel the city to new heights.”
Businesses and organisations who work within technology, cyber and innovation can connect with Shirah on LinkedIn, or contact: innovation@preston.gov.uk
