11 Influential Chamber Leaders in Sydney to Know
Last updated: August 2026.
Sydney's chambers of commerce are built on a simple idea: local businesses are stronger when they have somewhere to connect, speak up and learn from one another. That work looks different in a city as spread out and varied as Sydney. A precinct chamber may focus on the daily needs of traders. A citywide or industry chamber may carry a larger advocacy brief. Both kinds of work depend on people who can turn a loose network into something useful. This list introduces 11 influential chamber leaders in Sydney to know as of August 2026. It is a discovery list, not a scorecard. The people below are included because a current public source connects them to a chamber role, a clear Sydney business community and a distinctive piece of work or experience that gives readers a reason to look closer.
Why chamber leadership matters in Sydney.
Chambers sit close to the real conditions of business. They hear what owners are dealing with, create places for people to meet, and give local concerns a path into conversations with councils, government agencies and larger institutions. The best chamber leaders do more than host events. They build trust across businesses that may otherwise compete, notice the common issue underneath individual complaints, and create a practical next step. That might be an advocacy submission, a useful introduction, a local event or a conversation that helps a business owner keep going. Sydney also rewards people who can work across boundaries. The list includes local presidents, executive officers, CEOs and an industry chamber leader. Together, they show how chamber influence can come from consistent operations, community service, practical business experience, public advocacy and the ability to connect different parts of the city.
The Sydney chamber leaders to know.
1. Adrienne McLean
President, Ku-ring-gai Chamber of Commerce.
Adrienne McLean is President of the Ku-ring-gai Chamber of Commerce, a local business community serving Sydney's north shore. The chamber gives small businesses a place to connect, learn and speak up about the conditions that shape local trade. What makes McLean worth following is the practical bridge between business connection and local problem solving. The chamber's recent work with EnergyZE North Shore on a 2026 energy summit shows how a local chamber can turn a shared concern into a useful conversation for business owners. LinkedIn profile Role or organisation source
2. Deb Barwick
Chief Executive Officer and Founder, NSW Indigenous Chamber of Commerce.
Deb Barwick is Chief Executive Officer and Founder of the NSW Indigenous Chamber of Commerce. The chamber's work spans member engagement, strategic partnerships, business development and practical support for Indigenous businesses across New South Wales. Barwick brings a clear community and enterprise lens to the chamber conversation. The public record also connects the work with national Indigenous business representation, including the election as Deputy Chair of the National Indigenous Business Chambers Alliance, which gives Sydney readers a wider view of how chamber leadership can open doors for business and community. LinkedIn profile Role or organisation source
3. Emmanuel Constantinou
President, Bondi and Districts Chamber of Commerce.
Emmanuel Constantinou is President of the Bondi and Districts Chamber of Commerce. The chamber board places the organisation close to the everyday work of local businesses, from visibility and connection to the shared issues that affect the Bondi district. Constantinou is a useful person to know because the role sits alongside direct experience running a local business. Leading Kwik Kopy Bondi Junction gives the chamber presidency a grounded view of what owners need from a business community, especially when practical support matters more than broad promises. LinkedIn profile Role or organisation source
4. Jam Xia
President, 2026/27 board, Chatswood Chamber of Commerce.
Jam Xia is President of the Chatswood Chamber of Commerce for the 2026/27 board year. The chamber's current board announcement places the role inside one of Sydney's strongest business precincts, where local commerce, property, transport and community life meet. Xia's background in commercial banking brings a useful perspective to that work. It connects the chamber's local business role with a wider understanding of how businesses make decisions, build relationships and navigate growth in a busy commercial centre. LinkedIn profile Role or organisation source
5. Paul Nicolaou
Executive Director, Business Sydney.
Paul Nicolaou is Executive Director of Business Sydney, formerly the Sydney Business Chamber. The organisation represents business interests across the city and provides a citywide view of the conditions that help Sydney businesses work, grow and contribute. Nicolaou's wider community work is part of what makes the role distinctive. Public biographies connect the work with Foodbank NSW and ACT, the Estia Foundation, university teaching and earlier leadership in hospitality and marketing, showing how chamber influence can travel across business and community life. LinkedIn profile Role or organisation source
6. Peter May
Executive Officer, CBD Sydney Chamber of Commerce.
Peter May is Executive Officer of the CBD Sydney Chamber of Commerce. The chamber connects small and medium businesses in the CBD and surrounding areas, while representing local business needs through relationships with the City of Sydney and the NSW Small Business Commissioner. May's long-running operational role makes Peter May useful to follow. As the chamber's founding Executive Officer, the work covers development, membership strategy, member relations and financial management, the practical foundations that let a local business network stay useful over time. LinkedIn profile Role or organisation source
7. Shefali Pall
President, Campbelltown Chamber of Commerce.
Shefali Pall is President of the Campbelltown Chamber of Commerce. The chamber describes its role as connecting local businesses and advocating for Campbelltown through relationships with Business NSW and local, state and federal representatives. Pall brings the lived experience of a local founder to that work. As founder of Alkalizer Wellness Eatery, the presidency is connected to the everyday realities of running a customer-facing business, building a local reputation and contributing to the wider Campbelltown economy. LinkedIn profile Role or organisation source
8. Tamara Keniry
President, Mosman Chamber of Commerce.
Tamara Keniry is President of the Mosman Chamber of Commerce. The committee brings together people who support business activity in Mosman, and the chamber provides a local setting for connection, promotion and practical advocacy. Keniry's work spans business, community and sustainability. Founding PureFree, a reusable glass bottle and cup business, and working in community engagement at Bendigo Community Bank Mosman gives the presidency a broad view of how local business can create value beyond a single transaction. LinkedIn profile Role or organisation source
9. Tony Abboud
President, Macquarie Park Ryde Business Chamber.
Tony Abboud is President of the Macquarie Park Ryde Business Chamber. The chamber supports businesses through networking, professional development, promotion and advocacy, with close connections to government and the wider community. Abboud's background in property and professional services adds a useful commercial angle to the role. The chamber sits in a precinct shaped by technology, education, property and transport, so the presidency is a practical place to watch how a business community works across sectors rather than inside one industry alone. LinkedIn profile Role or organisation source
10. Trevor Oldfield AM KSJ JP
President, Greater Blacktown Business Chamber.
Trevor Oldfield AM KSJ JP is President of the Greater Blacktown Business Chamber. The chamber's team page places the organisation close to the businesses and community networks of western Sydney, where local enterprise and social impact are tightly connected. Oldfield's community leadership gives the role unusual breadth. Alongside the chamber presidency, Oldfield is CEO of Kids West Children's Charity and has a long record of community service, so the work offers a useful example of business leadership that keeps the wider community in view. LinkedIn profile Role or organisation source
11. Wally Mehanna
Chief Executive Officer and Board Member, Canterbury Bankstown Chamber of Commerce.
Wally Mehanna is Chief Executive Officer and a Board Member of the Canterbury Bankstown Chamber of Commerce. The chamber represents a large and diverse business community in south-west Sydney and uses events, advocacy and business relationships to keep local enterprise visible. Mehanna is worth following for the way the role combines chamber operations with public advocacy. Recent chamber material connects the work with Western Sydney growth and the need for Bankstown businesses to receive focused attention, giving readers a clear view of how a chamber can turn local business concerns into a wider policy conversation. LinkedIn profile Role or organisation source
What these chamber leaders have in common.
The first pattern is proximity. Each person is close to a particular business community, whether that is a suburb, a precinct, a citywide network or an industry group with a Sydney base. That proximity matters because business support becomes more useful when it is shaped by the actual place and people involved. The second pattern is translation. Chamber leaders turn between different kinds of language: the language of a small business owner, the language of a council or government department, and the language of a wider community. That translation is often invisible when it works well, but it is a large part of the value a chamber can offer. The third pattern is service beyond the title. The people here are connected with food relief, community engagement, Indigenous business representation, local advocacy, property, hospitality, banking, professional services, sustainability and charity work. Those wider experiences help chamber leaders see how business activity affects the people and places around it. The fourth pattern is patience. Local business communities are not built through one event or one announcement. They grow through repeated introductions, clear follow-through, useful information and leaders who keep showing up. That consistency is one reason the role of a chamber president or executive officer can matter so much over time.
How to use this list.
If you run a business in Sydney, start with the leader whose chamber is closest to your location or industry. Read the linked role source first, then look at the person's public profile to understand the work in context. A good next step may be joining a local chamber, attending an event or simply learning which business issues are already being discussed in your area. If you lead a team, this list is also a useful reminder that local business networks are part of organisational health. Stronger relationships outside the office can improve access to ideas, suppliers, partnerships, talent and practical support. The goal is not to collect memberships. It is to build the relationships that make work easier and more connected. For a related look at how leaders can build stronger teams, read 50 Proven Strategies: Working Genius for Leaders, 100 Proven Tips for Working Genius in the Workplace, and 25 Ways to Lead When Your Team Has the Same Working Geniuses.
Frequently asked questions.
What does a chamber of commerce do?
A chamber connects businesses in a place or industry, supports relationships, shares useful information and advocates on issues that affect members. The exact mix depends on the chamber and the community it serves.
How do I find the right chamber in Sydney?
Start with location. Look for the chamber that covers your suburb, precinct or local government area. If your work is industry-specific, also check whether an industry chamber offers a stronger fit. Read its current role, member and event pages before joining.
Are the people on this list in order?
No. The list is a discovery guide, not a scorecard. People are included because current public sources connect them to a chamber role and give readers a clear reason to learn more.
How can a business leader support a local chamber?
Join when the fit is clear, attend useful events, share what your business is seeing and follow through on introductions. Chambers become stronger when members contribute practical knowledge, not only when they ask for help.
A practical next step.
Pick one leader or chamber from this list that is close to your work. Read the current source, follow the public conversation and decide whether one introduction or local event would help your business this month. I help leaders build organisations people would move cities to work at. My work is practical rather than motivational: something you can use on Monday morning, not a feeling that fades by Friday. If you want help with leadership, team culture or Working Genius, email jonno@consultclarity.org.