FSB selects Greater Manchester businessman for North West regional chair role

The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) has selected a Greater Manchester businessman to head up grassroots volunteer activity in the North West region.

Simon Edmondson was selected as Regional Chair with FSB and will now go on to assemble a ‘council’ of volunteers to support him and the staff team with the organisation’s aims and objectives.

Simon has been an FSB member for 20 years and has previously served the FSB – the UK’s largest business organisation – as the area leader for Greater Manchester in 2015 for four years. He runs a networking business with his wife, Win, and hails from Trafford.

He said: “We know 2025 is going to be a really challenging year for the UK’s small business community so I am eager to get cracking with the role. First and foremost, I will be expanding FSB’s volunteer network across the NW. This also means ensuring we have new members coming into the organisation who will bring fresh ideas and knowledge to cement our position as the number one small business help us with our lobbying and campaigning organisation across the NW.

“I am thrilled to have been selected for this role and am proud to be once again helping drive FSB regional activity. Having already volunteered for FSB previously in a similar role, it’s a bit like coming home, and it means I am well placed to deliver what the organisation needs now from the regional chair.”

He added: “FSB has been doing amazing work in the NW; around public sector procurement in Greater Manchester, working alongside Lancashire Skills Hub and Enterprising Cumbria to address skills gaps there, as well as chairing both the Liverpool City Region and Cheshire Business Groups. I’m really keen to make sure we progress with existing projects as well as tackling new ones where and when need arises.

“I will be banging the drum for our small business community at all times, and there’s certainly no shortage of issues at the moment to get stuck in to. I want to help and support FSB staff and volunteers with the various causes we champion as an organisation – but it’s all ultimately about creating a better business environment in which our members can grow and prosper!”

FSB is the largest business organisation in the UK, and lobbies for a better business environment for the UK’s five million small businesses and the self-employed. It is a national organisation that operates through a combination of staff volunteers which it draws from its member bases of business owners.