About Us
A Business-Focused, and Supportive Chamber of Commerce
What does the West Ryde Chamber of Commerce offer?
The West Ryde Chamber of Commerce is one of the longest-serving chambers within the City of Ryde that has been representing and supporting local businesses since 27 May 1992.
The chamber operates as a non-profit organisation with the aim to help businesses in West Ryde and the surrounding suburbs to network, grow and reach their ultimate goals through our organised monthly networking events, both breakfast and after business hours. We welcome visitors and potential new members to our events.
We partner with local community groups like Neighbourhood Watch, Meadowbank West Ryde Progress Association and the City of Ryde to deliver events such as the West Ryde Easter Parade & Fair, Christmas Carols on ANZAC Park and the Business Expo during October.
The West Ryde Chamber gives business owners within the postcode 2114 and the surrounding suburbs, the opportunity to network, build business connections and promote their organisation for growth.
Evening Networking
These sessions also give the opportunity to host the Chamber members every second month (July, September, November, February and April) at a local business from 6:30pm to 8:00pm.
Breakfast Networking
Hosted every second month (August, October, March and May) at a local cafe from 7:30 am to 8:30 am to allow businesses to network with other members
Chamber Participation
Participation at local fairs and events allowing members to promote their business and services at one of our stands
Members Promotion
The Chamber and its members promotion is held at the local shopping area on the second Thursday of the month from 3:00 pm to 8:00 pm.
Executive Committee
Our team of professionals are experienced and ready to help you grow your business. While actively promoting our members, our team also help businesses build valuable relationships by networking and creating opportunities for themselves and their clients.
Jerry Yessaeian
President
Jerry is the hands-on Managing Director and co-founder of DC Encompass. He is passionate about helping clients to harness the power of technology to improve their business performance.
In an IT career spanning more than 20 years, Jerry has worked for many high-profile organisations, including Unisys, Fairfax Media, Hewlett Packard and the NSW Department of Finance, Services & Innovation.
Odette Quine
Vice President
Odette is a motivated, dedicated and highly efficient professional with over 30 years of experience in the Finance Industry in management positions.
“Throughout my career, I have developed exceptional skills in organisation and time management and am confident in managing relationships with internal and external stakeholders. I have a very strong understanding of business processes and am able to contribute to growth and revenue effectively. I have successfully led large numbers of staff through significant internal projects and company changes. I am committed to complying with budgetary and scheduling requirements and contributing to the achievement of business objectives.”
Artin Etmekdjian
Treasurer
With over 30 years in public practice Artin has developed an extensive knowledge bank which allows him to advise the SME market across a diverse spectrum of issues ranging from business setup to business restructuring in-order to ensure that the ultimate benefit to the client is delivered in the areas of tax minimization, asset protection and wealth creation.
As a Chartered Accountant & Certified Xero Advisor Artin is well equipped to provide the full support to ensure smooth record keeping and driving efficiency with the use of modern software technology.
Christopher Galloway
Secretary
I have a background in financial management, I drive operational optimisation, creating scalable, agile businesses that are focused on generating value for the customer, while maximising shareholder and stakeholder outcomes. I am hands-on as a leader, and have been running organisations for over 15 years.
Ruchi Motial-Suri
Events Director
Success Culture was founded by Ruchi Motial-Suri as a result of a long corporate career leading large change initiatives.
Ruchi has over 30 years’ corporate leadership experience with blue chip organisations in Asia, Australia & UK, specialising in turning around under-performing teams.
Her philosophy in her own words:
“I have spent most of my corporate career rescuing projects – Red to Green! This experience made me realize that while the process is important, people are the most valuable asset; and the ability to bring out the best in them is the difference between success and failure.
My career has evolved from leading complex Business Transformation Programs to Leadership Transformations. I now help Leaders transform their work environments, so their teams feel empowered enough to be self-motivated and self-managed – leading to very high-performing environments.”
Olivia Tomka
Marketing Director
Olivia is the founder and marketing strategist behind Olivetree Marketing, a results-driven digital agency based in Sydney. With over 15 years of international experience across Australia, Europe and the USA, she brings a strategic and hands-on approach to helping small and medium-sized businesses grow.
Olivia is passionate about building strong, authentic brands and delivering marketing solutions that are tailored, practical, and effective. She treats her client’s business as if they were her own, combining creativity with data-driven strategy.
Outside of work, Olivia enjoys hitting a CrossFit session and finding inspiration in the everyday. Olivia’s key business traits are discipline, determination, and dedication.
Grant Haywood
Board Member
Over the last 30 years, Grant has been working, breathing, living, and dreaming hospitality. His experience in the hospitality industry for the last 30 years has been in a management role, managing several Clubs and Hotels from Sydney’s CBD, Northern Beaches, to Sydney Western and South Western Suburbs in the position of Operations Manager, Hotel Licensee, Group Operations Manager, and for the last three years as General Manager of Ryde-Parramatta Golf Club (RPGC).
Grant has also held positions of Chair on the Bankstown Liquor Accord for 8 years (2012-2020), and he is currently the Treasurer of the Eastwood & Gladesville Liquor Accord & NSW Justice of the Peace.
Grant is a single father of two boys, 13 and 15 years old, and his youngest son has Autism (ASD3). From all these experiences, this has equipped him with insights into the challenges and opportunities facing families and businesses today and allowed him to understand the local communities’ needs.
In Grant’s spare time, first and foremost, he loves spending time with his two sons and has taken up golf and enjoys his time out and about playing different golf courses in Sydney; however, Ryde-Parramatta Golf Club remains his favourite course (for obvious reasons).