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The official podcast of the Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce, getting to the heart of key topics affecting West Midlands businesses.
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CEO Stories is a podcast series that delves into the stories behind some of the Greater Birmingham region's leading or up-and-coming CEOs. The series is hosted by Henrietta Brealey, who in 2021 became the youngest CEO in the Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce's 208-year history. Listen to find out what makes some of the region's finest leaders tick, who inspired them and what advice they would offer to aspiring CEOs. Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce is the West Midlands' leading ...
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As CEO of infrastructure services and construction giant Kier Group, Andrew Davies is at the helm of a company that impacts the lives of millions of people. Many of those are in Birmingham where Kier is responsible for operating all roads and has built a number of landmark buildings. In his conversation with Henrietta Brealey, he discusses the impo…
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Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce head of policy Emily Stubbs is joined by Suzie Branch Haddow, vice principal of external development at BMet College and Chair of Skills West Midlands and Warwickshire, Paul Cook, CEO of Hereward College, and Tracy Bishop, regional manager at Whitbread, for an in-depth conversation on supported internships as…
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As chief executive of King Edward VI Foundation in Birmingham, Jodh Dhesi is on a mission to make Birmingham the best place to be educated in the UK. In this episode of CEO Stories, he admits to Henrietta Brealey: "It was a bit daunting when I applied for the job, but the Chair of Governors explained it well, saying that somewhere has to be, so why…
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In this episode of CEO Stories, Henrietta Brealey speaks with Professor Aleks Subic, vice chancellor and chief executive of Aston University. Professor Subic shares his journey from his early life as a migrant in Australia, through his career transition from industry to academia, to leading significant technological innovations. Highlights include …
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QUICKFIRE QUESTIONS | Battle of the bands, Curry World and Carrie Bradshaw the brand ambassador
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As CEO Stories takes a short summer break, we bring you a bonus episode in which our Series Three guests answer some quickfire questions. Listen to find out: Who would hire Sex and the City's Carrie Bradshaw as their brand ambassador? Who has the most unusual item on their office desk? Who would call Albert Einstein as their 'Who Wants To Be A Mill…
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Wade Lyn gave supermarket bosses food for thought by introducing them to the Jamaican patty. The Jamaican-born entrepreneur owns Hockley-based Cleone Foods which produces Island Delight, the UK’s biggest selling Jamaican patty which is stocked on most major supermarkets. In this episode, he talks to Henrietta about his role in spicing up the UK foo…
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Jas Rohel | Driving change and recognition in education
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Jas Rohel openly admits her younger self would have dismissed the idea of a career in education. Fast-forward to the present day, however, and the entrepreneur and radio presenter is banging the drum for the sector in her dual role as Education Awards founder and co-CEO of charitable organisation the Titan Partnership. In this episode, Jas talks to…
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Abbie Vlahakis was seeking a career change when Millennium Point “found her”. In this episode, South Wales-born Abbie talks to Henriettaabout how her passion for learning developed into a career in finance, before ultimately leading to her current role as CEO at one of Birmingham’s most recognisablevenues. We learn why Millennium Point’s dual purpo…
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Mahirs Experience chief executive Harvir Sahota reveals his recipe for success – including how he scaled up his family’s Indian sweet shop business into an award-winning catering and events company that has been used by a string of illustrious names. Harvir and Henrietta discuss the firm’s evolution over the years and how his leadership has been sh…
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Since overcoming cancer as a child, Sam Fletcher-Goodwin and her family have dreamed of creating the UK’s inaugural holiday village for critically ill children. Now, with support from a top team spearheaded by former Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce chief executive Paul Faulkner, plans are gathering pace to build the Kids’ Village in the pic…
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Zoe Bennett’s life changed forever when her father Errol was brutally murdered in 2011. After a long battle to achieve justice, she channelled her experiences into forging a successful career as an entrepreneur, motivational speaker, author and founder of the Multicultural Business and Community Champion (MBCC) Awards. In this episode of CEO Storie…
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Season three of CEO Stories begins with Henrietta Brealey talking to a chief executive who has one of the toughest jobs in local government. Birmingham born and bred, Deborah Cadman has enjoyed a distinguished career in local government – including stints leading the West Midlands Combined Authority, Suffolk County Council and St Edmudsbury Borough…
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When Nasir Awan came to England in the 1960s, he could speak virtually no English. Today, Nasir is one of the West Midlands’ most successful business figures – and, on 17 November, 2023, he will become president of Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce. In the final episode of CEO Stories season two, the boss of international wholesale firm Awan …
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Chamber CEO Henrietta Brealey and Professor Anne Green from City-REDI at the University of Birmingham take a deep-dive into the Birmingham economy ahead of the launch of the 2023 Birmingham Economic Review. They discuss a host of topics which are covered in the report - from the impact of rising inflation and cost of living on businesses and consum…
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Eman Al-Hillawi is passionate about driving change. The Entec-Si CEO has experienced several transformational moments of her own – including moving to the UK from Iraq as a teenager, switching careers from science to technology and meeting her business partner Peter Marsden, with whom she created the Birmingham-based consultancy. In this episode of…
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Jason Wouhra has a saying about family businesses – “it’s like being in the mafia – once you’re in, you can’t get out!” Jason is the chief executive of Lioncroft Wholesale Ltd, a ‘carve-out’ of the renowned East Ends Foods brand which was started by his father and uncles in the 1960s. In this episode, he tells Henrietta about building on his family…
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Whether it's “getting a telling-off” from the Ministry of Defence or making history in football’s oldest cup competition, Charlie Blakemore is no stranger to huge challenges. The Intercity Technology managing director’s successes in business and sport have been driven by an ability to bring the best out of his people. He talks Henrietta Brealey thr…
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Birmingham Museums Trust co-CEO Sara Wajid’s “twin obsessions” of storytelling and equality set her on a path to becoming a respected cultural leader. The former arts and culture journalist was by her own admission a reluctant CEO with aspirations to “get something done in society”. She tells Henrietta Brealey how a secondment to Birmingham Museums…
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“There’s a reason I work in the arts – because it’s exciting!” Caroline Miller’s passion for her profession is loud and clear as she talks Henrietta Brealey through the fascinating and varied career path that led to her becoming chief executive of Birmingham Royal Ballet. It is a career that has taken her from the box office to the boardroom – driv…
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The third episode of our 2023 Growth Through People mini-series focuses on attracting and engaging talent - and how employers can work closer with education providers to meet skills needs. The Chamber's policy and projects manager Emily Stubbs is joined by Anshu Williams, South and City College Birmingham's assistant director - Employer Engagement …
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Raphael Sofoluke | Channelling frustration and inspiration to start the UK Black Business Show
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Entrepreneur and author Raphael Sofoluke founded the UK Black Business Show from a place of "frustration and inspiration". The show has doubled in size since 2017 and has expanded into other parts of the UK - with the Birmingham edition returning to the NEC on Saturday 17 June, 2023. In this episode of CEO Stories, Raphael talks to Henrietta Breale…
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The second episode of our 2023 Growth Through People mini-series focuses on business support, economic growth and addressing the skills and employing gap facing the West Midlands. The Chamber's policy and projects manager Emily Stubbs is joined by the West Midlands Combined Authority's head of economic development and delivery Paul Edwards and dire…
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Mario Mazzochi was all set to return to his native Italy when he spotted a newspaper advert that changed the course of his career. The appeal of a top job with financial services giant Visa was too good to turn down for the Turin-born business leader, who would end up extending his stay in the UK. That decision would eventually lead Mario to his cu…
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In the first episode of our 2023 Growth Through People mini-series, we find out how one of the UK's biggest transport operators approaches diversity and inclusivity. The Chamber's policy and projects manager Emily Stubbs talks to Tinne Ledwitch-Madsen, National Express' UK head of employee engagement about the bus operator's approach to creating a …
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Ian Reid | Life before, during and after Birmingham 2022
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Ian Reid is the man who oversaw delivery of Birmingham’s golden summer. The chief executive of the 2022 Commonwealth Games joins Henrietta Brealey to provide his perspective on leading an organisation which mushroomed from a start-up into a workforce of thousands in a short space of time - before dissolving in the aftermath of the sporting extravag…
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Entrepreneur Oli Hills pivoted his business to embrace a social media revolution that has turned the world of content creation on its head. The CEO of social media publisher Updates Media - parent company of thriving social media news source Birmingham Updates – identified an opportunity to help businesses capitalise on the seemingly limitless pote…
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SF Recruitment chief executive Saira Demmer kicks off Season Two of CEO Stories by talking Henrietta through the forensic detail that has gone into building her firm’s award-winning culture. The specialist recruitment business has earned a string of accolades for its workplace practices – including a place in the Sunday Times 100 Best Small Compani…
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This bonus episode of CEO Stories focuses on business leaders who have been thrust into centre stage - sometimes in unusual circumstances. In a recap of Season One, Henrietta looks at instances when some of her guests have found themselves in the limelight. We hear from a CEO turned stand-up comedian, a chef who earned his shot at TV fame and a pro…
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In the first of two bonus episodes of CEO Stories, Henrietta Brealey explores who or what inspired some of the Greater Birmingham's business leaders. We hear from four high-profile Season One guests who tell us why they were influenced by life-changing experiences and key figures from the worlds of sport, media and the military. Listen to this epis…
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In the final episode of Season One, NEC Group chief executive Paul Thandi discusses his distinguished career in the leisure and entertainment industry. Thandi tells Henrietta Brealey that joining the organisation – initially as commercial director – was like “lifting the lid on 1,000 flowers and letting them bloom”. We hear about his role in transf…
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Liam Dillon is an acclaimed chef whose adventurous culinary career has led him to roles at top restaurants in London, Sydney and Copenhagen. But none of those experiences compare to running his own business – The Boat Inn in his home city of Lichfield. The Boat has been transformed under Liam’s ownership, achieving three rosettes and Michelin-recom…
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Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce's policy and projects manager Emily Stubbs is joined by members of the Birmingham Education Partnership to discuss the role the business community can play in ensuring students are prepared for the fast-changing world of work. The GBCC is working with Birmingham Education Partnership to identify individuals i…
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Professional services firms are not traditionally known for being at the forefront of innovation – but Claire Clarke is helping to change that perception. Claire is the managing partner at Mills & Reeve – a company that has featured in the UK 100 Best Companies to Work For list 18 years in a row. In this episode, she talks about her career to date,…
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Rachel Roberts is passionate about her business being the “best in breed”. In this episode, she tells Henrietta Brealey about transitioning from a career in the army to become a successful PR practitioner – which led her to founding the multi award-winning agency spottydog communications. A firm believer in demonstrating the value of strong public …
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A 35-year career in the army unsurprisingly had a profound impact on Colonel Richard Maybery’s leadership style. “The Armed Forces is a people business,” he says. “You learn very early on that you have to trust and get on with your people.” After nearly four decades in the Forces, Colonel Maybery took on a leadership role of a different kind, becom…
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This episode of the Chamber Podcast unpacks the findings of the the Solihull Economic Snapshot 2022. The flagship report, sponsored by Prime Accountants, is produced by Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce to showcase the economic environment, opportunities and challenges ahead for the dynamic borough of Solihull and its local business community…
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In a short space of time, writer, theatre director and entrepreneur CJ Lloyd Webley has developed a flair for business to match his creative talents. CJ earns his keep as a theatre director, working at Birmingham's Rep theatre. But, after been moved by the protests and marches that followed the murder of George Floyd in 2020, he decided to launch a…
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This special edition of the Chamber Podcast unpacks some of the key themes from Avison Young’s 2022 Forecast. The Forecast looks at how global events, trends and indicators are impacting on commercial real estate across different sectors. Avison Young’s principal and head of Birmingham office Carl Potter and UK head of insight Daryl Perry discuss k…
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When a teenage Doug Wright decided to seek his first opportunity in the world of work, he was by his own admission “pretty much unemployable”. However, when he did gain his first job – as a 93p-an-hour cleaner at his local McDonald’s – it turned out to be the first step on a remarkable journey with the global fast-food corporation. Fast-forward fou…
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The final episode of our Growth Through People mini-series focuses on behavioural preferences in managing stress. The Chamber's policy and projects manager Emily Stubbs talks to Jonathan Evans, CEO of Discovery, about the importance of understanding and recognising behavioural preferences. They explore the importance of recognising behavioural pref…
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Business leaders and managers are often required to lead beyond their circle of authority. But what are the skills required to do this – and how can they impact on an organisation? Louise Teboul, UK partnerships director for Common Purpose, explores this topic with the Chamber’s policy and campaigns manager Emily Stubbs as part of the Growth Throug…
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How can organisations work with further education providers to meet their skills needs? Rebecca Waterfield, head of employer engagement at South and City College Birmingham, joins the Chamber's Emily Stubbs to discuss attracting and engaging future workforces. In this episode, as part of the Chamber's 2022 Growth Through People campaign, Rebecca di…
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When Deborah Hazell decided to seek a new challenge, after more than three decades working in financial services in the United States, her criteria was simple. “I wanted to do something more meaningful,” she tells CEO Stories host and Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce chief executive Henrietta Brealey. Deborah’s determination to make a positi…
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Rebecca Mander was the managing director of a successful electronics company when she suffered one of the worst personal setbacks imaginable. Her world was turned upside down when she suffered the loss of her son, Charlie. In the same year, her mother, who was the company CEO, also passed away. But learning to deal with these traumatic experiences …
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Beverly Lindsay is a self-confessed “accidental businesswoman” who has faced more than her fair share of adversity. Since arriving in Birmingham from Jamaica as a teenager, she has encountered personal struggles, family tragedy and significant threats to her business. But the Diamond Travel founder has shown resilience in abundance to overcome thos…
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When Deb Leary was reluctantly dragged along to a policing conference by her husband, she had a lightbulb moment that led to her setting up pioneering forensics firm Forensic Pathways. Deb, who became president of Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce in 2021, tells Henrietta how being “naturally nosey and curious” has been integral to her entrep…
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Simon Caulton’s life changed forever when his seven-month old daughter Mia was diagnosed with infantile Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia in 2017. The story behind his leisure trainers brand Ones is one of strength, courage and learning how to take things ‘one step at a time’. Simon opens up to Henrietta about how the trauma of Mia’s life-threatening i…
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From market trading to hairdressing and working as a private detective, Sheila Brown has had an extremely varied career. But, as a parent with two disabled sons, she took her most important career step in 1991 by co-founding Newlife, The Charity for Disabled Children (previously the Birth Defects Foundation) after deciding “something had to change”…
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CEO Stories is a podcast series that delves into the stories behind some of the Greater Birmingham region's leading or up-and-coming CEOs. The series is hosted by Henrietta Brealey, who in 2021 became the youngest CEO in the Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce's 208-year history. Listen to find out what makes some of the region's finest leaders…
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continue reading
Adam Liddle from Jacobs joins us to discuss how the technical professional services firm implemented its climate strategy. Adam, the director of Sustainable Growth and Innovation at Jacobs, discusses the steps businesses can take to plan and implement a climate strategy. This podcast is part of the Sustainable Business Series: Net Zero campaign, a …
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