Committees

Birmingham Future and its Leadership Team are supported by 10 committees that have been set up to manage the organisation on behalf of its members. The committees are responsible for delivering Birmingham Future’s core activities and key campaigns. If you are interested in joining a committee, please download the committee interest form here and fax back to 0121 632 2201.

Committees

Business Strategy and Constitution
Birmingham Young Professional of the Year
City Centre
Community Development 
Diversity
Events
Marketing and Communications
Membership
Mentoring
Talent Retention and Development committee

Business Strategy and Constitution

The Business Strategy and Constitution committee focuses on the strategy and constitution of Birmingham Future. Each member of the committee is responsible for liaising with other Birmingham Future committees to assist them in setting their objectives for the forthcoming year and factoring this into the overall rolling three year business plan. The committee then assists the Leadership Team in implementing the business plan and monitoring progress and achievements against it. As part of this role, the Business Strategy and Constitution also undertakes projects such as the annual membership diversity survey.

Committee members:

• Gareth Morgan, Jones Lang LaSalle (Chair)
• Hilary Allen, Davis Langdon (Deputy Chair) 
• Adele Pogmore, Eversheds
• Martyn Lylyk, Royal Bank of Scotland
• Mark Yarnold, Wragge & Co.
• Lucy Wood, Berrymans Lace Mawer
• Rachel Carter, Fullrange Films
• Simon Rusling, Barnett Waddingham LLP

Business Strategy and Constitution committee Terms of Reference

Birmingham Young Professional of the Year

The BYPY committee organises Birmingham Future's flagship event, the BYPY Awards, held in June every year. The awards recognise and publicly acknowledge young professionals in the region who excel both in work and in the broader community. Nominations are sought in six categories: communications, financial, legal, property & construction and recruitment & training and entrepreneurial. Shortlisted candidates are invited to attend a judging day and the winners are announced at the glittering awards ceremony attended by over 500 people. There is also an Inspiring Leader award to recognise those individuals who have inspired and motivated young professionals of the years.

Committee members:

• Bina Ganatra, Lloyds TSB Bank Ltd (Chair)
• Darren Walker, Cobbetts
• Anna Cartledge, Pinsent Masons
• Rebecca Mawdsley, eNL
• Claudia Santillo, Santillo Consulting
• Sonya Bell
• Rob Laugharne, Shoosmiths
• Martina Fajksova, Hyatt Regency Birmingham
• Hannah Johnson, Willoughby PR
• Ollie Purdom, Pitch Consultants
• Isabel Drabble, Deloitte

City Centre

The City Centre committee works to promote the city centre to the members of Birmingham Future. It focuses on matters that impact on young professionals in the city such as city centre living, transport, work life balance and the environment and stages regular events with high profile speakers on these subjects. Members are encouraged to contact the committee on any area of the city they feel passionately about and they will try to lobby for or highlight the matter accordingly.

Committee members:

• Charlotte Crossley, Core Marketing (Chair) 
• Ellie Horwitch-Smith, Faithful+Gould (Deputy Chair)
• Damien Byrne, MCD Developments Ltd.
• James Hall, Associated Architects
• Helen Emmerson, Wragge & Co 
• Simon Wales, Town Hall
• Alex Burrows, Centro
• Kelvin Craddock, Jones Lang LaSalle

Community Development

The Community Development Committee (CDC) co-ordinates initiatives within Birmingham Future to benefit the wider Birmingham Community. CDC raises funds and administers the Birmingham Future Foundation, which provides grants for education, employment and training initiatives in the Birmingham area. CDC also works closely with an number of other organisations to strategically signpost volunteering opportunities with charitable and community organisations. They also work in partnership with BVSC and Thrive on the 'Get Rich, Work for Nothing' initiative, which places young professionals as Trustees/Directors of local third sector organisations. 

Committee members:

• Claire-Elaine Arthurs, HBJ Gateley Wareing LLP (Chair)
• Aimee Postle, Kinetic Communications (Deputy Chair)
• Paul Fielding, Brewin Dolphin
• Suzie Branch, BHMG Marketing 
• Chloe Edwards, Bevan Brittan
• Charlotte Torlo, THSH
• Ian Shaw, Turner & Townsend

Community Development committee Terms of Reference

Diversity

The Diversity committee aims to raise awareness of diversity and equality issues facing the professional, financial and business services sector in Birmingham. The committee aims to hold events and training to facilitate our members, who are the leaders of tomorrow, to use their understanding of diversity and equality to influence change for the benefit of individual businesses, the sector and the city as a whole. The Diversity committee also wants to enable Birmingham Future members to be able to utilise and to value the differences and opportunities that a diverse and equal workforce bring to individual businesses and the sector. Recognising that today's children are tomorrow's future, the committee is working in partnership with local secondary schools with a view to raising aspirations and encouraging more of the city's youngsters to consider a career in our sector in Birmingham.

Committee members:

• Donna Codrington, DLA Piper (Chair)  
• Raj Basi, Bevan Brittan 
• Elaine Huttley, HBJ Gateley Wareing LLP 
• Andrew Ricketts, WSP Environmental Limited 
• Shahid Khan, Mills & Reeve 
• Rebecca Short, Birmingham City Council 
• Esther McDermott, HBJ Gateley Wareing LLP

Diversity committee Terms of Reference

Events

The Events committee is responsible for organising Meet & Mix lunches (traditionally held every other month) and Personal Skills Development workshops as part of Birmingham Future's continuous personal development programme. It also organises ad hoc events such as speed networking and keynote lunches. In addition, the committee organises social events including the Christmas Party held in December.

Committee members:

• Kelly Grant, Bevan Brittan LLP (Chair)
• Rebecca Warren, HBJ Gateley Wareing LLP (Deputy Chair)
• Rebecca Leask, Harrison Clark 
• Seema Ahmedabadi, Grant Thornton UK LLP
• Ateeq Ahmed, Harvey Ingram
• Kirsty Mack, University of Birmingham (Chair of Debates sub-committee)
• Chris Brown, Big Cat
• Louise Whitehouse, Mills & Reeve
• Richard Hopkins-Burton, Deloitte
• Claire Hawkins, Birmingham Forward

Events committee Terms of Reference

Marketing and Communications

The Marketing and Communications Committee plays a key role in helping to raise the profile of Birmingham Future through strategic marketing and public relations initiatives, ensuring the organisation’s identity is maintained and its brand recognised within the city. In addition, the committee is also responsible for maintaining and improving the lines of communication between the organisation and its members, be this through the updating of information on the website or monthly e-bulletins. The committee also co-ordinates a regular Birmingham Future column in the Evening Mail.

Committee members:

• Eve Smith, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (Chair)
• Tara Tomes, Rewired PR (Deputy Chair)
• Rob Bloxham, ORB Creative
• Jane Gaunt, Cobbetts LLP
• Kirsty Hooper, Hettle Andrews & Associates Limited 
• Kate Gregson, Brindleyplace General Partners Ltd
• Becky Lamb, Smooth Radio
• Claire Ridgway, Empty Creative Ltd
• Claire Hawkins, Birmingham Forward

Marketing and Communications committee Terms of Reference

Membership

The Membership committee's focus is to increase the number of members within the organisation, from a more diverse cross-section of businesses. It is directly responsible for organising quarterly New Members' lunches and welcoming on board those who have recently joined the organisation. The committee also looks for opportunities to encourage young professionals to join Birmingham Future through a range of initiatives including a series of presentations.

Committee members:

• Gareth Poole, Turner & Townsend (Chair)
• Tina Robinson, Bevan Brittan (Deputy Chair) 
• Jason Norris, Deloitte
• Geoff Guerin, BHSF 
• Chloe Ingram, University of Birmingham 
• Kirsty Cartwright, Brewin Dolphin Ltd
• Michael Ellender, Birmingham Forward

Membership committee Terms of Reference

Mentoring

The Mentoring Scheme launched in 2002 and helps match mentors and mentees from Birmingham's professional community into mutually beneficial relationships. The Committee works closely with Birmingham City University on a downward mentoring scheme with the university's undergraduates. Mentoring is all about personal and professional development, about focusing on real learning needs and about reaching potential. Please click here for more details. The scheme has been awarded Life Long Learning status and we're now working towards accreditation by the Mentoring and Befriending Foundation. If you wish to apply to be, or to have a mentor, fill in the mentoring questionnaire and return to Richard Hadley at rhadley@deloitte.co.uk The committee takes matching very seriously to ensure that participants are paired with the most appropriate person. This means there may be a short gap between submitting your application and being notified of your pairing.

Committee members:

• James Richards, Mills & Reeve (Chair)
• Mark Kingston, Catalyst Corporate Finance (Deputy Chair)
• Andrew Bass, Bass Clusker Consulting
• Kate Onions, HBJ Gateley Wareing
• Richard Hadley, Deloitte 
• Matthew Broomhead, CU4 Coaching
• Melissa Leong, CW Corporate Communications

Mentoring committee Terms of Reference

Mentoring e-Bulletin - Autumn 2009

Talent Retention and Development committee

The mission statement for Birmingham Future’s Talent Retention and Development Committee is ‘to retain and develop young professionals in Birmingham and ensure they are offered unrivaled opportunity to stay in Birmingham throughout their career – from graduate to young professional to business leader’. The committee is made up of Birmingham Future members and representatives from key Regional Agencies and stakeholders, and its flagship schemes are an annual civic ‘Welcome to Birmingham’ event for around 200 new graduates, and ‘The Graduate Apprentice’, amongst other ventures.

The Graduate Apprentice scheme takes one select graduate and gives them a unique opportunity, over the course of one year, to experience three diverse work placements in the professional and business services sector in Birmingham. The scheme, first established in 2006, recruits a recent graduate who is unsure of their career path after leaving university but who is seeking a genuine challenge. The successful candidate each year benefits from three salaried placements and invaluable experience of the business community within Birmingham. For more information, click here.

Committee members:

• Jason Norris, Deloitte (Chair)
• Ben Evans, FleetMilne Limited (Deputy Chair)
• Carolyn Pugh, Arts + Business West Midlands
• Verity Stokes, Katie Bard
• Emily Williams, Graduate Apprentice 2009/10
• Martin Noble, Shakespeare Putsman

Associate members:

• Emma Gray, Marketing Birmingham
• Mike Loftus, Locate in Birmingham
• Marcus Andrews, Birmingham City University 
• Nicola Turner, Graduate Advantage
• Serena Johal, Graduate Advantage
• Lucy Cheatham, Grad Central
• Beverley McGillycuddy, National Skills Academy

Talent Retention and Development committee