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
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:
- Lucy Wood, Berrymans Lace Mawer LLP (Chair)
- Adele Pogmore, Eversheds LLP (Co-Deputy Chair)
- Jon Miller, JLT
- Steven Pitt, Birmingham City Council
- Paul Emery, Coutts
- Dominic Geghegan, Turner & Townsend
- James Modley, Blakemores
- Phil Dean, PWC
- Adam Rowlands, Orbis
- Nick Grove, PWC
- Carl Beet, Centro
- Amy Brann, Synaptic
- 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:
- Rebecca Mawdsley, eNL (Chair)
- Ian Cooke, ACCA (Deputy Chair)
- Claudia Santillo, Santillo Consulting
- Claire Burrows, Cobbetts
- Elizabeth Laidler, Encore Communications
- Sam Dowling, Rewired PR
- James Knott, Catalyst Corporate Finance
- Mike Colledge, Big Cat Group
- Sookie Shuen, Tomorrow People
The City Centre committee works to promote the city centre to 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).
- James Hall, Associated Architects
- Helen Emmerson, Wragge & Co
- Simon Wales, Town Hall
- Alex Burrows, Centro
- Kelvin Craddock, Jones Lang LaSalle
- Kirstin Henly, Colmore Business District
- Dale Webb, Birmingham City Council
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:
- Ian Burrows, Brewin Dolphin (Chair)
- Chloe Edwards, Capsticks LLP (Deputy Chair)
- Claire-Elaine Arthurs, Wright Hassall
- Tom Braithwaite, Rewired PR
- Tim Wilson, InSmart Company
- Paul Fielding, Brewin Dolphin
- Suzie Branch, BHMG Marketing
- Charlotte Torlo, THSH
Community Development 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:
- Chris Brown, Big Cat Group (Chair)
- Louise Whitehouse, Mills & Reeve (Deputy Chair)
- Kelly Grant, Shoosmiths
- Rebecca Warren, Gateley LLP
- Rebecca Leask, Harrison Clark
- Richard Hopkins-Burton, Deloitte
- Claire Hawkins, University of Birmingham
Events committee Terms of Reference
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 weekly e-bulletin, Future Weekly.
Committee members:
- Tara Tomes, Rewired PR (Chair)
- Dawn Beddard, College of Law
- Kirsty Hooper, Hettle Andrews & Associates Limited
- Natalie Hartland, Big Cat Group
- Chris Pyatt, Class Creative
- Helena Randall, Lambert Smith Hampton
- Mike Thompson, Rider Levett Bucknall
Marketing and Communications committee Terms of Reference
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:
- Tina Robinson, Bevan Brittan (Chair)
- Sam Price, Robert Walters (Deputy Chair)
- Jason Norris, Deloitte
- Michelle York, Innovit
- James McKail, Turner & Townsend
- Simon Parkes, Mills
- Joshua Turbill, Big Cat Group
Membership committee Terms of Reference
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. 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 it to mentoring@birminghamforward.co.uk and mark the email 'Mentoring Application'. 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)
- Kate Onions, Gateley LLP (Deputy Chair)
- Andrew Bass, Bass Clusker Consulting
- Simon Doherty, Quilter
- Matthew Broomhead, CU4 Coaching
- Sharon Fawrrow, Birmingham City University
- Simon Partington, Haslimann Taylor PR
- Laura Kealey, Mills & Reeve
- Rachel Hearn, Glenn Howells Architects
- Sally Anderson, Willoughby PR
Mentoring committee Terms of Reference
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
| Attachment | Size |
|---|---|
| TRAD_Committee_TofR_Nov09.pdf | 66.01 KB |
| Membership_Committee_TofR_Nov09..pdf | 78.72 KB |
| Mentoring_ebulletin_Autumn09.PDF | 452.6 KB |
| Strategy_Committee_TofR_Feb10..pdf | 100.41 KB |
| Events_Committee_TofR_Mar10.pdf | 78.37 KB |
| Marketing_Committee_TofR_Mar10..pdf | 137.53 KB |
| CommunityDevelopmentCommittee_TofR_Mar10..pdf | 83.42 KB |
| Committee Interest Form 2011.pdf | 49.18 KB |
| Birmingham Future - Mentoring Questionnaire.pdf | 65.8 KB |
| Mentoring Committee - Terms of Reference.pdf | 70.77 KB |
