Meet the committee
James Richards, Mills & Reeve (Chair)
James is a solicitor in the construction team at Mills & Reeve. His role involves drafting and negotiating all forms of building contracts, consultants’ appointments, collateral warranties, performance bonds and parent company guarantees for a wide variety of clients.
James is originally from Cardiff and came to Birmingham to study history at the University of Birmingham before converting to law. Outside work James is a keen sportsman, although he spends more time these days watching rather than playing! He enjoys reading and travelling and is currently learning Italian.
James chairs the committee and is responsible for liaising with Birmingham Future's leadership team on wider strategy issues within Birmingham Future. He has been responsible for a number of new initiatives within the committee over the last two years and works closely with other members of the committee to ensure that both schemes deliver for both the mentors and mentees.
Kate Onions, Gateley (Deputy Chair)
Kate is an associate with national law firm Gateley. Kate specialises in contentious construction work, dealing with disputes from a wide range of clients, and is recognised as providing both practical and commercial advice for clients.
A number of years ago, Kate set up the Inspiring Futures mentoring scheme. Inspiring Futures is a partnership between Birmingham Future and Birmingham City University (BCU), whereby Birmingham Future provides mentors for undergraduates at BCU. Kate continues to run Inspiring Futures in conjunction with BCU.
Andrew Bass, Bass Clusker Consulting
Andrew Bass is co-founder of BassClusker Consulting, and helps clients to align behaviours and culture with business strategy. Clients include leading professional service firms and ambitious growing businesses.
As well as working throughout the UK, Andrew has experience in Europe and the CIS. Before founding BassClusker, Andrew lectured at Aston Business School, and continues to contribute to the school's Executive Education and entrepreneurship programmes. He has had articles published in Career Development International, Legal Week and Managing Partner magazine. He has a doctorate in Software Engineering from the University of Aston. He is programme facilitator for the Birmingham Future Mentoring Scheme.
Simon Doherty, Quilter
Simon is an investment adviser at Quilter, the specialist in investment management solutions, and is a Chartered Member of the Chartered Institute for Securities and Investment (CISI). Simon has been based in Birmingham for nearly four years, and has recently joined the mentoring committee to help promote the building of strong relationships between today's business leaders and those of tomorrow. Away from his desk, Simon is a keen rugby player, golfer and cyclist.
Matthew Broomhead, CU4coaching
Matthew Broomhead is a professional coach, trainer and mentor. Matthew joined Birmingham Future’s mentoring committee as he believes that every successful person, in whatever area of life, has been influenced by someone they would describe as a mentor. The young professionals in Birmingham need talented mentors to support and develop them, so they can have an even greater positive impact on our city.
Simon Partington, Haslimann Taylor PR
Simon has been involved with Birmingham Future since the beginning of 2010, starting out in a PR capacity and later joining the mentoring committee to assist in the promotion of the organisation’s two schemes. Simon works as a Digital Executive for HTPR, a PR consultancy based just outside Birmingham, specialising in online marketing, digital PR and social media, also being involved with the PRCA and CIPR in the region.
Laura Kealey, Mills & Reeve
Laura is a professional indemnity solicitor at Mills & Reeve LLP. Laura read law at Birmingham University and completed her LPC at the College of Law, Birmingham. She enjoys running, theatre and socialising.Laura is a member of the mentoring committee and is involved in obtaining accreditation of the mentoring scheme.
Rachel Hearn, Glenn Howells Architects
Rachel Hearn is a part-qualified architect working in the Birmingham office of Glenn Howells Architects, where she is part of the masterplanning team working on the Eastside and Paradise Circus redevelopment proposals.
Rachel has worked in Birmingham for over two years since graduating from University of Liverpool and later this year she will commence a Master of Architecture as the final step towards full qualification. Rachel has been involved with Birmingham Future since arriving in Birmingham; and on joining the mentoring committee she has taken responsibility for administering the main mentoring scheme, Momentum, and matching mentees to suitable mentors.
Sally Anderson, Willoughby PR
Sally Armstrong is an account director at Willoughby Public Relations. A graduate of Cardiff University, Sally has worked in Birmingham’ thriving PR and marketing industry for more than a decade, with a client portfolio that has included key commercial and residential developers and professional services firms.
Having been a supporter of Birmingham Future throughout her career, Sally has recently joined the mentoring committee to play more of an active role in the personal and professional development of the city’s future leaders.
