Chamber Podcast

Chamber CEO Henrietta Brealey and Professor Anne Green from City-REDI explore key economic trends in Greater Birmingham, ahead of 2024 Birmingham Economic Review They explore the region’s economic growth, business confidence, and the challenges posed by economic inactivity, as well as the impact of political shifts at both national and global levels. The pair also delve into the importance of inclusive growth, innovation, and the transition to net zero, focusing on the role businesses play in driving sustainable practices. Tune in for expert insights on the city’s economic future, from investment opportunities to critical infrastructure projects like HS2.

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 part of the Growth Through People campaign. Together, they explore how these programs are creating pathways for young people with disabilities, addressing skills gaps, and fostering inclusive workplaces, while providing real-world insights for employers aiming to enrich their workforce with diverse talent.

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 consumers, to labour market trends and net zero. Henrietta and Anne also talk about the overall business confidence in the city-region, as well as asking 'how resilient and adaptive is Birmingham's economy?'

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 and Placements. Anshu discusses some of South and City's initiatives to collaborate with employers and, in turn, help address some of their skills and talent needs. She also reveals how employers are working with the college to develop and evolve the curriculum. Growth Through People is the annual productivity and leadership campaign, delivered by Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce and a range of partners, including headline sponsors Aston University, South and City College Birmingham and the West Midlands Combined Authority. More on Growth Through People: https://www.greaterbirminghamchambers.com/research-campaigning/growth-through-people/

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 director of employment and skills Clare Hatton.  They discusses the West Midlands' Plan for Growth and how businesses and government can support the regional economy.  They also address the much-debated skills shortage across the region - including which industries are suffering, what the WMCA is doing to help firms bridge the gap and how devolution can further support skills development. Growth Through People is the annual productivity and leadership campaign, delivered by Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce and a range of partners, including headline sponsors Aston University, South and City College Birmingham and the West Midlands Combined Authority. More on Growth Through People: https://www.greaterbirminghamchambers.com/research-campaigning/growth-through-people/

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 diverse and inclusive working environment.  Tinne's role covers diversity, inclusion, wellbeing and engagement. She describes the company's efforts to create a workplace where "everybody feels safe, and belongs" and ensure employees "have the best possible conditions to succeed". Growth Through People is the annual productivity and leadership campaign, delivered by Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce and a range of partners, including headline sponsors Aston University, South and City College Birmingham and the West Midlands Combined Authority. More on Growth Through People: https://www.greaterbirminghamchambers.com/research-campaigning/growth-through-people/

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 in the local business community who may be interested in becoming Enterprise Advisers to Birmingham schools. Enterprise Advisers will be partnered with a secondary school or college to support them in the development and implementation of their careers strategy, ensuring all students are prepared and inspired for the fast-changing world of work. Emily is joined by Ruth Broome (strategic hub lead for Birmingham Careers Hub), Marie Wilkes, (head of social value at Willmott Dixon) and Ken Hutchinson managing director for HR Strategic Solutions Ltd.   Find out more about how to become a Birmingham Volunteer Enterprise Adviser : https://www.greaterbirminghamchambers.com/become-birmingham-volunteer-enterprise-advisor?

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. Speakers in this episode include host Samantha Frampton, head of Solihull Chamber, Councillor Ian Courts, leader of Solihull Council, Tony Elvin, general manager at Touchwood and president of Solihull Chamber, and Kevin Johns, director of Prime Accountants Group.  These high profile speakers provide their views on the local economy and the findings of the report's research. 

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 key themes from the forecast, with a particular focus on Birmingham. They assess Birmingham’s post-pandemic recovery as well as looking at the impact of a number of events and factors such as returning to the office, this summer’s Commonwealth Games, the Government’s Levelling Up agenda and the introduction of the Clean Air Zone in the second city.   Avison Young is a global commercial real estate services firm,  with an office at Brindleyplace in Birmingham. Find out more about Avison Young’s 2022 Forecast: https://www.avisonyoung.com/experience/marketing-uk/2022-forecast-uk/2022-forecast/

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 preferences in ourselves and those around us - as well as the impact those behaviours can have on stress.  Growth Through People is the annual productivity and leadership campaign, delivered by Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce and a range of partners, including headline sponsors Aston University, Birmingham City Council, South and City College Birmingham and the West Midlands Combined Authority. More on Growth Through People: https://www.greaterbirminghamchambers.com/research-campaigning/growth-through-people/

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 Through People campaign. Growth Through People is the annual productivity and leadership campaign, delivered by Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce and a range of partners, including headline sponsors Aston University, Birmingham City Council, South and City College Birmingham and the West Midlands Combined Authority. More on Growth Through People: https://www.greaterbirminghamchambers.com/research-campaigning/growth-through-people/ More on Common Purpose: https://commonpurpose.org/

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 discusses how South and City's work with different employers - including creating tailored curriculum and training schemes to meet their short, medium and long-term talent needs.  She also talks about T-levels and the recruitment support offered by the college.  Growth Through People is the annual productivity and leadership campaign, delivered by Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce and a range of partners, including headline sponsors Aston University, Birmingham City Council, South and City College Birmingham and the West Midlands Combined Authority. More on Growth Through People: https://www.greaterbirminghamchambers.com/research-campaigning/growth-through-people/ More on South & City College Birmingham: https://www.sccb.ac.uk/

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 inspired Rebecca to set up GuruYou – a company which coaches leaders through their own personal setbacks.  In this podcast, as part of the Chamber’s 2022 Growth Through People campaign, Rebecca talks to policy and campaigns manager Emily Stubbs about what it is like to lead through personal setbacks.  The fascinating discussion assesses the expectations that are placed on leaders, how setbacks can impact on the ability to lead and what effective leadership during times of setback might look like.  Growth Through People is the annual productivity and leadership campaign, delivered by Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce and a range of partners, including headline sponsors Aston University, Birmingham City Council, South and City College Birmingham and the West Midlands Combined Authority. More on Growth Through People: https://www.greaterbirminghamchambers.com/research-campaigning/growth-through-people/ More on GuruYou: https://www.guruyoucoach.com/

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 joint initiative between Greater Birmingham and Coventry & Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce. 

Midlands Connect's Simon Statham joins the Chamber's head of policy Raj Kandola to discuss transport body's role in decarbonisation. Simon discusses how Midlands Connect's strategy has shifted further towards the net zero agenda over the past six years.  The podcast is part of the Sustainable Business Series: Net Zero campaign, jointly hosted by the Greater Birmingham and Coventry & Warwickshire Chambers of Commerce. 

Chamber CEO Henrietta Brealey and the University of Birmingham/City-REDI's Professor Simon Collinson take a deep-dive into the Greater Birmingham economy ahead of the launch of the 2021 Birmingham Economic Review.  They discuss the impact of the pandemic on the city, the signs of economic recovery and opportunities for Birmingham to become more innovative, more environmentally sustainable and more inclusive.

The Chamber's environmental policy lead Will Hargreaves is joined by Andy Whyle from Sustainability West Midlands (SWM) to discuss the circular economy and its benefits and opportunities for business.  The podcast was recorded as part of the Sustainable Business Series: Net Zero campaign, jointly hosted by the Greater Birmingham and Coventry & Warwickshire Chambers of Commerce.

Inspired Energy's energy and environmental manager Robbie Howlett joins the Chamber's Will Hargreaves to provide analysis and practical advice on how businesses can successfully manage their energy usage.  Topics of discussion include practical energy management, optimisation solutions, the role of data in energy management and raising awareness among staff. This podcast is part of the 'Sustainable Business Series: Net Zero' campaign, hosted jointly by the Greater Birmingham and Coventry & Warwickshire Chambers of Commerce. 

With cricket's innovative The Hundred competition underway, Birmingham Phoenix general manager Craig Flindall joins the Chamber's Dan Harrison to discuss forming the new franchise in preparation for the tournament.  Craig, who is also the chief operating officer at Edgbaston, talks us through every element of preparations for The Hundred, from the player draft through to helping ensure the new format captures the right audience.  Birmingham Phoenix are one of eight city-based franchises fielding men's and women's in the new competition, with home games being played at Edgbaston.

The West Midlands is just one year away from hosting the largest multi-sporting event the region has ever seen, the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.  In this episode of the Chamber Podcast, experts and business leaders provide their insights on what is left to do to prepare the region and the business legacy the Games will bring.  Henrietta Brealey, chief executive of GBCC, hosts this edition of the Chamber podcast.  To find out more about Games procurement opportunities, visit https://www.birmingham2022.com/business/tender-opportunities/  To find out more about University of Birmingham, visit https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/news/commonwealth-games/index.aspx To find out more about University College Birmingham, visit https://www.ucb.ac.uk/ 

With the West Midlands' second mayoral election just around the corner, Henrietta Brealey, chief executive of the Chambers, and Andrew Carter, chief executive of Centre for Cities discuss why businesses should care about the upcoming election. 

Being resilient through unprecedented times can be challenging for many. In this episode of the Chamber Podcast, Marc Bell, general manager of Bear Grylls Adventure, discusses how his team has been able to harness resilience during the pandemic with the Chamber's policy and projects manager Emily Stubbs. This episode is part of a mini-series for the Chamber's 2021 Growth Through People productivity and leadership campaign.

Many businesses over the last year have asked themselves what they can do to boost equality, diversity and inclusion. In this Growth Through People special episode of the Chamber Podcast, chief executive of the Chamber, Paul Faulkner, discusses unlocking potential and the RACE Equality Code with Karl George, managing director of the Governance Forum. 

The Covid crisis has presented a number of challenges for business when attracting and engaging talent.  In this episode of the Chamber podcast, policy and campaigns manager Emily Stubbs discusses remote employee engagement and attracting talent to the technology sector with Chamber vice-president and chief executive of Forensic Pathways, Deb Leary. This episode is part of a mini-series for the Chamber's 2021 Growth Through People productivity and leadership campaign. 

With the Covid-19 pandemic bringing about the rapid adoption of flexible and remote working, this podcast assesses whether leaders and managers can trust their teams.The Chamber's policy and campaigns manager Emily Stubbs is joined by Mark Saunders, Professor of Business Research Methods at University of Birmingham.This episode is part of a mini-series for the Chamber's 2021 Growth Through People productivity and leadership campaign. 

After picking up a business card at an apprenticeship fair, and an enticing LinkedIn exchange, University College Birmingham (UCB) and Shell Energy have formed a new partnership to boost Shell Energy's apprenticeship offering. In a special episode as part of National Apprenticeship Week, David New, business development manager at University College Birmingham (UCB), and Ross McPherson, learning and development consultant at Shell Energy, discuss their apprenticeship partnership with the Chamber's policy and campaigns manager, Emily Stubbs. 

The Chamber's Paul Faulkner and Henrietta Brealey are joined by Professor Simon Collinson from the University of Birmingham/City-REDI to discuss the key themes from this year's Birmingham Economic Review.

Dr Tariq Ali, Deputy Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Strategic Partnerships at University of Birmingham and Neil Rawlinson, Strategic Development Director, Manufacturing Technology Centre chat to Chamber Press and PR executive Jess Brookes about the ambitious Speed to Scale Region (SSR) Programme, a bid for funding from Government to harness the innovation and strength of the West Midlands region to develop, manufacture and deliver new products at speed and at scale. To find out more about the programme, visit www.ssr-wm.org.uk

With Brexit back on the agenda, the Chamber's Henrietta Brealey gets the latest insights from David Hearne from Birmingham City University's Centre for Brexit Studies, and Clare Francis, head of Brexit advisory at law firm Pinsent Masons. 

Digital Glue's Greta Geoghegan and Chamber press and PR manager Dan Harrison discuss all things PR, digital and branding, ahead of the Digbeth-based agency's upcoming webinar series 'The Power of Messaging'.  For more information visit https://digitalglue.agency/professional-services/

Daniel Aston on his rapid career rise at Access Bookings and being crowned Young Professional of the Year 2020 at the Sutton Coldfield, Lichfield and Tamworth Chamber of Commerce annual dinner and awards.

EiB Group chief executive Scott Brown joins Chamber chief executive Paul Faulkner to provide an insight into the process of bidding for work on major projects such as HS2 and the Commonwealth Games. 

The Chamber's director of policy Henrietta Brealey and press and PR manager Dan Harrison discuss the coronavirus support available to businesses - and some of the gaps that still need addressing.

With organisations responding to the Covid-19 pandemic and the Government mandating home working where possible, the number of people working from home has rapidly increased - many for the first time. As a result, many companies are finding it challenging to manage their workforce. During this episode, Chamber press and PR assistant Jess Brookes chats to Jo Rix from Curium Solutions and Mark Saunders from Birmingham Business School, on how to maintain trust in a virtual workplace, and how businesses can get the best out of their teams during this time. 

Ex-Royal Marines and founders of Find Your Edge Coaching, Ben Williams and Antony Thompson, join Lisa Powney from Curium Solutions to discuss the impact of stress on work performance - and how leaders can support staff by building a resilient organisational culture. 

In the third instalment of the Growth Through People 2020 podcast mini-series, press and PR assistant at the Chamber, Jess Brookes, talks to Professor Gina Rippon about plastic brains.  This podcast will focus on The Potential of our Plastic Brains, discussing, in particular, Gina's insights on unlocking potential, the idea of the gendered brain and the significance of brain plasticity in the workplace. You can listen to the podcast below. Find us on iTunes or audioboom, Spotify, Deezer and Google Podcasts to gain access to more episodes.

In this special episode of the podcast for International Women’s Day, as part of the Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce’s Growth Through People campaign, The Apprentice 2020 finalist Scarlett Allen-Horton discusses diversity and women in business. Scarlett, also senior partner at Harper Fox Partners, discusses her personal journey, how representation at senior levels is changing and why businesses across all sectors can better support and develop female talent. For more information on Growth Through People click here.

McDonald's franchisee and Chamber patron Doug Wright and NatWest's head of large corporate and institutions in the West Midlands, Kim Paterson, discuss creating a comprehensive people development plan for employees in their respective businesses. This episode is part of the Chamber's 2020 Growth Through People campaign.

Small and medium-sized businesses across the West Midlands are being encouraged to utilise the West Midlands Combined Authority's Levy Transfer Fund to help fund their apprentices.In this episode, Jess Brookes, press and PR assistant at the Chambers, talks to Jose Lopes, head of business engagement at the Combined Authority, to discuss what the levy fund is and how local businesses can tap into it. 

Why should your business apply for a Queen's Award for Enterprise? West Midlands Deputy Lieutenant Simon Topman, Kate Canty from the West Midlands Lieutenancy office and Rowan Crozier from past winner C. Brandauer discuss the benefits and the application process.

In the second part of our exclusive interview with Andy Street, the West Midlands mayor discusses the 2022 Commonwealth Games, the region's skills agenda and the forthcoming mayoral election.

In the first episode of a two-part interview, West Midlands mayor Andy Street talks to Chamber chief executive Paul Faulkner about HS2, his ambitious transport plans for the region, the bid to build a gigafactory battery plant and 5G technology.

Ahead of National Apprenticeship Week 2020, Chamber patrons National Express and South & City College join us to discuss their successful partnership which has put apprentices on the road to successful careers.

Leader of Tamworth Borough Council, Councillor Daniel Cook, chats to Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce chief executive, Paul Faulkner on everything Tamworth, including future developments in the town, supporting young people, and the council's What's Next campaign.

Schools of King Edward VI's executive director Heath Monk and archivist Alison Wheatley join us to discuss the foundation trust's proud heritage, its links with business and future plans. 

Paul Faulkner is joined by key figures from Lichfield to discuss future plans for the city and wider district. They talk about the ongoing masterplan exercise for some important developments in the city, initiatives to drive growth and to market the area as a tourist destination.

Dal Darroch, head of diversity and inclusion at the Football Association, joins us to discuss the work that is being done around equality, diversity and inclusion in football. Dal is also a committee member of the Asian Business Chamber of Commerce. 

What do we love about Birmingham and how have perceptions of the city changed? Hotel du Vin Birmingham's general manager Tom Gallimore and Ben Britain from University of Birmingham/City-REDI join us for our latest Birmingham Economic Review podcast. 

Our latest Birmingham Economic Review podcast focuses on how Birmingham is making inclusive economic growth happen. Dan Harrison and Emily Stubbs from the Chamber are joined by Dr Tasos Kitsos (Research Fellow at the University of Birmingham’s Department of Strategy and International Business) and Johnny Shah (head of Trust Charity at Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust).

Army major turned businessman Ed Colver joins Curium Solutions co-founder Andy Dawson and Chamber chief executive Paul Faulkner ahead of Remembrance Day to discuss links between the armed forces and business, making the transition between the two, resilience and leadership.