Entrepreneur’s OBE for services to business community

WEST Midlands entrepreneur Angela Maxwell has been awarded an OBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list.

Angela, who is a board member at Advantage West Midlands and the West Midlands Enterprise Board, has been recognised for her services to the region’s business community.

In 1995, Angela joined the family-run business Fracino, in Birmingham, which manufactures espresso and cappuccino machines.

Within a decade, the company’s turnover had quintupled, the workforce trebled and bespoke products developed for Costa, Cadbury Schweppes and Unilever.

Angela is now managing director of Acuwoman, a company which advises SMEs on business strategy, and helps AWM on business-support issues through the Enterprise Board.

She said: “Governments realise it is businesses that create jobs and wealth.

“As an advocate for enterprise for many years, I am pleased that the role of business continues to be given due credit with this honour as I passionately believe that it is only through energy, innovation and ideas will the country emerge from recession.”

Ms Maxwell was one several people from the West Midlands business community to receive honours from her majesty.

Sally Arkley, from Coventry, is director of the Women’s Business Development Agency and was awarded a MBE for services to women’s enterprise.

Chairman of the West Midlands Ethnic Minority Business Forum Mohammad Nazir, from Birmingham, received a OBE for services to business.

Nelson Olawale Ogunshakin from Halesowen, chief executive of the Association for Consultancy and Engineering, was given a OBE for services to the construction and engineering industries.

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