Board shake-up at Birmingham Forward

PROFESSIONAL services lobby group Birmingham Forward is revamping its board.

Andrew Springhall, chief executive of recruitment firm Blusource, is stepping down from his role as deputy chairman and Lynn Richards-Cole, who works for insurance company Aon, is retiring early from the board.

Birmingham Forward says it plans to reduce the overall size of its board in Spring 2013.

Sally Beavan, relationship director at Santander Banking Group and Nicola Fleet-Milne of FleetMilne Property will become executive vice chairs of the organisation for a period of six months.

The re-structuring programme is being undertaken as Peter Rees-Steer completes his part-time contract as chief executive with Forward.

He was responsible for moving the organisation into the business hub at Baskerville House, re-organising the events programme and initiating a series of campaigns.

Beavan and Fleet-Milne will take a ‘hands on’ role in managing the organisation under Gary Cardin’s chairmanship. They will retain their respective current roles of treasurer and chair of  the organisation’s youth wing Birmingham Future.

Cardin said: “It’s always difficult to see valued directors leave the organisation, but it’s right that we make sure Forward remains fit for purpose and can deliver for its members.

“We need to build our campaigns, for example taking forward the ideas from our skills symposium in November and last week’s annual dinner which focused on transport developments as part of our infrastructure strand.”

Birmingham Forward says it will consider recruitment options for management positions after the board has been restructured early in the New Year and once a full systems and resources review.