Greater Birmingham LEP appoints two new board members

THE board of the Greater Birmingham & Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership has announced a series of changes to its membership.

Two new faces have joined the board while three current members have stepped down from their roles.

The first new board director is Saqib Bhatti, an associate at Younis Bhatti & Co, a firm of chartered accountants and registered auditors. He also serves as the President of the Institute of Asian Businesses and board member of the Broad Street Business Improvement District.
 
Saqib Bhatti said: “It is a real privilege to be appointed to the GBSLEP. Over the years, it has done some really great work in bringing together stakeholders and creating a collective strategy aimed at nurturing growth, increasing employment and creating a competitive economic environment.
 
“With my appointment, the board continues to recognise the importance of the SME sector and how vital it is to long-term economic sustainability.  
 
“As a Chartered Accountant who represents many small businesses and as President of the Institute of Asian Businesses, I am looking forward to providing a voice for SMEs and working to positively shape the future of the region.”
 
Also new to the board is Mike Hopkins, principal of South and City College.  He formally joined the GBSLEP in January 2015 as the new further education representative.  He replaces Norman Cave, who stepped down from the board following his retirement as Principal of Bourneville College.
 
As well as introducing the new members to the board, the GBSLEP has also announced the departure of Chris Webster after three years of service.   Formally the CEO of Miller Construction, Webster has been responsible for leading on the ‘optimising assets’ element of the LEP’s Strategy for Growth and championing the Enterprise Zone.
 
Raza Samar has also stepped down from the board. During his time with the LEP he was responsible for reducing regulation and championing business diversity.
 
Andy Street, chairman of the GBSLEP, said: “On behalf of the board, I would like to thank our outgoing directors and welcome our new members to the team.  In particular I’d like to mention the contribution Chris Webster has made in the last three years. He has committed a lot of time and energy to taking forward the LEP’s agenda, working closely with a wide range of partners to bring forward sites for housing and employment use.   
 
“His work has included overseeing the development of the LEP’s spatial plan and a programme of regeneration proposals that secured investment in the Growth Deal. He has also supported the delivery of the public assets element of the City Deal which saw the first site, part of the Advanced Manufacturing Hub, released to market in January.”
 
A recruitment exercise to fill the various positions has now begun.

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