Senior Birmingham business figure steps down after 22 years

One of Greater Birmingham’s senior business figures is set to retire after 22 years in the role.

Mike Hibbert, financial director of Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce (GBCC), was appointed in 1995 and was the organisation’s first full-time financial appointment to the board.

Previously, the chamber’s financial affairs had been looked after by honorary treasurers since its inception in 1813.

His tenure has seen the expansion of the role, with responsibility for managing the chamber’s property affairs and its pension funds, and on several occasions its international division and work programme, which oversees start-up businesses.

“It was this wide diversity of the role which interested me so much,” he said. “I haven’t just been involved with the financial affairs of the chamber but, of course, these have been central to what I have been doing.

“The possible development of the chamber’s leasehold site in Edgbaston has been a huge responsibility in conjunction with colleagues and still very much at the forefront of the chamber’s future.”

Paul Faulkner, chief executive of the GBCC, said: “Mike’s input at the chamber has been invaluable. The job has required a broad area of expertise and he has been instrumental in guiding the chamber’s fortunes, which at times have been challenging, over the past two decades.

“On a personal level, Mike has been a great support and source of counsel since I joined the chamber. He has been a fantastic colleague and an important part of the Chamber’s recent developments.”

Born in Oldham and educated at Aston University, Mr Hibbert qualified with an administrative/management degree and joined the accountancy firm Whinney Murray, forerunner of what is now EY (Ernst and Young).

Originally, he joined the chamber on a three-month secondment under the then chief executive, Bob Moore.

Since then he has worked with three other chief executives – Sue Battle, Jerry Blackett and Paul Faulkner.

His tenure has also seen him work with 22 different presidents, from many aspects of business life, including property, finance, law, education, engineering, television, entrepreneurship and marketing.

The financial downturn in 2008 proved to be the most challenging period of his time at the chamber, especially the loss of the chamber’s contract with Business Link following the so-called ‘Bonfire of the Quangos’ when the new coalition government scrapped many business support programmes.

“The chamber had a turnover of £36m when Business Link was with us and we had to cope with losing a large proportion of that as well as the impact of the biggest global financial downturn in living memory,” he said.

“Those were pretty challenging days and it has been particularly rewarding to come through them and establish a chamber that is financially strong and making sustained surpluses for the benefit of our members.”

The chamber has begun a recruitment process for a new Chief Financial Officer.