PR executive chosen as LEP’s first non-exec for young people

Greater Birmingham and Solihull LEP has appointed a PR account executive as its first non-executive director for young people.

Birmingham City University graduate Sophie Drake, who works for Birmingham agency Story Comms, was chosen from 40 applicants to drive engagement with young people and represent their interests on the LEP board.

It is part of a range of efforts by the LEP to work with young people and one of Drake’s first roles will be to co-ordinate a group of young representatives to sit on the LEP’s sub-boards for business, people and place.

Chris Loughran, chair of the nominations committee for the Greater Birmingham and Solihull LEP, said: “We were impressed with her knowledge, passion and commitment to the region and her ideas on how to build strong relationships between young people across Greater Birmingham and those leading on the delivery of its large-scale economic development priorities.”

Drake was recognised by the Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce as the Future Face of Communications last year and is the marketing lead for young professional network Birmingham Future’s Infrastructure Committee.

Her day job includes working with Marketing Birmingham and automotive sector organisation Drive Midlands, which work closely with GBSLEP.

Drake said: “The fact that the GBSLEP has created this pioneering position shows that the region and its business community is taking stock of its uniquely youthful profile and the contribution that young people can and will make to its future success.

“The decisions being made about the region’s future now will impact the lives, careers and families of our young people – they should have a say in those decisions.”

Drake will join 19 other non-executive directors from across the private, public and educational sectors.