Young Professional of the Year shortlist revealed
SOME of Birmingham’s top young guns are battling it out to win the prestigious title of Birmingham Young Professional of the Year.
Eighteen candidates – three in each of the six categories of communications, financial, legal, recruitment and training, property and construction, and entrepreneurial – have been shortlisted for the title, which is now in its tenth year.
A panel of judges, chaired by Michelin star chef Glynn Purnell, interviewed all the finalists and the category winners and overall BYPY winner will be announced at a glittering awards dinner at the ICC on Thursday, May 27.
In the communications category, the candidates hoping to snatch the title are Mark Scourse, Birmingham International Airport; second time finalist Rob Langley-Swain, the NEC Group; and Katie Banks, Town Hall and Symphony Hall Birmingham.
In the Financial Services category, Heather Griffin from Yorkshire Bank, Simon O’Neill of Ernst & Young and David Neale of JNJ Financial Management have made it through to the final stages of the competition.
Ruth Creed of Mills & Reeve, Matthew Heaton of Pinsent Masons and Lisa Clarke of HBJ Gateley Wareing are the contenders for the legal category, while Joel Graham-Blake of Cultiv8 Solutions, Kaye Thumpston of eNL Legal Recruitment and Kam Vara of Katie Bard are going head to head in the recruitment and training sector.
The property and construction category sees Paul Daulton of MACE Group, Damien Byrne of MCD Developments and Gareth Poole of Turner & Townsend vying for top spot, while the entrepreneurial section sees Chris Unitt of Meshed Media take on James Villarreal of Glide Utilities and Tim Nutbeam of Moo Moo Youth Marketing.
Darren Walker, associate at law firm Cobbetts and chairman of the BYPY committee, said: “This year more than ever we wanted to find the very best professional talent Birmingham has to offer to make the tenth BYPY the most competitive yet.
“Becoming BYPY is a fantastic opportunity to act as an ambassador for the city and we hope the previous nine winners will join us on the night when we will announce the tenth professional to join their ranks.
“Just being short-listed is a great achievement and all of the finalists, past and present, should feel very proud of their accomplishments.”
The judging panel comprised Alun Thorne, editor of The Birmingham Post; Paul Thandi, chief executive of the NEC group; last year’s BYPY winner Suzie Branch of BHMG; Trevor Foster of Lockton; Birmingham Forward chairman Sue Lewis of Eversheds; and Birmingham Future chairman, Amanda Porter of Mills & Reeve.
Tickets for BYPY are now on sale priced £850 + VAT per table (or £85 + VAT per person for single tickets).
To reserve a place, contact Claire Hawkins at the Birmingham Future office on 0121 632 2204 or via email claire@birminghamforward.co.uk.
