Bridget Blow appointed as chair of CBSO
THE City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (CBSO) has appointed well-known local businesswoman Bridget Blow as chair of the board – the first woman to take up this position in its 91 year history.
Blow is currently a trustee of the Birmingham Hippodrome, deputy chair of the Coventry Building Society and non-executive chairman of plc Harvard International.
Her previous roles include being a non-executive director of the Bank of England, vice-president and president of the Birmingham Chamber of Commerce and Industry and chair of the development board for the Greater Birmingham & Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership.
She also led the management and employee buyout of ITNET plc (which originated as the IT arm of Cadbury Schweppes), and was its chief executive from 1994 until 2005.
Blow said: “As chair, my vision is to see the CBSO thrive, continue to extend our reach to other parts of the world so that others can experience the world-class performances we know and love here in the UK, and enhance not only our reputation but the reputation of Birmingham as a world leader in culture.”
Charles Barwell, who has been a trustee since 2005, will take up the position as deputy chair.
Odgers Berndtson, the executive search firm based in Brindleyplace, ran the recruitment process which resulted in Blow’s appointment.
