Who is your Sector Ambassador?
The Chamber's 48-strong elected council has been refreshed and organised into a sector-led policy-making and lobbying body, with representation from every type of business.
Sector ambassadors have been appointed to fly the flag for their specialisms and to ensure policy makers understand what is needed to help our businesses flourish.
Each of the sector ambassadors is listed here with their operational e-mail addresses, and they are looking forward to you contacting them with the issues that affect you in your sector of business.
Construction
Keith Seago, chartered civil engineer
Keith became a consultant to Arup in 2005 after he stepped down as a director based in the Solihull campus at Blythe Valley Park. He has worked on projects in the Midlands and overseas and is a passionate supporter of the region's businesses, particularly in construction and the development of its physical infrastructure. Keith is a Chamber representative on the West Midlands Business Transport Group.
Contact Keith at kseago.bci@googlemail.com.
Tim Capper, director, Interserve Project Services
Tim has been with Interserve Project Services for five years. He has worked for medium and major contracting companies in the fields of civil and process engineering design and construction for over 25 years. He has broad experience of creating and maintaining strong, professional customer relationships.
Contact Tim at tcapper.bci@googlemail.com.
Creative
David Clarke, managing director/strategic director, Clarke Associates
David has 25 years experience in the development and implementation of communications and public relations programmes. He is a former director of Marketing Birmingham and serves on the board of the Prince’s Trust in Birmingham and Solihull.
Contact David at dclarke.bci@googlemail.com.
Fay Goodman, managing director of Goodmedia Ltd
Author, journalist and businesswoman, Fay specialises in small business issues covering all areas including the creative industry. Her company makes TV documentaries, film and music productions.
Contact Fay at fgoodman.bci@googlemail.com.
Abid Iqbal, SAY Arts Entertainment
Abid has worked for Birmingham City Council as Senior IT Projects Officer since graduating in 2001, and has now gone part-time to focus on his own project SAY Arts, through which he aims to promote cultural harmony by means of world music. Abid is the youngest elected Council member and takes an active role in the Chamber’s Policy Working Group. He is particularly interested in issues affecting Micro Businesses and the Creative Industries, and has represented Chamber members’ concerns to a range of senior decision makers including ex-Prime Minister, Tony Blair. Abid is committed to a vision of Birmingham as a vibrant young city with truly global potential, and as a Sector Ambassador is keen to work with all Chamber members to achieve this ambition. Contact Abid at aiqbal.bci@googlemail.com.
Peter Tomlinson, director of communications, marketing and fund-raising, Birmingham Children’s Hospital
Peter has been part of the media and communications scene in the West Midlands for over 30 years. He chairs the Advantage Creative Fund which invests in creative industries in the region and has taken up the post of High Sheriff of the County of West Midlands.
Contact Peter at ptomlinson.bci@googlemail.com.
Hospitality and Leisure
Clive Stone, managing director of Redcliffe Catering
Clive is the founder and majority shareholder of Redcliffe Catering which has three separate divisions that handle the management of the banqueting facilities at Birmingham Botanical Gardens and The Centennial Centre. It also operates 38 contract catering units and organises conferences and seminars.
Contact Clive at cstone.bci@googlemail.com.
Manufacturing
Parveen Mehta, operations director Minor Weir & Willis Ltd
Parveen is responsible for 300 staff, three depots, production warehousing, logistics and distribution, HR and health and safety. He also looks after the property portfolio and pension trust. Parveen is director of mwwfresh and his areas of interest include employment law and manufacturing.
Contact Parveen at pmehta.bci@googlemail.com.
Professional and financial services
Kate Canty, Canty & Co
Kate runs her own law practice in Birmingham employing 20 people. Kate is past president of Birmingham Junior Chamber of Commerce. Kate takes on various business and community projects which have given her experience outside the world of law. Kate is a member of the Chamber's Skills Working Group.
Contact Kate at kcanty.bci@googlemail.com.
Karl George, managing director of KgISS
Karl George is a high profile, multi-award winning businessman, a visiting professor, accomplished professional speaker and author specialising in leadership principles. KgISS is a multi-disciplined business consultancy helping individuals and organisations in delivering leadership principles.
Contact Karl at kgeorge.bci@googlemail.com.
Retail
Dr Sarindar Singh Sahota OBE, partner Nanak Electricals and Sahota Properties
Sarindar joined Nanak Electricals in Birmingham in 1989 and was elected to lead the regional business community as the vice-chair of the West Midlands Regional Assembly. He is the past chair of the Asian Business Forum and Institute of Asian Businesses.
Contact Sarinder at ssohota.bci@googlemail.com.
SME
Stefan Drew, founder/owner of Stefan Drew Associates
Stefan runs a marketing and management consultancy based in Warwickshire and his clients include SMEs and large national companies. Having managed multi-million pound marketing budgets in the past, he relishes the challenge of ensuring clients can grow their businesses with very small marketing budgets.
Contact Stefan at: sdrew.bci@googlemail.com .
Tourism
Ann Leung, director of United Travel Ltd
Hong Kong born Ann Leung established United Travel in 1985. The business specialises in Far Eastern travel and has contracts with major carriers flying to the Orient.
Contact Ann at aleung.bci@googlemail.com.
Simone Schehtman, Teamworks Karting Ltd:
Simone established Teamworks Karting in 2000 in London and opened in Birmingham in 2004 and is planning further venues across the UK with a view to an AIM flotation.
Contact Simone at sschehtman.bci@googlemail.com.
If you would like more information on the Sector Ambassador initiative, please contact BCI policy adviser, Kiran Virk at k.virk@birminghamchamber.org.uk .