Honorary Officers
President 2009: Paul Thandi
Recently identified by the Birmingham Post Power 50 as the most powerful businessman in the West Midlands, Paul Thandi combines his responsibilities as Chamber President with his main role as Chief Executive of The NEC Group, operator of four of the region’s most iconic venues: The National Exhibition Centre, International Convention Centre, National Indoor Arena and new LG Arena.
Together, the four NEC Group venues host over 350 events from international, touring music artists and competitive sport to world leading trade exhibitions and consumer events. Over 4 million visitors visit the venues every year and 2008 KPMG study identified that The NEC Group delivers over £2 Billion of economic investment to the West Midlands region and supports over 28,000 jobs.
Within a framework of excellence in cost management, Paul’s philosophy for the organisation is to focus on creating the best possible experience for customers at every interaction with each venue and its services; on ensuring the Group has the necessary processes in place to make this happen and on creating an engaging, can-do culture within the company that creates a positive reputation amongst customers, visitors and stakeholders alike.
Since becoming Chief Executive in October 2006 Paul has developed The NEC Group’s international portfolio winning contracts to operate the new National Convention Centre, Dublin and Spaladium Arena in Split. In partnership with US venue giant Global Spectrum the Group are pursuing a number of further international opportunities. On home soil the Group continues to develop its venue portfolio with a sponsorship deal and £29m redevelopment transforming the NEC Arena into the LG Arena, opening in October 2009.
Prior to becoming Chief Executive Paul Thandi spent 18 months as The NEC Group's Commercial Director and, prior to that was Executive Director at CMP Information, a multimedia trading division in exhibitions, conferences, digital, information products and online communities.
His vision is for the Solihull Chamber of Commerce to both be instrumental in creating the next generation of enterprise in Solihull as well as an essential service to today’s companies, by providing a combination of innovative thought leadership, issues-based public affairs and pragmatic business support to the Borough’s thriving business community.
Paul also sits on the boards of Marketing Birmingham, CBI West Midlands Council, Birmingham & Solihull Employment & Skills and the Birmingham Prospectus Advisory Group. He is married with three children and lives in Warwickshire.
Senior Vice President 2009: Sue Yates FREC
Sue Yates is director of Solihull-based management consultants Whiteley Scott Ltd.
She had been managing director of a Solihull recruitment agency for 12 years before she sold it in 2008, and has been involved in Birmingham and Solihull Chambers for over 20 years.
She has served on the Solihull Chamber executive council for over 20 years and was elected its president for 2007/08 and accepted a second term of office for 2008/09.
Senior Vice President 2009: Tony Waldron
Tony Waldron is managing director of Executive Communication Centres Ltd and a director of ECC Investments plc.
Executive Communication Centres (ECC) has its headquarters at Wellington House – where Solihull Chamber is also based - on Birmingham International Park, and operates a number of serviced office centres in the East and West Midlands, as well as in London and Berkshire.
Locally, ECC acted as a catalyst to the full development of Birmingham International Park, which is within group ownership, when they established their requirement for 26,000 sq ft of prestigious, purpose-built serviced office space at Vienna House, close to Birmingham International Airport.
Tony is Chairman of the UK Business Centre Association and a member of the Institute of Directors.
Senior Vice President 2009: David Stevens
David is the director for the site development team and the water engineering business of Ove Arup and Partners (Arup) - an international company of multi-disciplinary consulting engineers who currently employ over 7,000 staff located in over fifty locations about the world.
David is based at the Arup Campus on Blythe Valley Business Park and is a former president of Solihull Chamber.
In recent years he has spent significant periods of time working and seeking opportunities for the company in Central and Eastern Europe and consequently is able to advise others interested in carrying out business in this part of the world.