CEO Stories: Conversations with Greater Birmingham business leaders

Dan Boardman-Weston in the CEO of BRI Wealth Management, the financial planning and wealth management firm based in Meriden. Having initially joined the firm as a trainee, Dan eventually succeeded his dad, Simon, as CEO. In this episode, he talks to Henrietta about making that transition and navigating his way through the challenges of leadership at a young age. We also hear his thoughts on the cu...

Wendy Morgan is the founder of the Jumar group of companies (now TXP), the Birmingham-headquartered organisation offering tech and business transformation expertise. Wendy has become a leader in the tech sector despite overcoming a series of obstacles - both during her childhood and her career. This included gender discrimination which threatened to impact her progress in the tech industry. Wendy...

As CEO Stories takes a short summer break, we bring you a bonus episode in which some of our guests answer a series of quickfire questions. In this episode, you will hear from Professor Aleks Subic (Aston University), Jodh Dhesi (Schools of King Edward VI Foundation), Andrew Davies (Kier Group), Fran Nolan and Dre Picart (Tribera), Janie Frampton (Team You), Iain McCallister (MAN Commercial), Mari...

Vice-chancellor Professor David Mba sets out his vision for Birmingham City University in this episode of CEO Stories. Professor Mba discusses the transformational journey and impact of BCU - emphasising social mobility, employability, and the importance of practice-based pedagogy. The conversation explores his unexpected path to academia, his upbringing in Nigeria, and his vision for BCU's future...

Jim Simpson is a Birmingham music legend. As well as being credited as the man who gave Black Sabbath their big break, he is the founder of Big Bear Records and the director of Birmingham Jazz & Blues Festival.  In this episode, Jim discusses his illustrious career spanning decades as a musician, manager, record label and festival founder, author, photographer and much more. He shares anecdote...

Emma Stenning is CEO of the globally-renowned City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra - an organisation she says is "shorthand for excellence" in the classical music world. Emma comes from a successful theatrical background -leading major theatres in the UK and Canada, being involved in the London 2012 Olympics and working with pop stars such as Damon Albarn and Rufus Wainwright. However, her vision...

Marina Robertson is the group managing director of Acivico, the Birmingham-based multi-disciplinary firm offering built environment advisory services from design and construction to building control and facilities management.   Born and raised in Athens, Greece, Marina made the crucial decision to study in the UK – which opened the door to working on some key projects such as the redevelopment of...

MAN Commercial Protection founder and CEO Iain McCallister joins Henrietta Brealey for the second episode of season four. Iain is a former nightclub doorman who, alongside his father, founded the Solihull-based private security firm in 1993. He scaled it to become the largest privately-owned security business in the West Midlands, employing 1,600 people across the UK. Iain discusses providing secu...

Trailblazing former football referee Janie Frampton joins Henrietta Brealey for the first episode of season four. Janie, who is the co-founder of TeamYou and president of the Greater Birmingham Global Chamber of Commerce, reveals how her career was sparked by a love of football. She was only the second woman to referee in a men's professional game and has since gone on to work with global sports g...

In the final episode of season three, Henrietta Brealey is joined by the co-founders of Tribera - the award-winning creative content agency. Fran Nolan and André Picart run the Birmingham city centre-based agency which has racked up a host of accolades including being named in the Sunday Times' 'Best Places to Work' list.  Fran and André join Henrietta to discuss their career-defining moments, how...

As CEO of infrastructure services and construction giant Kier Group, Andrew Davies is at the helm of a company that impacts the lives of millions of people. Many of those are in Birmingham where Kier is responsible for operating all roads and has built a number of landmark buildings.  In his conversation with Henrietta Brealey, he discusses the importance of having a clear vision and purpose for a...

As chief executive of King Edward VI Foundation in Birmingham, Jodh Dhesi is on a mission to make Birmingham the best place to be educated in the UK. In this episode of CEO Stories, he admits to Henrietta Brealey: "It was a bit daunting when I applied for the job, but the Chair of Governors explained it well, saying that somewhere has to be, so why not Birmingham?" Jodh talks Henrietta through an...

In this episode of CEO Stories, Henrietta Brealey speaks with Professor Aleks Subic, vice chancellor and chief executive of Aston University. Professor Subic shares his journey from his early life as a migrant in Australia, through his career transition from industry to academia, to leading significant technological innovations. Highlights include his formative experiences in both Belgrade and Mel...

As CEO Stories takes a short summer break, we bring you a bonus episode in which our Series Three guests answer some quickfire questions. Listen to find out: Who would hire Sex and the City's Carrie Bradshaw as their brand ambassador? Who has the most unusual item on their office desk? Who would call Albert Einstein as their 'Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?' phone-a-friend? We also have...

Wade Lyn gave supermarket bosses food for thought by introducing them to the Jamaican patty. The Jamaican-born entrepreneur owns Hockley-based Cleone Foods which produces Island Delight, the UK’s biggest selling Jamaican patty which is stocked on most major supermarkets. In this episode, he talks to Henrietta about his role in spicing up the UK food market by introducing the Caribbean culinary sta...

Jas Rohel openly admits her younger self would have dismissed the idea of a career in education. Fast-forward to the present day, however, and the entrepreneur and radio presenter is banging the drum for the sector in her dual role as Education Awards founder and co-CEO of charitable organisation the Titan Partnership. In this episode, Jas talks to Henrietta about how a spell teaching at Solihull...

Abbie Vlahakis was seeking a career change when Millennium Point “found her”. In this episode, South Wales-born Abbie talks to Henrietta about how her passion for learning developed into a career in finance, before ultimately leading to her current role as CEO at one of Birmingham’s most recognisable venues. We learn why Millennium Point’s dual purpose of being both commercial and charitable was a...

Mahirs Experience chief executive Harvir Sahota reveals his recipe for success – including how he scaled up his family’s Indian sweet shop business into an award-winning catering and events company that has been used by a string of illustrious names. Harvir and Henrietta discuss the firm’s evolution over the years and how his leadership has been shaped by the many different roles he has held withi...

Since overcoming cancer as a child, Sam Fletcher-Goodwin and her family have dreamed of creating the UK’s inaugural holiday village for critically ill children. Now, with support from a top team spearheaded by former Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce chief executive Paul Faulkner, plans are gathering pace to build the Kids’ Village in the picturesque Staffordshire countryside. Interim CEO Pa...

Zoe Bennett’s life changed forever when her father Errol was brutally murdered in 2011. After a long battle to achieve justice, she channelled her experiences into forging a successful career as an entrepreneur, motivational speaker, author and founder of the Multicultural Business and Community Champion (MBCC) Awards.   In this episode of CEO Stories, the self-styled Motivational Queen shares her...

Season three of CEO Stories begins with Henrietta Brealey talking to a chief executive who has one of the toughest jobs in local government. Birmingham born and bred, Deborah Cadman has enjoyed a distinguished career in local government – including stints leading the West Midlands Combined Authority, Suffolk County Council and St Edmudsbury Borough Council. Her current role, leading Europe’s large...

When Nasir Awan came to England in the 1960s, he could speak virtually no English. Today, Nasir is one of the West Midlands’ most successful business figures – and, on 17 November, 2023, he will become president of Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce. In the final episode of CEO Stories season two, the boss of international wholesale firm Awan Marketing talks Henrietta Brealey through an event...

Eman Al-Hillawi is passionate about driving change. The Entec-Si CEO has experienced several transformational moments of her own – including moving to the UK from Iraq as a teenager, switching careers from science to technology and meeting her business partner Peter Marsden, with whom she created the Birmingham-based consultancy. In this episode of CEO Stories, Eman talks to Henrietta Brealey abou...

Jason Wouhra has a saying about family businesses – “it’s like being in the mafia – once you’re in, you can’t get out!” Jason is the chief executive of Lioncroft Wholesale Ltd, a ‘carve-out’ of the renowned East Ends Foods brand which was started by his father and uncles in the 1960s.    In this episode, he tells Henrietta about building on his family’s legacy by making his own mark on the busines...

Whether it's “getting a telling-off” from the Ministry of Defence or making history in football’s oldest cup competition, Charlie Blakemore is no stranger to huge challenges. The Intercity Technology managing director’s successes in business and sport have been driven by an ability to bring the best out of his people. He talks Henrietta Brealey through a fascinating career – from engineering a...