CEO Stories

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 Paul and founder Sam talk to Henrietta about the transformational project – including the inspiration behind Sam’s idea and ambitious plans to bring her vision to life through a £5 million fundraising drive.

We also hear from our guests about their respective professional backgrounds. Sam has forged a successful career as a radio presenter and producer, while Paul's CV includes banking, football (as CEO of Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest), working within a family office in the United States and leading the Chamber from 2015 to 2021.    Key topics: · What inspired Sam and her family to want to build Kids’ Village? · Why did Paul feel compelled to join the charity as interim chief executive? · How does the charity intend to raise the £5 million needed to build the Kids’ Village? · At what stage are plans to recruit a permanent CEO and what type of individual are they seeking? · How does Kids’ Village hope to engage with the West Midlands business community? · Why did Paul swap affluent American seaside community The Hamptons for Sutton Coldfield in Birmingham? · Why did Sam decide to pursue a career in broadcasting and radio production? · What has surprised Sam most since embarking on the ambitious Kids’ Village project? · What is Paul’s biggest piece of advice for aspiring or up-and-coming business leaders?   More about Kids’ Village: Website: https://www.kidsvillage.org.uk

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kidsvillagecharity/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/kidsvillagecharity/

X (formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/TheKidsVillage Connect with us:

Website: https://www.greaterbirminghamchambers.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/grbhamchambers

X (formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/GrBhamChambers Email: press@birmingham-chamber.com Connect with Henrietta:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/henrietta-brealey-86263b33/

X (formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/HenriettaLB About Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce:

We’re here to unleash the potential of Greater Birmingham’s businesses.

Whether it’s connections with our extensive network, inspiring events that spark new ideas, expert led services, regional insight, or opportunities to build and raise your profile, we’re here to give your business the tools to reach your full potential. 

We are unwavering champions and the leading voice for Greater Birmingham’s businesses. We’re in it for the long haul – we've been putting the us in business since 1813. 

At every stage of your business’ journey, we’re here for you. Our dedicated team specialise in empowering businesses to build their networks, access opportunities and learn from best practice locally, and trade internationally.

We love local, and we go global. 

We are a vibrant community of forward-thinking organisations, that are proud to be shaping the future of Greater Birmingham - together.

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 eventful life and career – from humble beginnings in Pakistan to a career in business and charity that makes phenomenal reading.

Nasir shares some of the highs and lows experienced along the way – including a tumultuous time in the mid-2000s when he came close to losing everything.

It was a test of faith at “a time where I was emotionally at my very lowest.”

However, that faith and determination drove Nasir on to successfully rebuild his business which evolved into one of the UK’s largest wholesale firms.  

We also hear about his charitable work – including an impactful role as chair of Islamic Relief – and his plans as president of the Chamber when he succeeds Deb Leary this month.

CEO Stories will return for a third season in early 2024.

Find out more about Nasir Awan:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-a-j-nasir-awan-mbe-dl-a6779726/
https://twitter.com/Nasirawanuk

Find out more about Awan Marketing:
https://www.awanplc.co.uk/
https://twitter.com/awanmarketing_
https://www.facebook.com/awan.plc/
https://www.instagram.com/awanplc/

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 about a successful career which has been built on people, relationships and creating great teams. We also hear about Eman’s role in bringing a ‘wow’ factor to the Library of Birmingham and the two unusual hobbies that keep her busy away from the business environment.

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 business – despite initially having aspirations to be a lawyer.

It’s a career that began stacking shelves on the warehouse floor as a young boy and eventually led to him negotiating the company's sale and subsequent buy-back of the wholesale arm.

Jason also opens up about the complexities of working in a family business, the mentor who helped him find clarity regarding his career goals and what the future holds for Lioncroft Wholesale Ltd.

Find out more about Lioncroft Wholesale Ltd:

https://www.linkedin.com/company/lioncroft-wholesale-ltd/

https://www.lioncroftwholesale.co.uk/

https://twitter.com/LionCroft2023

Follow Jason Wouhra:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/drwouhra/

https://twitter.com/DrWouhra

Birmingham Museums Trust co-CEO Sara Wajid’s “twin obsessions” of storytelling and equality set her on a path to becoming a respected cultural leader.

The former arts and culture journalist was by her own admission a reluctant CEO with aspirations to “get something done in society”.

She tells Henrietta Brealey how a secondment to Birmingham Museums Trust - the largest independent charitable trust of museums in the UK – in the role of ‘changemaker’ had a lasting impression on her career.

“I became a bit obsessed with the place,” Sara admits.

The opportunity to return to run the organisation later arose, in an innovative job-share role alongside the respected Zak Mensah.

We hear about her passion for social justice, Birmingham Museums Trust’s progressive, community-led approach and the unique working dynamic between her and fellow co-CEO Zak.

Find out more about Birmingham Museums Trust:

https://www.birminghammuseums.org.uk/

https://twitter.com/bm_Ag https://www.facebook.com/BirminghamMuseumandArtGallery https://www.instagram.com/birmingham_mag/

“There’s a reason I work in the arts – because it’s exciting!”

Caroline Miller’s passion for her profession is loud and clear as she talks Henrietta Brealey through the fascinating and varied career path that led to her becoming chief executive of Birmingham Royal Ballet.

It is a career that has taken her from the box office to the boardroom – driven by a lifelong love of dance and a determination to become a leading arts administrator.

Having overcome some personal setbacks, Caroline took the reins of Birmingham Royal Ballet– initially as interim CEO – in 2018 and was instrumental in the recruitment of global dance superstar Carlos Acosta to become the organisation’s director and creative driving force.

Caroline tells Henrietta how, like Cuban phenomenon Acosta, she believes in taking risks – a mantra that paid off as the Birmingham Royal Ballet navigated the Covid-19 pandemic with some innovative productions.

We also hear about some of BRB’s exciting future plans – including a forthcoming tour of the United States and the release of the highly-anticipated Black Sabbath – The Ballet.

Find out more about Birmingham Royal Ballet:

https://www.brb.org.uk/

https://twitter.com/brb

https://www.instagram.com/bhamroyalballet/

https://www.facebook.com/bhamroyalballet

https://www.linkedin.com/company/birmingham-royal-ballet/

Mario Mazzochi was all set to return to his native Italy when he spotted a newspaper advert that changed the course of his career.

The appeal of a top job with financial services giant Visa was too good to turn down for the Turin-born business leader, who would end up extending his stay in the UK.

That decision would eventually lead Mario to his current role as CEO of Birmingham-headquartered financial services mutual Wesleyan.

In this episode of CEO Stories, he tells Henrietta Brealey how he was impressed by the organisation’s distinctive business model and Birmingham’s appeal as “a transformative city”.

He discusses the “Wesleyan DNA” and why it is central to the organisation’s role in the community.

Mario also reveals his favourite things to do in Birmingham.

Find out more information about Wesleyan:

https://www.wesleyan.co.uk/

https://twitter.com/Wesleyan

https://www.linkedin.com/company/wesleyan/

SF Recruitment chief executive Saira Demmer kicks off Season Two of CEO Stories by talking Henrietta through the forensic detail that has gone into building her firm’s award-winning culture.

The specialist recruitment business has earned a string of accolades for its workplace practices – including a place in the Sunday Times 100 Best Small Companies to Work list.

Saira puts much of this success down to “giving employees a voice”.

Saira also describes how she has adapted throughout her career, admitting she has often been “thrown into things I wasn’t qualified for”.

Find out more about SF Recruitment:
https://www.sfrecruitment.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/sf-recruitment/
https://twitter.com/SFRecruiters
https://www.facebook.com/SFRecruiters

This bonus episode of CEO Stories focuses on business leaders who have been thrust into centre stage - sometimes in unusual circumstances. 

In a recap of Season One, Henrietta looks at instances when some of her guests have found themselves in the limelight. 

We hear from a CEO turned stand-up comedian, a chef who earned his shot at TV fame and a prominent business owner who unexpectedly went viral on social media. 

A writer and storyteller also tells Henrietta about performing and receiving a critique of his first play. 

Listen to this episode to hear from:

• Deb Leary, Forensic Pathways
• CJ Lloyd Webley, director/writer/entrepreneur
• Doug Wright, McDonald's franchisee
• Liam Dillon, The Boat Inn 

CEO Stories will return for Season Two in January 2023.

In the first of two bonus episodes of CEO Stories,  Henrietta Brealey explores who or what inspired some of the Greater Birmingham's business leaders.

We hear from four high-profile Season One guests who tell us why they were influenced by life-changing experiences and key figures from the worlds of sport, media and the military. 

Listen to this episode to hear from:

• Simon Caulton, Ones Leisure Trainers
• Colonel Richard Maybery, West Midland Reserve Forces & Cadets Association
• Doug Wright, McDonald's franchisee 
• Deborah Hazell, Unity Trust Bank 

CEO Stories will return for Season Two in January 2023.  

In the final episode of Season One, NEC Group chief executive Paul Thandi discusses his distinguished career in the leisure and entertainment industry.

Thandi tells Henrietta Brealey that joining the organisation – initially as commercial director – was like “lifting the lid on 1,000 flowers and letting them bloom”.

We hear about his role in transforming the NEC Group into one of Europe’s leading leisure and entertainment operations by shifting to a customer-centric, data-led approach, while increasing its portfolio of businesses. 

Thandi describes the challenge of steering the group through several changes of ownership – and dealing with the impact of the pandemic in one of the hardest-hit industries. 

He also provides an insight into what is next for the NEC Group under its ‘work, rest, live and play’ vision. 

CEO Stories will return for Season Two in January 2023

Find out more about the NEC Group:
https://www.necgroup.co.uk/
https://twitter.com/thenecgroup
https://www.linkedin.com/company/nec-group

Liam Dillon is an acclaimed chef whose adventurous culinary career has led him to roles at top restaurants in London, Sydney and Copenhagen. 

But none of those experiences compare to running his own business – The Boat Inn in his home city of Lichfield. 

The Boat has been transformed under Liam’s ownership, achieving three rosettes and Michelin-recommended status.  

Liam talks to Henrietta about how the transition from chef to business owner is “a different beast” and - why he compares running a restaurant to performing on a theatrical stage. 

We also hear about his appearances on TV’s Great British Menu, his desire to give something back via a new education scheme and what it is like to work for MasterChef taskmaster Marcus Wareing. 

More information on The Boat Inn:

https://www.theboatinnlichfield.com/
https://twitter.com/TheBoatInn_
https://instagram.com/theboatinn_
https://www.facebook.com/theboatinnlichfield

Follow Liam Dillon:

https://twitter.com/chefliamjdillon
https://www.instagram.com/chefliamjdillon/

Professional services firms are not traditionally known for being at the forefront of innovation – but Claire Clarke is helping to change that perception.

Claire is the managing partner at Mills & Reeve – a company that has featured in the UK 100 Best Companies to Work For list 18 years in a row.

In this episode, she talks about her career to date, including balancing becoming a partner with parenthood and the decision to “get out of the back seat and take the wheel” of the firm in 2015.

Claire also discusses Mills & Reeve’s unstinting commitment to developing its culture and how that fuels the firm’s innovation strategy.

More information on Mills & Reeve:
https://www.mills-reeve.com/
https://twitter.com/MillsandReeve
https://www.linkedin.com/company/mills-&-reeve/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7huYkwr8y4UrOYELhi31Vg

When a teenage Doug Wright decided to seek his first opportunity in the world of work, he was by his own admission “pretty much unemployable”.

However, when he did gain his first job – as a 93p-an-hour cleaner at his local McDonald’s – it turned out to be the first step on a remarkable journey with the global fast-food corporation.

Fast-forward four decades, Doug is now a multi-restaurant franchisee – with his company Wright Restaurants operating 21 branches of McDonald’s across the West Midlands, employing around 2,000 people.

In this episode, Doug tells Henrietta about his rise through the ranks at one of the world’s best-known brands – from cleaner, part-time and full-time assistant roles and his first management position through to being offered the opportunity to purchase his first restaurant.

He shares thoughts on scaling up his business from one to multiple restaurants, adopting a people-centric approach and being forced to innovate to meet ever-changing customer needs.

Away from McDonald’s, Doug is also well-known around the region for his incredible charity work – and he discusses a life-changing incident that fuelled his desire to give something back.

CEO Stories is a podcast series that delves into the stories behind some of the Greater Birmingham region's leading or up-and-coming CEOs. The series is hosted by Henrietta Brealey, who in 2021 became the youngest CEO in the Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce's 208-year history. Listen to find out what makes some of the region's finest leaders tick, who inspired them and what advice they would offer to aspiring CEOs.