Birmingham Post - Power 50

1. Liam Byrne, Minister for the West Midlands

2008-07-16T21:40:41Z

Name: Liam Byrne
Position: Minister for the West Midlands
Sector: Public Sector
2007 Placing: 10th

]]> The most powerful man in the West Midlands?

Perhaps an incongruous accolade for someone who admits he has no real power, but Liam Byrne has turned his role as Minister for the West Midlands into a vehicle for galvanising the region, based largely on force of personality alone.

Of course, having a senior government job probably helps. Mr Byrne, MP for Birmingham Hodge Hill, is a Minister of State in the Home Office, responsible for immigration, and became a Treasury Minister too in January, but we are concerned with the influence he has directly on the West Midlands region, and it is considerable.

When Mr Bryne was appointed Regional Minister by Gordon Brown last year, he said his only real power was to "bang heads together". Over the past year, this is precisely what he's done.

The greatest challenges facing the West Midlands economy are the need to dramatically increase the skills of the workforce, the need to create new jobs which can replace vanishing positions in the manufacturing sector, but which make use of the region's strengths, and the need to improve the transport network.

The West Midlands Minister has identified the key issues, and focused attention on them. He has also brought together bodies such as Advantage West Midlands, the Learning and Skills Council, universities and hospital trusts, forcing them to work together to find solutions.

He's ruffled a few feathers in the process. His role in Birmingham's successful bid for funding to refurbish New Street station bought him into conflict with the city council.

Some local officials have privately complained about him sticking his nose into their work, but it's this tenacity that makes Liam Byrne a powerful figure - in stark contrast to his equivalents in the other regions, who have not developed their role in the same way.

He has also encountered familiar problems, including suspicion in the shires about any "regional" initiative which critics accuse of being too focused on Birmingham, Coventry and the Black Country.

Mr Byrne, aged 37, became an MP in 2004 and has most of his political career still to come.

He's got off to a flying start, placed in charge of reforming immigration - the Government's biggest political headache before the economy went sour.

Now, with Labour struggling, he may be one of the people capable of providing the intellectual leadership the party needs to revive its fortunes, whether in Government or in opposition.

2. Lord Kumar Bhattacharyya, Warwick Manufacturing Group

2008-07-16T21:38:50Z

Name: Lord Kumar Bhattacharyya
Position: Founder of Warwick Manufacturing Group
Sector: Education/Business
2007 Placing: new entry

]]> Professor Lord Kumar Professor Lord Kumar Bhattacharyya founded Warwick Manufacturing Group in 1980.

Starting with an office, a chair and perhaps a secretary, over the years he has built one of the greatest manufacturing centres.

WMG trains more than 1,000 students, has a turnover of more than Â£100 million, and has got links worldwide.

It works with an amazing array of companies such as Airbus, Barclays, Corus, Rolls-Royce, Royal Bank of Scotland, Astra Zeneca, BAE Systems, and Network Rail.

WMG is home to 500 academics and researchers.

This month sees the launch of Warwick Digital Lab, a Â£50 million initiative aimed at boosting research opportunities, and it could be doubled in size - work is scheduled to begin on a second Â£50 million lab later this year or early 2009 to develop areas like neuromarketing and digital media.

Professor Bharracharyya advised the Thatcher government and advises Gordon Brown today.

He is known for his marketing flare and grasp of the big picture. He has contacts across the globe and was behind the arrival of Indian group Tata in the West Midlands.

It has since bought Jaguar and Land Rover.

He is a Labour peer and speaks regularly in the House of Lords, thriving on the intrigue of the political hurly-burly.

Critics claim he is prone to exaggerate but, given all he has achieved, who would occasionally begrudge him that?

WMG's close relations with industry and its record on innovation are admired around the world. It has been built on cutting edge research and knowledge transfer.

"You don't argue with Kumar because in my experience he is always right," one of the top movers and shakers in the region confided.

Indeed it could be said that Professor Bhattacharyya has probably been the single most influential individual in transforming the West Midlands economy.

He once worked for the long gone Lucas Industries. Now he lives in Birmingham in Joseph Lucas's former home.

3. Julia King, Aston University

2008-07-16T21:37:21Z

Name: Julia King
Position: Vice-Chancellor, Aston University
Sector: Education
2007 Placing: new entry

]]> Aston University's vice-chancellor Julia King is one of the country's leading engineers.

Last year she was appointed by Gordon Brown to lead a high-profile review to examine vehicle and fuel technologies that, over the next 25 years, could help to reduce carbon emissions from road transport.

The final recommendations of the King Review were published in March 2008 and was also the subject of her inaugural lecture at Aston in April 2008.

Ms King started her career as an academic researcher and university lecturer at the universities of Cambridge and Nottingham. After 16 years in those positions she moved into industry, joining Rolls-Royce in 1994.

She held a number of senior executive appointments within the company, including director of advanced engineering for the Industrial Power Group, managing director of the Fan Systems Business, and engineering director for the Marine Business.

In 2002 she became chief executive of the Institute of Physics and in 2004 returned to academia as principal of the Engineering Faculty at Imperial College, London.

In December 2006 she became vice-chancellor of Aston University.

Throughout her career, Ms King has held a number of senior public appointments and continues to support universities and voluntary bodies in various roles. She is a director of the Engineering and Technology Board, a non-executive director of the Technology Strategy Board and the DIUS Strategic Board, and a member of the Ministerial Group on Manufacturing.

She recently stepped down after four years as chair of the Ministry of Defence's Defence Science Advisory Council and has led a Royal Academy of Engineering Working Party looking into the education of engineers in the modern world.

Ms King plays an active role in encouraging women and young people to go into the sciences and engineering.

She has published more than 160 papers on fatigue and fracture in structural materials and developments in aerospace and marine propulsion technology.

Her research was recognised when she was awarded the Grunfeld, Bengough and Kelvin medals. In 1997 she was elected a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering and in 1999 was made a CBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours for Services to Materials Engineering.

She is a Liveryman of the Goldsmiths' Company, and an Honorary Fellow of both New Hall, Cambridge, and of Cardiff University.

4. Alan Chatham, Birmingham Development Company

2008-07-16T21:36:03Z

Name: Alan Chatham
Position: Co-Founder of Birmingham Development Company
Sector: Business
2007 Placing: 3rd

]]> A chartered surveyor with over 20 years worth of property development experience, Alan Chatham's name is synonymous with the architectural renaissance of Birmingham city centre.

First with property company Rosehaugh, then Argent and now the Birmingham Development Company - co-founded with business partner Mark Billingham - Alan is behind some of the city's most prestigious mixed-use developments including Brindleyplace, The Mailbox and The Cube.

During the development of Brindleyplace, Alan cemented his working relationship with Mr Billingham and when the former Royal Mail sorting office was put up for sale, the pair paid Â£4 million to take up a redevelopment challenge many in the region's property community were too afraid to touch.

The result was the award-winning, Â£200 million retail and lifestyle development, The Mailbox, incorporating 1.5 million sq ft of redevelopment. Through skilful negotiation, he was also able to secure tenants such as Harvey Nichols and Emporio Armani - brands previously unwilling to move into the city.

Last year Alan was elected chairman of the city centre's new Business Improvement District - Retail Birmingham. Aimed at improving shopping facilities in the city, Alan oversees the work of the partnership - which includes the Bullring, The Mailbox, Pallasades, Pavilions, New Street, High Street, Corporation Street, Great Western Arcade and Piccadilly Arcade.

Last year BDC put together its own construction firm, Build Ability, to deliver The Cube.

5. Paul Thandi, NEC

2008-07-16T21:34:29Z

Name: Paul Thandi
Position: Chief Executive, NEC Group
Sector: Business
2007 Placing: new entry

]]> As head of a business that contributes more than Â£2 billion a year to the West Midlands' economy and supports nearly 29,000 jobs, Paul Thandi is arguably one of the most important businessmen in the region.

Paul is chief executive of the NEC Group, which operates the National Exhibition Centre and NEC Arena, in Solihull, and the International Convention Centre and National Indoor Arena, in Birmingham.

In an increasingly uncertain economic climate, the NEC Group's role in keeping the West Midlands under the global spotlight is more important than ever. Paul's contribution was recognised recently when he was named joint West Midland winner of the Professional Excellence category of the recent Lloyds TSB Jewel Awards celebrating Asian business and civic achievement.

Even before he joined the NEC Group, Paul Thandi was no newcomer to the burgeoning events and exhibition industry.

He was previously an executive director at CMP Information (CMPi), a multimedia trading division in exhibitions, conferences, digital, information products and online communities.

Paul spent the last three years of his time there leading CMPi's acquisition and merger strategy and managing the full strategic, financial and operational control of the company's exhibition and publishing portfolio.

Driving the business forward through commercial and strategic leadership, he was also responsible for high-profile acquisitions which included the purchase of Barbour Group from Cinven. He was also part of a management team that led the recovery of media company CMP, with a profit increase from two per cent in 2000 to just over 20 per cent in 2003.

Following his time at CMPi, he embraced the position of commercial director at NEC Group where he was responsible for delivering the largest haul of new business in any one year in the company's history. Since becoming chief executive he has rebuilt the company's brand and reputation.

Introducing a new style of leadership, Paul has devised a philosophy that he believes is critical to ensure its survival in a highly competitive global venue market. This has included creating a new senior management team, the introduction of leadership training across the group, development of a corporate responsibility strategy and making sure the group becomes a data-led organisation.

6. Digby Jones, BERR

2008-07-16T21:33:08Z

Name: Digby Jones
Position: Minister of State for Trade and Investment, BERR
Sector: Public Sector
2007 Placing: 1st

]]> Digby, Lord Jones of Birmingham, took on a new challenge this year, as he joined Gordon Brown's team in the unlikely role of Trade Minister in a Labour Government.

He was one of a number of people from outside politics elevated to the House of Lords and given a ministerial job, as part of Mr Brown's "Government of all the talents".

The fact that the appointees quickly became known as GOATS among some civil servants and Labour MPs illustrates some of the challenges he faced.

There was some resentment on the part of people who had worked hard for the party all their lives that outsiders were being bought in and offered plum Government positions but, in Lord Jones' case, there was also outright hostility.

In his former role as Director General of the CBI, the former Birmingham lawyer had often clashed with the unions.

Many union leaders were furious that he was now part of a Labour Government. Some MPs felt the same way, particularly as Lord Jones refused to confirm which party he supports.

They demanded that he pledge fealty to the Labour Party - perhaps motivated by a belief that he was, secretly, a Tory.

In fact, quizzed by about his political leanings by the Commons Business and Enterprise Committee, Lord Jones would only say that people might be surprised.

Whatever his private views may be, it is almost unheard of for a Government Minister to refuse actively to support the governing party. Lord Jones appears to have been surprised by some of the criticism he received, but perhaps he should have been more prepared for it.

It is hard, however, to think of anyone more suited for the role he currently plays. As a Minister, he has assumed responsibility for UK Trade and Investment, the body responsible for promoting Britain to the business world across the globe.

His work has included creating better economic links with China, and he will represent the Department of Business and Enterprise at the Beijing Olympics.

Lord Jones also appears to have a genuinely close relationship with Gordon Brown, who praised his work during a Commons committee hearing recently.

It is unclear what the future holds for him. Conservative leader David Cameron has hinted a Conservative Government might keep him on - perhaps in an effort partly to provoke Labour MPs - but Lord Jones is expected to return to the private sector once the next General Election is called.

7. Sir Michael Lyons, BBC Trust

2008-07-16T21:31:44Z

Name: Sir Michael Lyons
Position: Chairman, BBC Trust
Sector: Media
2007 Placing: 2nd

]]> Sir Michael Lyons was on the fast track to success from the moment when ,as a schoolboy, he began helping his father, who was employed as a greyhound starter at an East London dog track.

The early experience made him determined to better himself through eduction.

He attended Stratford Grammar School in the East End, and at the age of 20, began working as a market trader while completing his education at Middlesex University and the University of London.

After an early career as a public sector economist, he began a life-long relationship with the Midlands by taking a position as a lecturer at Nottingham University. By 1980 he had become a Labour member of Birmingham City Council.

By 1994, Michael Lyons had reached the top of the local government tree by becoming chief executive of Birmingham City Council, Europe's largest local authority. He was knighted in 2000 for services to local government and promptly let it be known he wished to be called Sir Michael rather than Sir Mick - a move many interpreted as a desire to bring a little more gravitas to the Lyons brand.

When he left the city council, at the age of 51 after seven years at the top, Sir Michael said he wanted to put together a portfolio of jobs.

He has certainly done that. During the past six years he has been Professor of Public Policy at Birmingham University and chairman of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. He has been acting chairman of the Audit Commission and a governor of the Royal Shakespeare Company.

Sir Michael is a non-executive director of MouchelParkman plc, Wragge & Co, and SQW.

He came to national notice after being asked by Gordon Brown to preside over inquiries into local authority funding and the future of local government. Controversial recommendations in the Lyons Report included allowing councils to levy a tourist tax and a supplementary business rate and the introduction of new council tax bands.

With the ink hardly dry on his report, Sir Michael's next career move was under way. It was announced in May that he was to be the first chairman of the new BBC Trust, with a remit to set out the future of the corporation as a news and public service broadcaster, while representing the views of licence-fee payers and BBC staff.

Since then he has had to deal with rows over premium-rate phone lines for interactive shows, and the role of the regions in the BBC's structure.

On his appointment as BBC chairman,Sir Michael resigned as a Labour Party member.

He is married with three grown-up children and lives in Sutton Coldfield.

8. Mike Whitby, Birmingham City Council

2008-07-16T21:28:18Z

Name: Mike Whitby
Position: Leader, Birmingham City Council
Sector: Public Sector
2007 Placing: 12th

]]> Leader of the city council since June 2004, Mike Whitby is unusual among Birmingham's recent civic heads in having taken the top job after only seven years' experience as a local authority member.

He was elected to represent Harborne ward in May 1997, and succeeded David Roy to become leader of the council Conservative group six years later.

His arrival on the scene in Harborne, where he was tipped for great things from day one, privately annoyed some Tories and he had to survive an attempt at questioning the validity of his selection.

When he became group leader he swiftly brought a new professionalism to the then opposition party by forming a shadow cabinet for the first time and describing himself as shadow leader of the council. He showed his political nous by agreeing a deal to keep Labour in power, in exchange for allowing the Conservatives to take all of the council's scrutiny committee chairmanships. That gave Whitby a year to engineer embarrassing scrutiny exposes of the Labour administration's apparent failures.

There were complaints of egotistical behaviour, but Whitby had the last laugh on Labour by forming a coalition with the Liberal Democrats in 2004 to run the council. With a reputation for being on the centre-left of the Conservative Party, he was in a perfect position to bargain behind the scenes with his prospective Lib-Dem partners.

Whitby's leadership of the coalition, or progressive partnership as he insisted on calling it, which apart from a few gaffes has been plain sailing, surprised many critics and political observers who gave the venture little hope of long-term survival. There have been few signs, at least in public, of tensions between the two coalition partners. He was instrumental in forging new links between Birmingham and the emerging economies of China and India. He played a hands-on role in persuading the Nanjing Automotive Corporation to buy MG Rover and re-start production at Longbridge.

He has championed the expansion of Birmingham International Airport,the redevelopment of New Street Station and opened a Birmingham office in London. As council leader, he oversaw dramatic improvements in Birmingham's failing social services and housing department. On the minus side, his handling of the failed underground railway project, the split-site library and the casino was not regarded as Coun Whitby's finest hour.

He was credited as being a motivating force behind the Â£550 million New Street Gateway project, which was put into action earlier this year when the Government pledged a significant funding pot.
A wealthy man in his own right, Coun Whitby is the owner and managing director of Skeldings, a Black Country engineering firm.

9. Andrew Mitchell, Shadow Minister for Birmingham

2008-07-16T21:25:11Z

Name: Andrew Mitchell
Position: Shadow Minister for Birmingham
Sector: Public Sector
2007 Placing: new entry

]]> As shadow Minister for Birmingham and shadow Secretary of State for International Development, it is Andrew Mitchell's job to ensure the Conservatives enjoy a high profile in the city, and that Birmingham has a high profile within the Conservative Party - and he's enjoyed considerable success.

Party leader David Cameron has been a frequent visitor to the city, and the Tories hold their annual conference here later this year.

The focus on Birmingham is partly a recognition that the West Midlands, with its plethora of marginal seats, will play a central role in the next General Election, but it is also part of an attempt to ensure the Conservatives rebuild and strengthen links with Britain's great cities.

The Tories are a force to be reckoned with in Birmingham, unlike in Liverpool, Manchester and Newcastle, where they have almost no presence at all.

In some respects, this makes Mr Mitchell's role even more important, as the party's success has come to symbolise its renewal following 10 years in the wilderness.

Mr Mitchell is said to be close to Mr Cameron, even though he backed a rival candidate for the Tory leadership.

The relationship is based on Mr Cameron's respect for his work on international development and on the Tory leader's desire to ensure nobody can ever again accuse it of being solely the party of the South-east.

Mr Mitchell, who replaced Norman Fowler as MP for Sutton Coldfield in 2001, has been the lynchpin of the Conservative effort in Birmingham, playing a leading role in the party's local election campaigns.

Along with city council leader Mike Whitby and Francis Maude, one of David Cameron's closest allies, he is responsible for the party's annual conference coming to the city.

It is also partly due to him that Mr Cameron has made seven visits to Birmingham so far, and he has been the Tory voice in campaigns such as the refurbishment of New Street station.

However, Mr Mitchell has also faced challenges.

Recently, he suffered a potential setback when his long-time ally, David Davis, quit the shadow Cabinet and resigned from the House of Commons, forcing a by-election.

Mr Davis seems to enjoy significant public support, but his actions were nothing but a nuisance for Mr Cameron and there was speculation that Davis' allies could be purged from the shadow cabinet.

This now appears unlikely, and Mr Mitchell is expected to remain in the front line of politics.

10. Paul Tilsley, Birmingham City Council

2008-07-15T22:33:14Z

Name: Paul Tilsley
Position: Deputy Leader, Birmingham City Council
Sector: Public Sector
2007 Placing: new entry

]]> As deputy leader of Birmingham City Council, Paul Tilsley is the second most powerful man in the largest local authority in the country.

He has faced a potentially difficult task taking over from John Hemming, the former leader of the Lib-Dem group on the council who is now an MP.

Mr Hemming turned the Lib-Dems into a force to be reckoned with in the city. He is a undoubtedly a big character and not easily replaced, but Coun Tilsley rose to the challenge, thanks partly to his success in forging a close relationship with the authority's Conservative leader, Mike Whitby.

The so-called progressive partnership between the Tories and the Lib-Dems is easily mocked, but a similar arrangement was recently introduced in Wolverhampton, which is now run also by a Conservative/Lib-Dem alliance.

In Birmingham, the partnership has probably benefited from the Labour Group apparently giving up on any hope of regaining power in the near future, but it has enjoyed some major successes, including securing funding for the redevelopment of New Street Station, and pressing ahead with local area agreements to improve co-operation with neighbouring authorities.

A report submitted to the council's cabinet suggested that Birmingham will qualify for almost Â£10 million in additional Government grant as a reward for improved performance. Just five years ago, Birmingham's social services and housing were ranked no-star failures by the Audit Commission and the council struggled to hit even half of the targets set by Whitehall.

11. Salma Yaqoob, Birmingham City Council

2008-07-15T22:31:49Z

Name: Salma Yaqoob
Position: Vice-Chairman, Respect Party
Sector: Public Sector
2007 Placing: new entry

]]> Vice-chairman of the Respect Party and a city councillor for Birmingham's Sparkbrook ward since 2006, Salma Yaqoob is increasingly making a name for herself in the media as a commentator nationally on Muslim and race issues.

Born in 1971 in Bradford to Pakistani parents, Coun Yaqoob was moved to go into politics after the terror attacks of 9/11 when she was spat at in Birmingham city centre while shopping with her three-year-old child.

She became a leading national figure in the anti-war movement, encouraging Muslim and non-Muslim unity around common principles of peace, social justice and equality.

She stood as the Respect candidate for the Sparkbrook and Small Heath constituency at the 2005 General Election and, against all expectations, finished in second place with 27.5 per cent of the vote. A year later she easily won the Sparkbrook ward at the city council elections, opening the way for the election of two more Respect candidates.

She has repeatedly clashed with the council cabinet, accusing the city's Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition of not doing enough to tackle unemployment and deprivation in inner city areas.

Earlier this year Coun Yaqoob urged the Government to abolish postal voting at local and national elections, claiming that the system discriminated against Muslim women who were being forced to vote against their wishes by pressure from male family members.

She also reported experiencing pressure from within the Asian community not to stand as a councillor.
"There were people saying it wasn't the job of a woman to be doing this," she said.

12. Paul Bassi, Bond Wolfe

2008-07-15T22:30:35Z

Name: Paul Bassi
Position: Chairman and Founder, Bond Wolfe
Sector: Business
2007 Placing: 39th

]]> Born in Birmingham and of Sikh Asian origin, property magnate Paul Bassi is supportive of many of the multi-cultural organisations throughout the West Midlands.

A highlight of his career so far came when he chaired the twinning of Sandwell and Amritsar - the city of the Golden Temple, and the only twinning that Amritsar has ever permitted in its 300 year history.

In business, Paul was until recently the West Midland regional chairman of "Royal bank" Coutts & Co and was its UK strategy adviser.

In April 2007, he was appointed Midland chairman of the Icelandic-owned bank, Kaupthing, Singer & Friedlander when it moved into Birmingham.

Paul also retains his role as chairman of Bond Wolfe, the business he founded some 25 years ago, and is chairman of Bigwood chartered surveyors, which combined are listed in the top 50 UK estate agencies.

In January 2007, he became chief executive of Real Estate Investors Plc. the quoted property company where he is also the largest shareholder.

Paul was formerly vice-president of Sandwell & Dudley Chamber of Commerce and has accepted the vice-presidency at Birmingham Chamber of Commerce.

This new appointment will mean that Paul will become the first Asian president of the largest chamber of commerce in the country.

In addition to his commercial interests, he is an active supporter of a number of charitable and community organisations, His contribution to the Midlands region was recognized with the appointment by Buckingham Palace as High Sheriff for the West Midlands for 2009 and most recently Deputy Lieutenant for the West Midlands.

Paul is a former Price Waterhouse Coopers Entrepreneur of the Year and the youngest ever recipient of LloydsTSB Life-Time Achievement Award.

Other directorships include the Birmingham Hippodrome, InvestBX, the Regional Stock Exchange and Corporatewear UK Plc.

13. Clive Dutton, Birmingham City Council

2008-07-15T22:29:23Z

Name: Clive Dutton
Position: Director of Planning & Regeneration, Birmingham City Council
Sector: Public Sector
2007 Placing: 4th

]]> Clive Dutton became director of planning and regeneration at Birmingham City Council in February 2005.

The post was created for him, with a remit to knock heads together and deliver a much sharper focus on redevelopment.

Before Dutton arrived, the council's regeneration unit had merely been a small part of the much larger planning department, which was regarded as being far more important. A separate economic development team worked more or less on its own, with variable successes.

As a result, regeneration in Birmingham lacked focus and strategic direction. There were claims that redevelopment in Eastside and the city centre had stalled, while schemes for much-needed grade A office accommodation to cash in on job opportunities offered by the fast-growing professional services sector were almost non-existent.

The redevelopment of Paradise Circus, announced in 2001, had not progressed at all.

Mr Dutton brought with him a wealth of experience, having been director of regeneration at JJ Gallagher and a former head of regeneration and community services at Sandwell Council.

After joining the council, he was closely involved with helping partner organisations progress the Â£550 million New Street Gateway project, which was finally confirmed in February when the Government pledged Â£400 million towards the scheme.

He was also instrumental in the proposed development of the city centre's skyline, that could see high-rise towers spring up at Snow Hill, Arena Central and Colmore Row, among other sites,
He has also thrown his weight behind the council's campaign to demolish and rebuild Birmingham's Central Library, against opposition from local admirers and English heritage.

Mr Dutton described the brutalist building as a "blot", and pointed out that the Â£1 billion redevelopment of Paradise Circus - still going on - could be thrown into doubt if the old building is left.

As well as the high-profile developments around the city, one of Mr Dutton's greatest legacies to the city is likely to be the first all-encompassing development plan covering the entire area within the outer ring road.
The plan, published more than a year ago to great acclaim, was put together by cities expert and Government adviser Professor Michael Parkinson.

14. Jon Bounds, Blogger

2008-07-15T22:28:18Z

Name: Jon Bounds
Position: Blogger, Birmingham: It's Not Shit
Sector: Media
2007 Placing: new entry

]]> Jon Bounds works as a freelance social media and multimedia consultant and producer and is best known for creating the cult website "Birmingham: It's Not Shit" (B:iNS).

He spent nearly four years working for the BBC designing and building interactive exhibits, permanent and
themed interactive displays and film, and also worked as a technical editor, commissioning editor and author on multimedia design books - including titles on Flash, Director, QuickTime and Final Cut.

Jon has been working with online media since discovering the Internet while studying Computer Science at
Birmingham University, first as a hobby then latterly professionally.

He spent nearly four years working for the BBC - as technical co-ordinator of the Public Space at BBC
Birmingham, where he designed and built large-scale interactive exhibits, permanent and themed interactive
displays and film - by originating ideas and producing or commissioning material in a variety of media.

He has written for the press on topics such as Birmingham music and culture and currently writes a blog for The Birmingham Post, which looks at how people use the Internet.

He also operates a blog on his own site www.jonbounds.co.uk as well as on B:iNS.

He recognises that Birmingham historically has had a poor image, but he says he enjoys trying to change that.

15. Suzie Norton, Screen West Midlands

2008-07-15T22:26:54Z

Name: Suzie Norton
Position: Chief Executive, Screen West Mildands
Sector: Media
2007 Placing: new entry

]]> Armed with a degree in British politics that included a gap year working in the House of Commons, Suzie Norton started her career in Westminster as a researcher for GMTV's Sunday Programme with Alastair Stuart.

She was soon promoted to political producer on GMTV's daytime show and, at the age of 23, became the youngest person to join the Parliamentary Lobby in its 200-year history.

With offices in the House of Commons and daily lobby briefings with Alastair Campbell, Ms Norton joined the elite of British political journalism.

Within two years she had become GMTV's political correspondent, reporting live to six million people from Downing Street and beyond on the key issues of the day from the 2001 General Election to the Iraq War.

After five years of 3am starts, she moved from political reporting to current affairs, joining the BBC as a senior broadcast journalist for the current affairs unit back in her home city of Birmingham.

After that, she became the inaugural director of Film Birmingham, the city's first film office.

Working closely with Birmingham City Council leader Mike Whitby, she established the city's first online film location service, increased filming activity by 40 per cent, which generated Birmingham's economy Â£14 million.

Ms Norton also developed the idea for a major new digital film and media event for Birmingham and the region which will take place in October 2008.

In September 2007, she became chief executive officer of Screen West Midlands, the regional screen agency, charged with taking the regional screen industry to its next level of growth.

In March the organisation signed a Â£10 million deal with Channel 4 which sees the West Midlands as the lead UK commissioning hub for the station's new digital media 4IP fund.

Ms Norton also secured Â£2.5 million from the UK Film Council to invest in regional film festivals, archive and education and is in charge of delivering a Â£4 million Feature Film Fund, resulting in 12 feature films produced in the West Midlands over the next two years.

Suzie is a member of the Royal Television Society, Creative Birmingham Partnership Board, Digital Film and Media Event, AWM's Screen, Image and Sound COG, Birmingham Cultural Partnership, New Library for Birmingham and the Cultural Olympiad Task Team.